Tatcha Luminous Deep Hydration Lifting Mask

After all the year-end festivities, we all need a well-deserved break.  And what better way to face a new year, than with some luxurious skincare eh?

I first heard of Tatcha in late 2012, but seeing it was not easily available in Singapore, I had filed it away in the deep recesses of my mind…occasionally feeling a surge of lemming when I come across some article about the brand.  Yet somehow, by the time I was able to get up close and personal with the full offerings in Hong Kong last September, I was stumped and came home with only a box of Tatcha Luminous Deep Hydration Lifting Mask.  As it turned out, this one Tatcha product ignited a deep sense of curiosity and passion for the brand.

Tatcha is a San Franciso-based company (a city I had come to associate with living well in the years that I spent living and working there), that is founded on the 200-year old beauty ritual of the Japanese geishas.  Using time-tested ingredients such as green tea DNA extract, Okinawa red algae extract and Japanese rice bran extract; Tatcha recreates the geisha’s minimalist beauty regime for the modern world.

The Luminous Deep Hydration Lifting Mask is made from coconut-derived microcellulose.  It clings to the face like second-skin, allowing quick absorption and deep penetration of its ingredients.  No sliding off and wobbly placement like mainstream paper masks, this baby stays firmly on the various contours of the face, and goes to work.  The mask combines a blend of red algae and Tatcha’s proprietary HADASEI-3 Bioactive Complex, to enhance the skin’s natural beauty, promote nourishing moisturization and help reduce the signs of premature aging.  It also contains silk, ginseng, and royal jelly extracts to leave skin smoother, more luminous and lifted.

The mask comes sandwiched between 2 layers of mesh – to use, simply remove 1 layer of mesh, position mask over face, then remove the other layer of mesh.  It seems a tad cumbersome initially, until I realized just how thin and jelly-like the mask really is, and then it all made sense.  Without the 2 mesh layers, the mask is just going to adhere onto itself to create a janga puzzle-mess.

15 minutes on the face feels like an eternity of bliss… it feels cooling on the face, and there is a very gentle fragrance from the serum that just soothes.  And when I remove it, my face is distinctly brighter, plumper, and lifted.

This is the only other mask that I can openly declare that I love more than my beloved SK-II Facial Treatment Mask.  There are plenty of other great masks out there, but nothing comes close to the luxurious feel of Tatcha Luminous Deep Hydration Lifting Mask, and its instant visible improvements.  The only downside, is the weeping price tag of USD95 for a box of 4 if purchased directly from tatcha.com, or SGD145 for a box of 4 if purchased from Joyce Beauty in Hong Kong.  Tatcha ships internationally for orders above USD200, so it may make sense to order in bulk.

Here’s to a glorious year ahead!  xoxo