Skincare for

Healthy Aging

In Japan, aging is viewed as a gift, rather than something to dread. The goal is not to look perpetually 20 years old, but rather to have healthy-looking skin. One of the most important elements of healthy skin? Everyday healthy living—limiting sun and pollution exposure, not smoking, limiting stress, and a nourishing diet. But a proper skincare ritual is also vital. The best skincare routine for aging skin includes a particular set of skincare must-haves, like innovative serums, creamy moisturizers, and reparative overnight treatments. Read on to uncover the best tips to care for both your skin and self to promote lasting longevity.

Prioritize Well-Being

Our skin is a reflection of our inner health. “There is a saying in Japanese, hinou dokon, which translates to ‘skin-mind same root,’” says Tatcha founder Vicky Tsai. “It comes from the belief that caring for the skin is caring for the mind,” she adds. “This is biologically true: our skin and brain develop along the same stem cell line so that our skin both affects and reflects our internal state, even how we think and feel. From goosebumps and blushing to stress breakouts and eczema, our skin is constantly talking to us about what’s happening under the surface.”

Well-being also extends to our mental well-being—don’t underestimate the destructive powers of stress. A 2020 scientific study found that people exposed to chronic stress age more rapidly. This skin-to-soul connection emphasizes the importance of incorporating stress-reduction habits, well-being rituals, and mindfulness practices into your daily routine. As Tsai succinctly says, “Serums and creams can only go so far if you aren’t attentive to your well-being, because caring for your skin requires caring for all of you.”

The Mind-Skin Connection

In a 2022 Tatcha study on skincare and self-care, nearly 50% of those surveyed regarded their skincare routine as just another task in their day—or worse, a source of stress. Perhaps we can re-envision our daily skincare routine into a moment of mindfulness, taking inspiration from many of Japan’s centuries-old traditions, like ikebana and tea ceremonies, which take daily

activities we think of as routine and turn them into meaningful rituals through intention and care.

Skincare is necessary to keep your complexion looking healthy, but it doesn’t have to be a chore. When we reimagine that time to quiet our minds and reconnect with ourselves, we reclaim it from being a task to a moment of self-care and thoughtfulness.

The Importance of Cleansing

The first and arguably most vital part of any skincare routine, especially one for aging skin, is cleansing. The Kyoto Cleanse—also known as the Double Cleanse—is the two-step protocol favored throughout Japan. It’s a two-step process utilizing oil first, then following up with a creamy cleanser or enzyme powder wash. Those two steps not only remove surface debris, sunscreen, and makeup, but also aid in unclogging pores and prepping skin for hydration. Many Tatcha clients have found that cleansing with oil and exfoliating with rice powder delivers results comparable to those one would only typically expect from an anti-aging moisturizer. The Kyoto Cleanse helps reduce the look of pore size, diminish the appearance of fine lines, and sun spots, and refine surface texture.

Try: The first step in your double-cleansing skincare routine for aging skin is a cleansing oil. The key to using a cleansing oil more effectively is to apply it with dry (clean!) hands onto a dry face. Massage the oil into skin with soft circular motions, then add a few drops of water and continue to dissolve makeup, sunscreen, and the day away. The Camellia Cleansing Oil gently melts away impurities, leaving behind pure, silky-soft skin.

For your second step, try our award-winning Rice Polish. The unique formula is a water-activated exfoliant, giving your skin a fresh start through Japanese ingredients that transform into a creamy, cloud-like foam. The non-abrasive formula of The Rice Polish makes it safe to use in your daily skincare routine, even for sensitive and aging skin. Finely ground rice bran and papaya enzymes promote natural skin turnover, while the pH-neutral, amino acid-base formula provides effective cleansing without stripping skin of essential moisture or breaking the skin barrier, leaving skin baby soft and supple.

Skin Preparation Is Essential

The Japanese skincare ritual has long been centered around “beauty waters.” These botanical-infused essences, as thin and fragrance-free as fresh spring water, are a fundamental step in softening and brightening skin. An essence is the first act of giving back to your skin after you have shed impurities by purifying and polishing. The top layer of your skin is made up of dead skin cells that protect the delicate skin beneath, but this layer can prevent active ingredients from sinking into the layers where they are most needed. A water-light essence floods skin with hydration and amplifies the performance of any treatment—including sheet masks and serums—by channeling it into the skin. The most efficacious essences rely on fermented nutrients that produce lactic acid, which aids in cell turnover and improves your skin’s texture.

Try: After your Kyoto cleanse, follow with The Essence. Made of 100% Hadasei-3, our proprietary complex of fermented rice, green tea, and algae, this formula feeds skin beneficial antioxidants and leaves skin over 6x more hydrated, so that the rest of your skincare can absorb better.

A Treatment Serum

One of the most common signs of aging is fine lines and increased dryness caused by sun damage and other environmental factors, as well as a loss of skin elasticity. Serums are particularly helpful at targeting these common aging signs because they are highly potent skincare solutions that work to increase the overall effectiveness of your entire skincare ritual. Utilizing a serum is one of the best tricks to maintaining healthy-looking skin all day long, making it one of the most important tools in your aging skin arsenal.

Try: Consider The Silk Serum, a wrinkle-smoothing serum with silk, upcycled cranberry extract, and sea fennel that acts like a retinol to visibly firm and smooth the look of deep wrinkles without visible irritation.

A Deep Moisturizer

Moisturizers are the one step you should never skip. Moisturizers work to help your skin attract and hold onto water, as well as repair the barrier to rejuvenate and restore hydration. A nourishing and intensely hydrating cream can help boost healthy aging. Those with aging skin should consider reaching for rich creams that revitalize very dry skin, as well as options packed with antioxidants and ceramides to protect, nourish, and support the skin’s barrier.

Another common aging skin focus? The neck. Our necks work constantly throughout each and every day, commonly forgotten until it begins to show signs of aging. For an all encompassing skincare routine for aging skin, you can grab a neck cream for a targeted treatment, or simply apply your face cream to your neck, too.

Try: The Silk Cream, our firming moisturizer, uses a complete liquid silk protein, which parallels the amino acid structure of human skin, to form a whisper light, moisture-binding veil on the skin. Beneath the silk, our proprietary complex of fermented Japanese superfoods, restores a healthy-looking radiance for beautiful skin at any age.

Caring for yourself—body, mind, and soul—as well as your aging skin is a privilege, and part of promoting healthy longevity. Skin is first and foremost an organ that protects us, carries us through life, and connects our inner and outer worlds. The best skincare regimen for aging skin will treat skin kindly and attentively, working with the skin, never against it.