PSA: Tatcha Friends & Family Sale 2019

I have two kinds of friends when it comes to skincare. The first kind is meticulous about their multi-step skincare routine and could rattle off ingredient names and its benefits off the top of their head. The second kind asks me for recommendations and purchases the same thing forevermore. I've recommended Tatcha to more people than I can count over the years, and one of the things we all look forward to is the annual Friends and Family sale.



If you happen to fall into the second bucket and need recommendations, or want to try something new, here's a handy list of my favorite Tatcha products:

1. The Essence
Mini review here. My current bottle (shown here) is one application away from being a sad empty. Good thing I already have another one waiting in the wings.

2. Dewy Skin Mist
I talked about this product so much on this blog it's not even funny. Do I have three of them casually lying around my apartment? Do you really even have to ask?

3. The Indigo Cream
When my skin inevitably gives up in a giant rash-y, dry mess in winter, I pull this baby out.

4. Sunscreen
I've used this every single day for the last four years. You might think I'm exaggerating, but I know this to be true because Tatcha launched this in 2015, and I happened to join the PR agency that represented them that year (I no longer work for that agency). Mini review of it here again.

5. Lipstick
This may sound odd but I use Messy Wands as a resource a lot. Like, if I want to remember how a particular eye shadow or blush looks on me without putting it on, or if I'm contemplating a purchase of a brand that I no longer remember if I liked. You would think I would remember, since I wrote all of it. What can I say, eight years of blog posts is a lot.

Anyway, the point is my recent post swatching all of Tatcha's lipsticks is really handy right now for a quick refresher on how all of them look. The one I use most is Cherry Blossom, shown below.



I'm half a tube down and somewhat seriously contemplating a backup. Thoughts?

Tatcha's Friends & Family event is running now through 10/20. Enter code FRIENDS19 at checkout for 20% off!

Tatcha Dewy Skin Cream Review

I've had the oddest skin in the last few weeks. What was once normal/combination, perhaps even a tad oily in the summer months, became bone dry especially around my mouth. There wasn't anything I did that made it so. I was perfectly normal one day, and the next the bottom half of my face could no longer hold moisture.

The silver lining in this unfortunate turn of events is I now have the appropriate skin type to test Tatcha's Dewy Skin Cream. I actually purchased one when it launched in February, but quickly returned it because it was too much for my skin then. While finding ways to soothe my dry skin, one of the things I tried was using increasingly occlusive creams. I went from a gel cream to the stuff I used in previous winters, but nothing worked. That was when I broke out this beautiful purple tub, hoping that what was "too much" half a year ago is exactly what I need now.

Bear in mind that I'm not relying on the occlusive layer (aka last layer of skincare) to provide me with the hydration I need. To fix my dry skin, the essence/toner/serum parts of my routine went on overdrive. However, I've found in addition to all that I needed a heavy layer at the end to ensure the hydration stays locked in.



I mean it in the best possible way when I say the Dewy Skin Cream is the thickest, most emollient occlusive cream I've ever tried. It almost feels like a facial oil without actually being one. This is exactly what I want, especially during the daytime. Facial oils are incredible at locking in hydration as a final step of skincare, but doing so in the morning is impractical due to its dry-down time. The Dewy Skin Cream is a good alternative. I'm free to put on sunscreen or makeup immediately after application, but I have a strong barrier to prevent evaporation.

As you might guess from the name, the Dewy Skin Cream takes after the Dewy Skin Mist, which to this day remains my favorite face mist. Both products impart a glow upon use. In fact, to test this theory, I applied the Dewy Skin Cream to my face without any other skincare product. By the third hour my skin felt parched, but it looked glowy, as if it was plump with hydration (it really wasn't). The light scent of the cream is similar to the one used in the mist, which I personally find pleasant.

I definitely wouldn't recommend this cream to anyone with normal or oily skin. In fact, the skin on my forehead is still relatively normal, which means when I use this cream on that area it ends up being too oily. So yes, I am currently using two different moisturizers on my face and yes, I know it's a little ridiculous. But you gotta do what you gotta do!

Tatcha Dewy Skin Cream is $68 and available at:
Tatcha website
Sephora

Products in this post were provided by the company for editorial consideration.

Beauty Shopping in Taiwan, Part 2

Another place I always visit when I go back is Watson's, a local pharmacy that stocks a variety of beauty brands. I usually go there to stock up on Japanese sunscreens. My current favorite is by Skin Aqua (not pictured above), though I have a pet peeve. Skin Aqua made at least five different types of sunscreens and put them in similar looking white bottles with similar sounding names (apparently this is common across drugstore Japanese sunscreens. Why?!). I've used the UV Moisture Gel for the last year and the only complaint I had was that it smelled a tad plasticky on application. This trip, I found out that the UV Watery Gel has the exact same texture except it has a floral scent, so it's on track to becoming my HG body sunscreen.

Hada Labo is one of my favorite Asian drugstore brands. I've used their oil cleanser, foaming cleanser (the sensitive, low pH one) and premium hyaluronic lotion. The reason they're not pictured is because they were already in my existing routine. This trip, I got a couple of sheet masks to test — I've never used their sheet masks because they were on the pricier side compared to Naruko's, but I felt it's time.

Speaking of Naruko, I am a fan of their face masks, particularly from the Raw Job's Tears line. I usually buy them in boxes of 10 since they're so cheap (like $1 per mask). Similar to My Beauty Diary masks, Naruko masks are overflowing with essence and super drippy. The Raw Job version hydrates and brightens. It's my go-to mask when I don't have particular sheet masking needs. Just slap one on!

