The people of Japan are acutely aware how paying attention to ingredients can be beneficial to their health. Living in a Blue Zone—a region where a high number of people live much longer than average—they know to avoid certain foods, or have a very plant-rich, clean diet to stay healthy. It stands to reason that what is healthy for their body is also healthy for their skin, as many of the ingredients that are commonly found in their diet are also in their skincare.
Their centuries-old emphasis on fewer, better ingredients has been a source of inspiration for Tatcha since our beginning. The Tatcha Institute in Tokyo partners with leading plant extraction scientists to harness the powerful efficacy of these ingredients. The basis of Hadasei-3™, our proprietary complex found in every Tatcha formula, is a fermentation of green tea, rice, and seaweed—the trinity of superfoods credited with Japanese longevity. This single combined ingredient yields over 85 essentials for skin health, including lactic acid, enzymes, amino acids, and minerals. This proves that while a formula doesn’t have to be 100% natural to be good for you, natural ingredients can deliver impressive results without harmful side effects, and give the body what it needs safely.
Another aspect we consider when choosing our ingredients is provenance. We source plants grown in the most renowned provenances of Japan, based on climate, soil, and other factors. Our partners include family-run farms and small-scale suppliers that have specialized in that ingredient for years—even centuries—in an effort to be more environmentally sustainable and culturally authentic. Here are just a few examples:
—Our natural Japanese Indigo, long regarded for its deeply soothing and restorative powers, comes from a family-run farm on the banks of the Yoshino River, which floods annually to replenish the soil with vital nutrients and minerals.
Found in: The Indigo Cream, Indigo Soothing Hand Cream, The Rice Polish: Calming
—Silk extracts are easily absorbed into the skin, allowing antioxidants and amino acids to help condition for improved elasticity and resilience. This strong fiber has become a cornerstone of many of our formulas, and comes from a company that has specialized in silk extraction since 3500 B.C.E.
Found in: The Silk Cream, The Silk Canvas, The Liquid Silk Canvas, The Silk Peony
—The 23-karat gold you can see in some of our formulas comes from a small gold-leafing workshop outside of Kyoto, renowned for its whisper-thin sheets of gold. High-quality gold will crush on application and impart a subtle gleam to the skin, one that mica and other inexpensive optical agents simply cannot replicate. It lends an incandescence that flatters any skin tone.
Found in: Gold Camellia Beauty Oil, Camellia Gold Spun Lip Balm, Aburatorigami, Plum Blossom Silk Lipstick
—Rich in oleic acid and vitamins A, B, D and E as well as nourishing Omega 3, 6 and 9, our camellia oil is harvested from the Goto Islands. The seeds are cold-pressed to extract the essential oil and retain its full benefits.The molecular weight of the oil is an almost identical match for skin, allowing it to absorb quickly and thoroughly.
Found in: Pure One Step Camellia Cleansing Oil, Plum Blossom Camellia Lip Balm
—The Okinawa Red Algae is harvested by hand from a tranquil lagoon in Yaeyama. Once dried in the sun, it is distilled to retain the plant’s benefits. This specific type of algae helps to enhance skin’s barrier function, replenish the skin’s natural water reservoir, and increase its moisture-retention capabilities.
Found in: The Dewy Skin Cream, Luminous Deep Hydration Firming Serum, Luminous Deep Hydration Firming Eye Serum, Luminous Deep Hydration Revitalizing Eye Mask
In this season that fills us with kansha, or a deep sense of gratitude, we want to say how thankful we are for our ingredients. We spend as much time on these materials as we do on the formulas themselves, and continuously return to these natural ingredients because they’ve proven to be gentle, pure, and efficacious.
Victoria Tsai
Chief Treasure Hunter
