As longtime disciples of the cult skincare brand Tatcha, we are honored to introduce Box of Style members to their Polished Gentle Rice Enzyme Powder in this season’s lineup. Sure to become a staple in your daily regimen, the luxury cleanser gently scrubs the skin using earth-friendly ingredients for an inspired glow. Ahead, we talk with founder Victoria Tsai about her secret to exfoliation, Tatcha’s beginnings and other can’t-miss products from their repertoire.
Get To Know Cult Favorite Skincare Label Tatcha
Founder Victoria Tsai's Mission Statement
"When I thought of geisha, I had always pictured them with their iconic white makeup. When I met them in person, I realized that underneath that makeup is baby-soft, smooth, luminous skin. Caring for their skin is part of their artistry, passed down and honed through generations. Their rituals and ingredients are timeless and beautiful—they view skin as a brilliant organ, able to care for itself with a little bit of gentle cleansing and nourishment. I fell in love with this approach and wanted to pay homage in creating Tatcha."
The Best-Kept Skin Secret
"One of the most surprising lessons the geisha taught me was the importance of cleansing. Like many in the Western world, I had long believed in splurging on expensive treatments and rich moisturizers, and purchasing cheap cleansers. For geisha, any skincare regimen begins with purifying and polishing their skin. They melt away makeup and environmental debris, then gently exfoliate every day to bring a fresh start to skin."
Western Vs. Eastern
"Western skincare is a lot like Western medicine, using drugs to treat an issue after the fact. Eastern skincare is like Eastern medicine, focused on prevention and keeping the body in balance to avoid disease before it starts. Classical Japanese beauty rituals were born from the geisha's rituals, which are natural, elegant and spare. Even with elaborate performance makeup, her ritual is no more than four steps: melt away her makeup, polish, plump and nourish skin. The ingredients follow the same philosophy, with streamlined formulas of active ingredients, minimally manipulated to their most efficacious form. Whether it's oil from a camellia flower, steamed wild rose or brewed green tea, each ingredient serves a purpose."
Why Choose Tatcha
"We are deeply, madly, passionately in love with our clients. We develop every formula and our key active ingredients from scratch in-house with some of the most famous skincare scientists in the world, like a couture dress. The ingredients are pure and clean because of our classical Japanese heritage and because I was pregnant when we were beginning our R&D and needed a collection that is body-, animal- and earth-friendly. Finally, we believe that beauty begins in the heart and the mind. We have a 1:1 partnership with Room to Read: Every full-size skincare purchase funds a day of school for a girl in a developing country. Thanks to amazing clients and friends like Rachel Zoe, we have funded over 1 million days of school and counting."
The Truth About Exfoliating
"When you think of exfoliation, many people imagine a grainy scrub that is used once a week. One of the geisha's beauty secrets is a gentle exfoliant, used every day. Our Polished Gentle Rice Enzyme Powder (included in this season's Box of Style) is a non-abrasive, water-activated enzyme exfoliant with rice bran and licorice, so even those with dry skin can use it. Polishing the skin each and every day helps to encourage cell turnover, lighten the appearance of dark spots, prevent breakouts or clogged pores, and prepare the skin for any treatments to follow."
For Your Top Shelf Consideration
"One of our newest discoveries has quickly become a must-have for me. The Water Cream is our essential anti-aging moisturizer for smooth, poreless skin. The formula transforms to release a burst of skin-improving nutrients, powerful Japanese botanicals and refreshing hydration to nourish skin and prep for makeup."
How Tatcha Empowers Girls
"We wanted to build a giving model into Tatcha from the very beginning, and it was just a question of finding the right partner. When I first heard of Room to Read, their story resonated with me: The founders also left the corporate world to pursue their dreams. The more I learned about the organization, their work and their reputation for transparency and excellence, the more inspired I became. Room to Read's Girls' Education Program, in particular, helps mentor and teach girls through secondary school. Their work goes far beyond textbooks and classrooms—each day includes life skills coaching, mentorship and the tools needed to enable a brighter future for these incredible girls. We’re honored to have passed 1 million days of school and look forward to many more."
Become A Member
Subscribe to Box of Style today to receive the spring 2017 edition. Now shipping.