The Naruko Face Renewal Miracle Essence is a repurchase. I don't have much experience with First Treatment Essences so TBD on whether this will be a staple moving forward, but the last time I used it I recall having particularly bright skin. The only downside is the alcohol smell is pretty strong on this one.



Lastly, I impulse purchased these From Taiwan sheet masks at the airport because they were having a ridiculous deal (something like 3 boxes for $10). I've tried one so far and it's really thin and clingy, with the tiniest mouth opening. Unlike Naruko masks, it's not dripping all over the place, but it did also dry out within 30 minutes.

These products are pretty much available everywhere in Taipei. There are Family Marts on every block that stock limited amounts of beauty products, but it's also not difficult at all to stumble upon a pharmacy that exclusively sells Taiwanese/Japanese skincare. I loved visiting Taiwan — the people are some of the nicest I've ever met, the food is delectable, the skincare bountiful. What more can you ask for?

Beauty Shopping in Taiwan, Part 1

So... remember that large suitcase I was telling you about in my travel post. True to my prediction, exactly half of it was filled with food, and the other half filled with skincare and makeup (I only brought one packing cube worth of clothes). I was doing so well with my skincare no-buy before the trip and making headway on working through some of my stash, but traveling to Asia does crazy things to me. Now that I'm back, I'll put myself back on that no-buy so I can actually work through these goodies.

I spent two weeks in Malaysia and three days in Taiwan. If you follow me on Instagram, you might have seen the barrage of food content on my stories. Most of my time in Malaysia was spent with family and friends, while most of my time in Taiwan was spent eating everything I saw and trawling through pharmacies and department stores. I was particularly ecstatic to find that my favorite Japanese brands (Suqqu, THREE and Addiction) were all available in the same department store, Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Hsinyi Place A8, so that was the first place I went.



The difference between beauty shopping in Taiwan and the US is that the sales associates in Taiwan are more savvy when it comes to skincare. I went to the THREE counter with the express purpose of purchasing my HG eyeliner (thwarted because they don't sell the black one in Taiwan /anguish) but got waylaid and treated to a whole skincare and makeup routine instead. THREE's skincare philosophy centers around "naturally derived ingredients," which I take to mean lots of essential oils and plant extracts. This doesn't necessarily speak to me, because I'm a believer of clinically proven results when it comes to skincare ingredients (see: Vitamin C, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, etc). However! I've heard great things about the cleansing oil and balancing foam and was willing to try them because my requirements for cleansers are less stringent. I also impulse purchased the balancing cream because the SA put it on me and I liked it.

The risky buy here is the balancing clear lip lotion. For context, I have terrible peeling lips that no amount of water drinking or lip balm applying has ever fixed. It has gotten to the point that I suspect it is caused by allergies, but it peels even if I have nothing on it! The lip lotion, I surmise, is like a serum for the lips. I bought it even though the ingredients don't suggest that it would... do anything, but I am desperate enough about the situation to try any new thing I can find. Right now, I'm dutifully using it morning and night. We'll see if it changes anything!

On the other hand, the lip balm has a pleasant yuzu scent and a nice melty texture. Definitely a new favorite.



I think I was just feeling particularly trigger happy that day. The model in their Autumn/Winter campaign was wearing the Dimensional Vision Eye Palette 03 and her eyes were a vision of fall. I also picked up the peach-toned lip gloss/cream she was wearing, which the brand calls Lyrical Lip Bloom 16. I AM NOT IMMUNE TO MARKETING, OKAY? Both pieces are limited edition for fall.



Suqqu went through a packaging revamp since I last saw them (admittedly, years ago) and damnnnnn are they sleek now (action video here)! I briefly regretted purchasing the THREE palette instead of going all Suqqu when realizing the disparity between their packaging, but of course it's what inside that counts... right?

Pictured here are the Retouch Pressed Powder 02 and Pure Color Blush 10 Usumoya. Both are from the permanent collection. They're both housed in the thinnest black and gold palettes and it's such a joy handling them that I'm battling waves of regret for not getting more Suqqu things to pepper into my stash.



I also got the Extra Rich Glow Cream Foundation, mostly because of Wondegondigo's recommendation. I waver back and forth whether this or the THREE Flawless Ethereal Fluid Foundation was a better choice, but I guess I'll never know. Such are the pitfalls of purchasing products with no window for testing.

I'll stop here for now. Part 2 will feature my drugstore picks!

Summer Skincare Routine

Let's get the scary part out of the way. Here's how my skin looks now. On a better day, that minuscule pimple on my nose wouldn't exist, the raised bumps on my right cheek would magically disappear, and I wouldn't have two random gashes on my forehead. But it's important to acknowledge that this is still a good skin day. Impossible expectations have a way of weighing us down, let's try not to do that to ourselves!

Skincare has always been a ritual for me. I grew up watching my mother slather creams on her face day and night and dutifully started doing the same when I was a teenager. I disliked Clinique's astringent toner as soon as I tried it, precipitating years of being annoyingly meticulous about the textures and effects of what I use on my face. I've finally reached a place where I think my skin is as good as it gets without more drastic intervention.

As with all talk of skincare, your mileage may vary (YMMV). What works for me may not work for you. I subscribe to the belief that skincare is part science part psychology, which is why one person's HG is another person's dud. Here are the products that work for me.

Mr. Plant Pot says hi!

Essence
The two in my current rotation are Tatcha The Essence and Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Water. The Tatcha essence looks and feels just like water out of the spout, which makes applying it without spilling a couple precious drops an exercise of dexterity. Ironically, the Sulwhasoo water is viscous and requires a good ketchup shake to get out. It's stickier but doesn't bother me, and sorts of smack you in the face with its delicious ginseng scent (which, unghhhh, give it to me).

