Let me start off by saying that I love Tatcha. I’ve been a big fan since my mom introduced me to them a few years back. The Water Cream has been and continues to be one of my favorite moisturizers for my combo-oily skin. It really just does it SO well. I know that the Water Cream is powered by the anti-aging active Hadasei-3, so I thought I would dive deeper into the rabbit hole. In other words, let’s go deep with Hadasei-3 and drop $95 on The Essence. Yes, I am DEFINITELY a big cheapo. Yes, I freak out whenever I spend money, especially when it’s over the $50 mark on skincare. So here are my thoughts on it…
The Essence has such a cute little spout. It is based on the bamboo spigots in Kyoto!
Tatcha’s Essence Ingredients
For what it’s worth, I talked about it back in September in an IG post. So I am adding on here with an extra 3 months of usage here.
First off, the ingredient list is simple. It’s 8 ingredients. The first ingredient is Hadasei-3. The last ingredient is phenoxyethanol. Reading the ingredients list, I was just so amazed that the first ingredient was not water, not aloe juice. It was the actual active ferment that is the pride and joy of all Tatcha products—Hadasei-3. Just based off that, it is worth a hefty price tag.
Hada-what? Hada-who? Hadasei-3
Hadasei-3 is Tatcha’s holy grail of skincare ingredients. The three components that go into it are green tea, rice, and algae (seaweed), or the essentials for Japanese diet. They’re all allowed to ferment TWICE. That means that they have microorganisms growing in these ingredients for a certain amount of time. Here, they use bakers’ yeast, AKA the same thing that makes bread and beer. It’s a common microbe that we have all eaten, whether you like it or not. Is there anything to fear with microorganisms, fermentation, and skincare? No! It’s actually really beneficial.
The Details on Fermentation for Beauty
Microbial fermentation breaks down a lot of the complex molecules that are available in the unprocessed ingredients. Fermentation is also famous for generating ethanol, or beer. But it can also create lactic acid under certain conditions. And that’s why we like it for our skincare. Lactic acid is a great AHA. It helps cut the molecular glue between your cells, allowing the old ones to slough off and the fresh, new ones to shine. That’s what gives you that gorgeous glow. Other benefits include smaller molecules and building blocks like amino acids / peptides and sugars. Because they’ve been broken down, your skin can take them up much more easily and actually use it for rebuilding.
Okay, so now that I have gone down a WEIRD tangent of microbes / yeast, let’s get back to skincare. The Essence is a majority of these fermented goodies. Even though we do not have an exact chemical breakdown of what is present in the formulation, we can rest assured that there are chemical building blocks in there that will benefit our skin. So why does it cost so much? Well, the fermentation process is quite finicky (and patented, so $), so we are essentially paying for the higher-quality assurance that this will be a product that provides the building blocks we need in our skin.
Even if the fermented filtrate did not provide the peptides or amino acids that we needed, they add in even more in the formulation. That’s what the soy amino acids, yeast extract, and sodium dilauramidoglutamide lysine are going to be doing for us. And we LOVE a peptide moment for our skin. That’s what’s going to keep your skin cells growing with healthy connections to each other. In other words, a healthy skin barrier and NOT a saggy face. Supple, but not saggy.
Another key benefit of The Essence is that it is a GREAT source of hydration. It gives you salts and a lot of moisture. That is so clutch when you throw on glycerin or hyaluronic acid in your serum after The Essence. Translation: the glycerin and hyaluronic acid act as sponges and soak up all of that moisture. During the day or night, they’ll hold that moisture next to your skin so that if your skin cells get dry, they drink it up straight from that sponge. Handy!
One of my favorite things about Tatcha is the extreme attention to detail for the entire unboxing experience
Additional Benefits of Tatcha’s Essence
Tatcha does say that the Essence will help with the absorption of other skincare products into your skin. I am not highly convinced here. I do think that having a dilute salt solution in water will help your products get into your skin solely based on having extra fluid, facilitating the exchange. However, I do not think there is anything specifically notable in their formulation that will help promote that exchange. It’s basically the same thing that any toner would do. So they are definitely overselling that aspect.
I did find that this product really helped me skin retain a lot more moisture. I also feel like it has slowed down my aging. But that part is really hard to tell because it is a question only future me can answer. I did see some slight benefit in terms of texture, but it has not been nearly as dramatic as when I use Sunday Riley Good Genes or Allies of Skin Mandelic Pigmentation Corrector Night Serum. I see overnight benefits from those. But with The Essence, I use it nightly and do not see any recognizable changes.
Is Tatcha’s Essence Worth It?
The verdict: if you are looking at Tatcha products but don’t know what to buy, pick this up and skip the rest. You will get all of the actives and this pairs well with any of the other current skincare products that you have in your routine! It’s a win-win all around because you get a new, simple product that gives you anti-aging actives while minimizing the chance for irritation because it is not a completely new routine. If you’ve got the money, DO IT! I know that once this bottle runs out, I will be purchasing a replacement because it is just so worth it as an investment for the future.
But if you’re balling on a budget, I would skip it. There are many better ways you can make a WHOLE routine off of $95. So don’t go dropping your whole paycheck here.
Have you used The Essence? Let me know your thoughts on it!
Update (2023): Tatcha changed the formulation of The Essence from 8 ingredients in the older $95 formulation (which this blog refers to) to 1 ingredient (which now retails for $110). I’ve used the $110 formulation as well, and I stand by what I’ve said in terms of the use of the product. It’s great for hydration, but don’t expect it to be an exfoliant.