My Honest Tatcha Review

With small, brightly colored jars and tiny golden spoons, Tatcha's creams and serums are the cutest products you'll find in Sephora. Tatcha has also earned some social media buzz, with influencers raving about their skin creams and lip masks. Still, does this brand live up to the hype? You're about to find out in my honest, non-sponsored Tatcha review.

What is Tatcha?

Founded in 2009, Tatcha is a Japanese skincare brand that builds products around its proprietary blend of green tea, algae and twice-fermented rice. To ensure quality, Tatcha sources its ingredients directly from Japan and works with scientists to develop safe, evidence-based formulas. The product line includes primers, cleansers, face masks, moisturizers, serums and more.

Kissu Jelly Lip Mask

Kissu Jelly Lip Mask comes in a delightfully small jar with a transparent exterior that reveals the pink jelly inside. This formula includes peach juice, leaf extracts, camellia oil and other ingredients that may plump and restore your lips. You can apply this product during the day or use it as an overnight mask.

I decided to wear the mask overnight to maximize my results. When I applied the jelly to my lips, the formula felt thick and sticky. The next day, my lips did feel a little softer, but I didn't notice a significant difference. I felt like I could've used Vaseline and gotten the same effect.

Thinking I hadn't applied enough, I layered the mask on my lips the next evening. Unfortunately, when I woke up in the morning, the results hadn't changed. The jelly added some nourishment, but it wasn't impressive enough to make me spend $29 on a full-size jar.

Maybe my lips are just too dry for Tatcha to tackle. Still, I was expecting more from a high-end brand that charges a premium for plumper, softer lips. If you've been eyeing this product, I advise getting a sample from Sephora first.

Dewy Skin Cream

Dewy Skin Cream contains red algae, Japanese purple rice, mallow flower extract and more, which may reduce the signs of aging and give you softer, plumper skin. To use this cream, you'll simply apply it to your face as part of your daytime routine.

This product's lavender shade and light, creamy consistency made it seem like a refreshing treat for my skin, although it did leave a faint purple residue. For the rest of the day, my skin felt soft, relaxed and pliable, implying that it had soaked up the nourishing ingredients.

While I enjoyed the softer texture, I can't say that I ended up with the "radiance" that the website promised. In fact, my appearance didn't change much at all. This cream hydrated my skin, but if you're looking for a full facial, I'd go with a mask instead.

Dewy Milk Moisturizer

Dewy Milk Moisturizer aims to nourish and hydrate your skin with Tatcha's blend of Japanese purple rice, zinc hyaluronate and prebiotic green tea extract. For best results, you'll massage this formula into your skin twice a day after applying your cleanser and serums.

Like Dewy Skin Cream, this product had a lavender hue and a smooth, lotion-like formula that spread easily. After application, I didn't notice a huge change in my appearance, but my skin tone was a little more even. My face also felt plump and supple, although it was a little sticky, too.

Samples only give you enough product to use for a couple of days, so if I used Dewy Milk Moisturizer for weeks, it's possible that I'd see better results. Until then, I'm filing this into the "decent but not mindblowing" folder. It's a good option for people who want a quick addition to their daily routines, but I've had more success with other brands.

Indigo Overnight Repair Serum

With a special blend that includes mondo grass root, camellia leaf extract and Japanese indigo, Indigo Overnight Repair Serum may reduce redness, relieve irritation and strengthen your skin barrier. You'll use this formula to refresh your skin in the evening.

I'd been dealing with redness for a while, so I was looking forward to trying this serum. The light, creamy formula created an instant cooling sensation when I applied it to my skin, which would feel great on hot days when you're dealing with dryness and irritation.

The next day, my face felt plumper and cushier, and some of the redness had receded. When I used it again the next day, my skin tone looked cleaner and more cohesive. If I had enough to keep using this product regularly, it's probably safe to assume that I would've experienced healthier skin, less inflammation and a quicker recovery.

As someone who hadn't had great luck with Tatcha, this was definitely the most effective product so far. The website even claims that this formula can replenish lipids and help people with eczema, although I recommend asking your doctor first. At $94 per container, this is definitely not an affordable treatment.

Brightening Eye Cream

Brightening Eye Cream may reduce puffiness and tighten the skin around your eyes with a blend of rice bran oil, Japanese plum, 12-hour-release vitamin C and more. You can use this product at any time of day. Since you don't need much, I used Brightening Eye Cream daily for a couple of weeks before I ran out.

As instructed, I applied the cream to the skin below my eyes, noting the thick, creamy texture and woodsy, fruity fragrance. Over the following days, I didn't notice much of a difference. The product left behind a slight sheen, and my undereye skin was a little softer, but I could've accomplished that with any moisturizer.

Admittedly, as someone who doesn't have wrinkles or undereye bags (yet), I might not be the target audience for this product. Since the sample lasts a while, I recommend grabbing a trial size instead of splurging on a $65 jar. This way, you'll know if the formula is worth your money.

Water Cream

Water Cream loads up on hydration with glycerin, BHA-alternative and plant extracts. Massaging this cream into your face twice a day could provide a number of benefits, including reduced oiliness, fewer clogged pores, relief from irritation and enhanced radiance.

The formula's white hue, earthy scent and springy, jelly-like texture all worked together to emphasize hydration. When I spread the product on my face, the cool, refreshing sensation made me feel like my skin was drinking it up. A sticky residue lingered for a while after use.

Immediately after I applied the formula, my skin looked brighter and healthier with a more cohesive skin tone. The texture was softer, plumper and more pliable, creating a nourished appearance. Clearly, this is one Tatcha product that doesn't need weeks to produce the full effect: the ingredients quickly get to work to repair and refresh your skin.

Overall Verdict

For the most part, Tatcha does what it's supposed to do. Their formulas hydrated and moisturized my skin, improving the appearance and softening the texture. However, they're not quite as effective as I'd hoped, and the high price tag makes their formulas a luxury investment. If you're on a budget, I'd look for another brand.

Which Tatcha products are your favorite? If you've never tried Tatcha, what does your skincare routine look like? Sound off in the comments.