One of the hardest things to definitively answer about a skincare product is "how do you know it works," which my partner brings up every few months as he puts on whatever toner's on our vanity. I notice the difference this step makes to my skin because I usually skip it when I'm traveling and my skin is less... good. Nothing would be outwardly wrong, I just know it would not be up to its usual standards. And I can safely say it's the essence step because the rest of my skincare pretty much stays the same.

Serum
If there's one item I wouldn't like to be without, it's this $21 miracle worker Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence. It's a tad slimy, which might take getting used to, but every time I put it on my skin soaks it up like it's been thirsty for days. The fact that it costs a fraction of the other stuff in my routine is icing on the cake.

Close on its heels is Holy Snails Double Shark Sauce (or its OG Shark Sauce or Sauce du mois variants). Preventing age spots and unevenness is my #1 goal, and having a healthy dose of niacinamide (10% in the double!) is key. I'm partial to supporting Holy Snails because she started out as a blogger and created this product for her friends. I would caution that form factor aside, it doesn't travel well. I've had at least two heartbreaking instances of shark sauce blowing up in the plane.

The Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Serum is pure decadence for me. Do I have clinical, scientific proof that ginseng does something for my skin? No. Do I like the hanbang smell and does it make me feel extra fancy? Yes. The optimist in me hopes that the anti-aging stuff is true, and maaaybe that's why I don't have wrinkles and fine lines. But I'm also 30, so that sounds like a stretch? You know what, it's okay to just do a thing (that doesn't make anything else worse) because it makes me happy. Pardon me as I sniff the ginseng off my face.

I've started incorporating vitamin C into my routine since learning that it's one of the few ingredients in skincare that has been clinically proven to reverse signs of aging. I haven't gone all out and optimized for concentration and pH yet, mostly because I'm using up what I happen to have at home. Currently going through Glo Skin 15% Vitamin C Serum, which is as straightforward a vitamin C serum as it gets, housed in a bottle with dropper that repels sunlight. I apply to face twice a week or so, but I'm gauging effectiveness by putting it on a blemish on my knee caused by an errant curler.

Eye Serum
I dismayed when trying a sample packet of the Sulwhasoo Timetreasure Renovating Eye Serum and seeing my eye bags vanish the next day, because the $260 price tag is hard to swallow. Fortunately, my brother's girlfriend was on a trip to Korea and got me one for less. I use this sparingly and only on days I didn't get enough sleep or want an extra boost. In my experience, the effects are more pronounced when used overnight.

Cream/Lotion
I question whether the occlusive layer is strictly necessary in summer, but I do it out of habit anyway. I'm using Tatcha The Water Gel to give myself the lightest of watery layers.

Sunscreen
I'll go more into sunscreen in another post, but please! Apply it every day, rain or shine, and put on way more than you think is necessary (like 1 tsp just for your face). Preferably SPF50 and broad spectrum, every two hours that you spend outdoors. I've repurchased many tubes of Tatcha Pore Perfecting Sunscreen throughout the years because it's scentless and I happen to like its creamy texture for the face over other, more aqueous Japanese sunscreens. But the best sunscreen is the one you would use.


This might sound like a lot, but it takes no more than a couple minutes to complete and I've come to relish that bit of time that's wholly for my self-care. We'll talk about acids and exfoliators and masks and cleansing another day. In the meantime, I'd love to hear about your own skincare HGs and journeys!

L'Occitane Immortelle 28 Day Divine Renewal Program

Considering how long this post is supposed to be, I belatedly realized that I should have taken a lot more pictures of the actual product. Well, fair warning before you proceed: you'll just have to be okay with a wall of descriptive text.

Let's begin my review of the brand new L'Occitane Immortelle 28 Day Divine Renewal Program with this picture of myself sans makeup (except for shaded-in eyebrows, because that is my hamartia). Little pimply spots aside, I think my skin is as good as it can ever get. I took this photo two days after strictly adhering to the program for 28 days.

The Immortelle 28 Day Divine Renewal Program is meant for use during the nighttime, so I stuck to my regular ritual in the morning (mostly Tatcha) and tried my best to only use the included oils at night. Even though the pamphlet said the oil could be used alone or under your regular moisturizer, I embarked on this experiment determined to only use the oils, to experience an unadulterated effect.

The program is split into four weeks, each week containing seven vials of oil for each night's use. The oil is housed in a detachable packet (not only useful for differentiation but also for travel). To open, you snap the top of the packet to reveal a little spout, then squeeze the oil out onto your palm. This has a bit of a learning curve, because the first few times I pressed too hard and some of the precious oil squirted onto my apartment floor. That said, I do like the way this is packaged, since it ensures that we use the exact recommended amount of product each day. After all, a pea or dime-sized amount is a subjective description.

The scent of the oil remains the same throughout the four weeks. If you've ever had the pleasure of sniffing the Divine Oil, this is basically a concentrated version. The pamphlet includes specific instructions on how to apply to oil, but each day's routine begins with warming up the oil between your palms and holding it up to your face and breathing in thrice. This part of the program is what I miss the most, as the Immortelle scent works wonders in soothing and calming me down after a long day.

Week 1 - Gentle Exfoliation
I felt the most obvious and immediate effects of the oil in Week 1. Before I started on the first vial, I had flaky, gritty skin on my chin (it literally felt like sandpaper). Within first application, I noticed that it felt smoother, and by day 3 it was completely gone. My skin was completely smooth!

Week 2 - Hydration and Nutrition
We enter hazy territory in the following weeks, because the effects that the program purports to deliver are less clear (how am I supposed to know if my skin feels more nutritious and balanced?). Sadly, my gritty chin resurfaced at the start of Week 2, and a giant pimple formed on Day 3. I also suffered an allergic reaction to a pimple-curing product I used. I do not think the program caused any of these symptoms, but it's worth noting that while it didn't make my skin worse, it was not necessarily the antidote to irritated skin either. Now, I know Week 2 sounded bad, but apart from those few problem spots the rest of my skin basically still looked like the photo above.

Week 3 - Balance
Week 3 was when I realized that I should heed L'Occitane's advice and use the program as a supplement to my regular nighttime routine rather than treat it as a be-all and end-all to skincare. The oil alone simply was not enough to combat the harsh reality that is winter in the Northeast. I experienced surface dehydration throughout the end of Week 2 and Week 3, which was remedied by layering a moisturizer over the oil.

Week 4 - Renewal
I felt both relief and sadness at the end of the program. On one hand, I like trying new things on my face (a fundamental beauty blogger requirement) and had to put off testing a whole bunch of products because I committed to 28 days of using just one oil; on the other hand, I've grown to enjoy the routine of pouring the oil into my hands and smelling it before I apply it to my face. Whatever skin woes I experienced in Week 2 and 3 (more likely caused by hormones and weather rather than this program), by the end of Week 4 I had even, glowing skin.

At $130, this is much more affordable than other four-week programs I know (Guerlain's The Cure Treatment is a whopping $1,550). I've never tried the latter, but I cannot imagine that its effects can be so drastic that it warrants the price point. The L'Occitane program is much more palatable to the bank account, and is a nice supplement to your regular skincare routine with subtle results. I think it will most benefit those who find it hard to stick to a dedicated regimen.

The L'Occitane Immortelle 28 Day Divine Renewal Program is available beginning February 18 (my birthday!). In celebration, I am giving it away to one lucky winner. Please enter the sweepstakes through the Rafflecopter widget below and I will pick a winner one week from now!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Full disclosure: This entry contains sample product(s) sent by the brand for editorial consideration. This entry also contains affiliate links.

The Face Mist Guide to End All Face Mist Guides

If the key to happy, hydrated skin is a balance of humectants and emollients (translation: this is why you need serum and moisturizer, not just either or), where do mists and toners stand? I've heard it all when it comes to toner: last step in cleansing, the restorer of skin's pH balance, a more effective base for your skincare routine... They're not necessarily fundamental to a skincare routine, but a nice plus to have, like vitamin supplements in a well-rounded diet.

Mists, to me, have become toners-to-go – a quick spritz to save time (and cotton!) while delivering the same effects. They're also great for refreshing your face mid-afternoon, especially in air-conditioner/heater-enabled offices. When I was testing the various sprays in this post, my colleagues never turned down an opportunity for a pick-me-up. Since most face mists are chock full of basically the same hydrating/anti-aging ingredients, the determining factor for which is worthy of your vanity then becomes scent, packaging, price point (you can find face mists from $8 to $80), and personally, nozzle pressure.

Below are a few that are in my current rotation:

1. Aubrey Sparkling Glacier Complexion Mist with Fragonia ($7.98 for 3.4 fl oz / 100ml)
"It smells like a spa," said not one, but two of my co-workers when I gleefully spritzed this over their faces. I readily admit that I am a spoiled beauty consumer, since this is the first time I've seen a mist with an ingredient list filled with good things priced so low. The packaging is standard white with a stick-on label and the pump is basic (uneven spray), but if you're not a stickler for those things, this is absolutely a steal.

2. La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water ($12.99 for 5.2 fl oz / 150ml)
The only ingredient in this is, you guessed it, water. This water is purportedly rich in the antioxidant Selenium and is 100% pure natural spring water (bottled in France!). It has no scent. When sprayed, the sensation reminds me of the times I was allowed to stick my head out of the sunroof when my dad drove us through the hilly countryside (humidity levels in Malaysia average 70 to 90%). But, you know, it's just water.

I would say out of all the sprays featured, La Roche-Posay has the best nozzle. You can hold your finger on it and just keep going till the bottle runs dry, unlike the others, which require repeated pumps.

3. Miyu Beauty Hydrate Mi Beauty Essence ($34 for 2.7 fl oz / 80ml)
I've been keeping this face mist/serum at my boyfriend's apartment for over a year. I use it 2-3 times a week and am finally nearing the end. I wrote a more comprehensive review of it last November, but basically this is a hydrating mist with a light rose scent that could be a substitute for a serum (contains sodium hyaluronate) for people with combination/oily skin.

The nozzle spray, however, is not my favorite. It delivers a more concentrated burst of liquid rather than a fine mist over the face if held too close. I have to be sure to hold it 8 inches away from the face for an even spread, but the pressure is not particularly strong so fair amount of product ends up below the chin. To avoid waste, what I like to do with this particular product is spray it into my hands and apply to my face as I would a serum.

4. Caudalie Beauty Elixir ($49 for 3.4 fl oz / 100ml)
The writer in me thinks of the scent as a "hint of mint," though this spray is more like a giant wake up call. I use it exclusively in the morning, when everything I do is in service of me resembling a functional human being in a very short span of time. The spray contains a good number of oils, so it might not be the best for those with oily skin. It is one of Lisa Eldridge's favorite French pharmacy products, 'nuff said.

5. Sulwhasoo Hydro-Aid Lifting Mist ($45 for 3.38 fl oz / 100ml)
If the Aubrey spray smells like spa, this Sulwhasoo one smells like my mother's soup (any association to my mother's cooking, by the way, can only mean good things). Officially, it's a Korean herbal seaweed mist, with two key ingredients purslane and rehmannia that moisturizes and relaxes etc. More importantly, it's a mist that works as it's supposed to and reminds me of my mother's cooking.

I giggle at the fact that its use description on the Neiman Marcus website takes into account the very powerful nozzle ("spray at a 20cm distance"), because it really does deliver concentrated bursts of mist. As an aside, while Sulwhasoo continues its expansion in the US, I applaud its commitment to making its products smell like an Asian kitchen, because all my non-Asian friends and colleagues have strong negative reactions to the scents in Sulwhasoo products. A fact I'm sure they're well aware.

6. Tatcha Dewy Skin Mist ($48 for 1.35 fl oz / 40ml)
I must be on my 5th or 6th bottle of this at this point, yet I still took advantage of their recent Friends & Family sale to procure eventual replacements. For the sake of brevity (ha!), I will link you to my original review and add that one of my favorite uses for this spray is to set makeup. Foundation tends to look dried up on my skin, especially around the edges of my nose, but it takes on a dewy finish with this spray.

If you need a luxury point to justify the price tag, it's housed in a beautiful glass bottle (as are the similarly priced Caudalie and Tata Harper sprays) and features an elegant gold pump that distributes the mist in a wide circumference, so you need less spritzes to cover your whole face.

Tatcha Friends & Family Sale: 20% off all orders at tatcha.com with code FF2014. Valid through December 7.

7. Tata Harper Hydrating Floral Essence ($65 for 1.7 fl oz / 50ml)
When I was a child, my mother cultivated organic wheatgrass in black trays outside my house. They looked like mini golf courses. I thought they looked funny, until I realized that my mother intended our family to consume them raw and unadulterated, though (just slightly) mercifully in juice form. I didn't even get to add honey to the drink. I believe we all revolted after a few weeks, and even my mother had to admit that it tasted vile, even if it was good for us.

Where was I going with this story? One, I am glad that the organic/natural food movement has come a long way since then. They actually know how to make things tasty now. Two, if I wanted to splurge and buy my mother new skincare, Tata Harper would be among the top of that list. After all, it's so natural you can eat it. Lest I be carried away with superficial associations – natural doesn't always mean good – this face spray contains hyaluronic acid (water retention), witch hazel (controls sebum production), rose and lavender (calms skin and smells good), and I'm only skimming the surface of a seriously impressive ingredient list.

Tata Harper Friends & Family Sale: 15% off all orders at tataharperskincare.com with code FF2014. Valid through December 7.

It might interest you to know that it's possible to get over-moisturized skin from just face mist, due to countless spritzes while I wrote this post.

Full disclosure: This entry contains sample products sent by the brand for editorial consideration. This entry also contains affiliate links.

La Prairie Cellular Swiss Ice Crystal Dry Oil + Cream

Let my reflection be a testament to how shiny the packaging is

Earlier this week, I had an unfortunate reaction to a new face mist I was testing – the entire area under my mouth broke out in hives. I took some Claritin to mitigate the effects and laid off products for a few days so as not to enrage the beast, and it seems to have worked. The red splotches have disappeared, leaving in its wake scaly, itchy dry skin.

This lizard-y feeling is similar to my month-long sunburn from September (not a good year for skin, eh?), so as soon as my skin acted up again, I wasted no time in going the decadent route to speed up healing. The most intense moisturizers I have on my vanity are the La Prairie Cellular Swiss Ice Crystal Dry Oil and Cream. In fact, I take it one step further by combining the two: a dollop of cream with a couple of drops of dry oil adds up to a formidable hydrating duo. When I apply the concoction to my face, I literally sigh with relief.

I actually prefer the cream to the dry oil. The latter feels overly heavy to me, like it's sitting on instead of absorbing into skin. The cream, on the other hand, feels lighter than expected for such an intensive treatment. Both the dry oil and cream have a strong scent – I think of Enchanteur powders when I apply them to my face – which is not ideal, but I continue to use them since they obviously work.

At $300 each, I hesitate to exhort anyone to purchase these, even if they do work wonders for my dry skin. I will say, if your skin always had trouble with winter, maybe venture out to a counter for a sample.

La Prairie Cellular Swiss Ice Crystal Dry Oil and Cream are available at Nordstrom, Bergdorf Goodman, and laprairie.com.

Full disclosure: This entry contains a gift from the brand. This entry also contains affiliate links.

L'Occitane Aromachologie Relaxing Massage Body Oil

I didn't realize it was October until my landlord gently reminded me to pass her the rent check a couple of days ago, and then amidst my frantic searching for the checkbook (I moved in to my new apartment a month ago – things are still stacked haphazardly, as you may expect), it struck. How is it that there's only two months left to the end of the year?

What a year (or ten months) it has been too. I feel like I developed grit this year, as in (almost literally) learning how to grit my teeth and expand my patience quotient, both in my personal and professional life. For now, I hope that by working hard and staying true to myself, one day I'll be able to put myself in better circumstances and surround myself with better people.

In the meantime, I've found a gem that makes the everyday much more bearable.

If you've ever been to a massage parlor, you'll know that they each have their own particular brand of massage oil. It's usually non-absorbent and dries down to a slight tackiness. As much as I enjoyed having the sore muscles and kinks rubbed out, I always left the table desperate for a shower.

But not so with L'Occitane's Aromachologie Relaxing Massage Body Oil! I first used this to massage a muscle strain, and realized immediately that it's of a superior quality. Throughout the massage it remained fluid – I didn't feel like I had to keep adding oil to the skin – and was a pleasure to use. The rosemary and lavender essential oils also added a layer of relaxation to the entire experience. Finally – and this was the best part – when I was done, I didn't feel like I had to rid my hands of the oil. It just absorbed right into the skin!

The Aromachologie collection is newly launched for fall and harkens back to L'Occitane's very first products. Personally, it's my favorite L'Occitane launch to date. The Relaxing Massage Body Oil retails for $34 and is available at usa.loccitane.com.

Full disclosure: This entry contains sample products sent by the brand for editorial consideration. This entry also contains affiliate links.

It takes a village...

... or what feels like every single product I own to heal a sunburn. Woe the hidden curse of great, warm weather. (Before you admonish, yes I was wearing sunscreen. No idea how I was only burned on my forehead and not everywhere else.)

I have never been sunburned till one month ago, when the flaky, peeling skin on my forehead gave me the biggest scare of my life. Understandably, I became frantic when something's wrong with my skin, so imagine what I was like when my skin ended up having problems for one whole month. To add fuel to fire, my cheeks suddenly started sprouting little red spots (I suspect it was another reaction to being under the sun).

I could have gone to a dermatologist, but I'm a crazy beauty blogger at heart, and I wanted to test everything in the market before throwing in the towel. Amazingly, my experiment worked. My face is almost completely back to normal now after using only products you can buy in a store. It's still drier than before (my face is no longer an oil slick, shocking!), but I'll take it for now.

Daytime Care

L'Occitane Immortelle Divine Oil (launching September 2014) – This is a new product in the Immortelle range. Made from the fragrant Immortelle flowers (I smelled the actual flower during the PR event and wish I could make tea out of it), this oil absorbs quickly into the skin to provide an instant moisture boost. I had this on my office desk and applied it liberally onto my forehead to combat the peeling.

Korres Yoghurt Cooling Gel – When I asked for help on Twitter, three separate people suggested this to me for sunburn relief. On application, my skin sighed in relief. It's like I placed a cool cucumber on my forehead. Because sunburned skin requires more TLC, I actually brought my bottle wherever I went and applied it every hour or so (layering it over the L'Occitane oil) the first few days to stave off the return of peeling skin.

Aloe Vera Gel – My intern at work was shocked to find that I didn't have any aloe vera gel at home, which considering its superior moisturizing properties should really be the first defense for sunburned skin. This was also one of the things I layered on my forehead.

Nighttime Treatment

Tatcha Indigo Soothing Renewal Treatment – When all my efforts managed to alleviate but not cure the problem, a friend of mine suggested using an anti-inflammatory cream. I was excited to tackle my skin issues from a different angle, and also because it meant finally testing this Tatcha cream. I applied it on my forehead and on the little bumps on my cheeks and the symptoms lessened considerably in a couple of days. Note: you should only use this cream at night as the high concentration of Indigo extract leaves a blue tinge on your skin (don't worry, it'll wash off both your face and your pillowcase).

Tatcha Deep Hydration Revitalizing Eye Mask & Lifting Face Mask (not pictured) – No re-hydration effort would be complete without a mask, and Tatcha's are hands down, the best. I've always wished the effects of the mask could be permanent, because my skin is never better than after 15 minutes with a Tatcha mask.

La Prairie Cellular Swiss Ice Crystal Cream (not pictured) – I used the heaviest cream in my arsenal to rebuild my skin's moisture barrier. Normally, this would be saved for winter but it worked fabulously in this case to return my skin to normal. Very, very decadent.

Tatcha Revitalizing Eye Cream (not pictured) – Similar in concept to the La Prairie cream, I used the Tatcha eye cream to soothe the spots on my cheeks, to great results.

What products do you use to combat sunburned skin?

Full disclosure: This entry contains sample products sent by the brand for editorial consideration. This entry also contains affiliate links.

TATCHA x Messy Wands Giveaway

The lovely people at TATCHA have generously provided a special sampling opportunity for Messy Wands readers! They're giving away travel-sized samples of the Radiant Deep Brightening Serum to 50 lucky winners. All you have to do is sign up here by August 23, 2014.

If you weren't one of the 50, do not fret! Everyone who signs up will receive an exclusive email promotional offer when the giveaway ends, which is a pretty sweet consolation prize.

I first reviewed this serum two years ago in my first ever post on TATCHA. While I still believe that the effects of serums are difficult to measure and nothing can replace eating and living healthy, I do think the Deep Brightening Serum is a bottle of particular magic. Throughout the years, I've seen the proof that it lightens acne scars and combats hyperpigmentation, and whenever my skin flares up due to product testing (occupational hazard), this serum calms the skin down and heals the ill effects within a couple of days, without fail.

I've never been without this serum on my vanity since I first had it, and I never want to be. It's my skincare anchor, if you will. I took five months to finish the full-sized serum with daily use, so this travel-sized version should easily last over a month. I urge everyone to give it a try!

Click here to enter the TATCHA Deep Brightening Serum giveaway!

*The giveaway ends on August 23, 2014. Valid for US residents only.

Tatcha Water Collection: Luminous Deep Hydration Firming Serum + Revitalizing Eye Mask

As a beauty blogger (who also has a day job in beauty), I've had the incredible fortune of being exposed to many brands – I affectionately/despairingly call my office desk a magpie's nest, and more often than not, apologize for the beauty products littered on my apartment floor when visitors take a peek. With such product overload, there are few brands that I am absolutely loyal to. There's a constant need to try new things and form opinions. Occupational hazard, I joke.

If there is one brand I return to over and over again, it's Tatcha. Since my first post on their Beauty Ritual in October 2012, my love for them has only deepened. Very rarely do you find a fledgling brand (it's only ~4 years old) that maintains such integrity and dedication to detail, from marketing to customer service to the products they sell. It's funny to reread my old Tatcha posts and see that I offered suggestions, like hoping they'd create an eye cream, and know my wishful thinking did come true in a few months. For the curious: According to posts on their social media, they're working on sunscreen (!) and lipstick (!!).

This summer, Tatcha introduced two new items to their Water Collection, adding the Luminous Deep Hydration Firming Serum and Revitalizing Eye Mask to its already impressive roster (comprising of the Dewy Skin Mist and Lifting Mask).

While the Radiant Deep Brightening Serum works as a radiance serum that combats hyperpigmentation and discoloration, the Luminous Deep Hydration Firming Serum ($90 for 30ml/1 fl oz.) is purely for hydration. According to the Tatcha blog, Vicky was inspired to create this serum after makeup artist Daniel Martin told her that he loved using the Deep Hydration Lifting Mask on models' faces before painting them, but needed something that worked quicker. Vicky essentially bottled the deeply hydrating spa-in-a-sheet mask and created this serum.

In addition to firming and plumping effects, this serum contains crushed 23-karat gold that brightens the skin ever so slightly. The soothing scent features hints of green tea.

The Luminous Deep Hydration Revitalizing Eye Mask ($12 per sheet/$95 for 10 sheets) is essentially a concentrated version of the Lifting Mask, temporarily banishing signs of fatigue from the eye area by giving it a firming hydration boost. I wore it while writing this post, and within the 15 minutes of application, noticed a marked improvement in the skin around my eyes. I looked as if I'd slept undisturbed for 12 hours. Loathe to waste the extra serum (and because my mouth area sorely needed help), I stuck these to the sides of my mouth and enjoyed the same benefits.

It is a shame that the effects of masks are ephemeral, because my post-mask skin looked radiant, happy, and healthy. I highly recommend use before important events. When I get married, I'm going to make sure I have a stash of these in stock.

Tatcha Luminous Deep Hydration Firming Serum and Revitalizing Eye Mask are available for purchase online at tatcha.com.

P.S. Tatcha just launched an amazing gift with purchase offer! For every $75 purchase on tatcha.com, you'll get a complimentary "Summer Essentials" kit that contains the Dewy Skin Mist, Original Aburatorigami Blotting Papers (super essential), and Deep Hydration face and eye masks. Use code SUMMERFUN14 at checkout to redeem. Offer is valid till July 3, or while supplies last.

Full disclosure: This entry contains sample products sent by PR or the manufacturer for editorial consideration.

Give Mom The Best

We interrupt your daily blog reading with a regularly scheduled Messy Wands/Tatcha PSA! Long story short, this is the best skincare brand ever so get thee some goodies and see your skin glow.

Okay, joking aside (though nothing I said above was a joke), if you're stumped on what to get mom for Mother's Day, Tatcha has a nifty little kit – complete with a heartfelt note – ready for you.

The Okasan Mother's Day Gift Set contains a Luminous Deep Hydration Lifting Mask, the Gold Camellia Beauty Oil and Nourishing Lip Balm (I'm on my second bottle/jar for both), and just to sweeten the whole experience, a little box of sweets imported from Kyoto.

Needless to say, I think any mother will appreciate a (skin)care package like this. Other great gifts are the Ritual Kiri Gift Box, or the Indigo Collection body and hand creams. The box above is en route to my mother back home, who instilled in me the importance of taking care of my skin. It is through watching her that I developed a love for the fifteen minutes I get to spend on myself every night.

Tatcha Okasan Mother's Day Gift Set retails for $135 and is available at tatcha.com.

As you probably know by now, I have blogged about almost every Tatcha product I've ever had the pleasure to lay my hands on, so if you are curious about any product, feel free to browse through the Tatcha category. For your convenience, links to my past reviews below:

• Tatcha Beauty Ritual
  
• Tatcha Dewy Skin Mist (I think I'm on my fifth bottle)
  
• Tatcha Deep Hydration Lifting Mask
  
• Tatcha Revitalizing Eye Cream (I've been applying almost everyday and am still finishing up the same pot from this post)
  
• Tatcha Camellia Nourishing Lip Balm and Camellia Beauty Oil (Best in class)
  
• Tatcha Soothing Silk Body Butter and Hand Cream

Full disclosure: This entry contains sample products sent by PR or the manufacturer for editorial consideration. This entry also contains affiliate links.

Masking with Peter Thomas Roth

First: Happy Resurrection Day! Aren't long weekends absolutely glorious? If I had my way, I would work hard for four days and have three-day weekends every single friggin' week. Alas, the world's customs are not mine to tweak.

Speaking of resurrection, my skin has been having an excellent time since incorporating a few new masks into my skincare regimen. Just a slather or two every other day in the week. The three I've been rotating are the Peter Thomas Roth Rose Stem Cell Mask, Cucumber Gel Mask, and Radiance Oxygenating Masque.

The Rose Stem Cell Mask is a new release for Spring 2014 and the Cucumber Gel Mask is a perennial Peter Thomas Roth bestseller. The former has anti-wrinkle repair benefits while the latter provides supreme hydration to the skin. Each mask has faint whiffs of its namesake scent, which in my case is a plus. What I like about most about them is you can use them as a traditional mask (apply and leave on for ten minutes, rinse off) or leave a light layer on to sleep as an intensive treatment. Way to cater to the multi-tasking lazyperson in me, PTR!

Another feature I like (and this goes against my minimalist Muji-loving self but I roll with it) is that all the instructions and ingredients are printed on the product packaging.

My roommate and I having a go at the Radiance Oxygenating Masque, image via my Instagram

I've been told that the Radiance Oxygenating Masque is an Asia exclusive, but you can get it through some creative Googling. I personally think this should be brought back to the US. It's my favorite mask of the group, mostly because I can actually see and feel it working. The product is a blue liquid that oxygenates after you apply it on your face, as in you can see the blue liquid turn into white bubbles (accompanied by a cooling sensation) like above. It disappears after a while, which is your cue to wash it off. My skin looks brighter and feels more alive after using this mask. It completely makes sense that they suggest we use it before a big event in the directions.

Just to reaffirm the claim that this is indeed a unisex brand, I asked my boyfriend (who will be a skincare addict one day if I had my way) to try on the rose mask, since he's starting to feel concerned about the wrinkles around his eyes (his words, not mine). We put it on, had 30 minutes of computer game time, then washed it off. He was pleasantly surprised about how refreshed his skin felt, while mine was smooth like a baby's bottom. I wish the effects of the mask lasted forever.

Peter Thomas Roth Rose Stem Cell Mask retails for $38. The Cucumber Gel Mask goes for $45. Both are newly available at Sephora.

Full disclosure: This entry contains sample products sent by PR or the manufacturer for editorial consideration. This entry also contains affiliate links.

Miyu Beauty Hydrate Mi Beauty Essence

Taken from my Instagram

One of the good things about semi-living in two apartments is the opportunity for two skincare routines. Yes, I am the type of person who would relish having two regimens to fiddle around with. But that shouldn't be news, yes?

I'm delighted to introduce this Miyu Beauty Hydrate Mi Beauty Essence. I, being the time-saver (read: lazy person) that I am wont to be, relish the fact that this serum comes in spray form! For a whole month I spritzed wantonly at my face, enjoying the cooling misty feeling on my face, but to preserve the bottle I have since taken to doing a couple pumps into my hand and applying it like I would a regular serum.

The serum is relatively fragrance-free, which means there is a very light rose smell but it is pleasant and unobtrusive. I was initially skeptical that a hydrating serum that came in mist form would be good – why I doubted its efficacy based on delivery, I do not know – but it turns out that this is immensely hydrating indeed. I follow this serum with two drops of Tatcha Beauty Oil, and that is all there is to my very short and simple (but effective!) beauty routine.

Well, one of them anyway.

Miyu Beauty Hydrate Mi Beauty Essence is available at miyubeauty.com for $34. For tea enthusiasts, Miyu Beauty also created a complimentary Beauty Tea, which tastes like a mixture of fruit and flower. The pairing retails for $42.

Full disclosure: This entry contains sample products sent by PR or the manufacturer for editorial consideration.

Tatcha Gold Collection

That guilty smudge in the pot of lip balm is mute evidence of my enthusiasm in being able to try the new Tatcha Gold Collection. "Enthusiasm" being that I tore the two products out of their beautifully wrapped boxes and immediately set to rubbing the contents on my face. I've sang praises about every single Tatcha product ever created (all reviews can be found under the Tatcha label) so I didn't have any reason to expect singing another tune, and of course, Vicky Tsai does it again. Could she please start a Japanese-inspired makeup line?

First, the Tatcha Camellia Nourishing Lip Balm. Forgive me for sounding like a saleswoman, but this has the whole package: feel, taste, smell, look. The camellia-oil infused formula has a delicate scent, and goes on lips just like how a lip balm should—I don't know if i can be more specific about the feeling. It's just really really comfortable and moisturizing. It also looks like a very mild gloss when applied, and elevates bare lips to a certain degree of polish. The gold leaf is what I think of as a beautiful accessory. It's not needed, but definitely adds charm to the whole package by being there. When crushed and applied, the resulting effect is little morsels of shimmer on your lips.

I've tried some of the more popular face oils in the market, and the Tatcha Camellia Beauty Oil is my favorite so far, again because it possesses the whole package. I apply a couple of drops onto my face and neck, and usually smooth the remnants on my fingers onto my hair. I do usually use it over a serum, because I realized that beauty oils are better substitutes for moisturizer (to retain moisture) than a moisturizing serum. Somehow, the Tatcha oil is oily but not oily—it's closer in texture to the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate, which means it dries down relatively quickly, but feels more moisturizing like the Rodin Olio Lusso Luxury Face Oil. Camellia oil also smells fantastic.

Tatcha Camellia Nourishing Lip Balm retails for $36, while the Camellia Beauty Oil goes for $125, both available at tatcha.com.

Full disclosure: This entry contains sample products sent by PR or the manufacturer for editorial consideration.

My Love Affair With Tatcha

Persists mercilessly. I'm convinced there is nothing Vicky Tsai can do to make me stop loving this brand (not that she would try, of course. Bring on the skincare!). I recommend it to everyone who asks for anything that falls under the umbrella of what Tatcha offers (see face mask, skin mist, and everything else), and if they're not looking for new skincare, I give them one of my precious Aburatorigami blotting papers because they need to understand why this brand is basically my sanctuary in the beauty wildnerness.

So! Let's talk about the relatively new Tatcha Revitalizing Eye Cream ($135). Tatcha sent this to me a few months ago just as I was contemplating an eye cream purchase, along with the Akari Crystal Massager, an eye/face massage tool that I do not take advantage of often enough.

Anyway, no eye cream gets rid of darkness or eye bags completely, and I am probably not at an age where it's relevant, so I can't tell you for sure if its anti-aging claims are anything more than just claims. What I can tell you is this eye cream does the creamy and moisturizing thing that creams do without the weight. I apply, massage it around my eye area and it's there but it doesn't feel like it's there. Also, I barely need concealer anymore.

Just, y'know, some things to consider if you're looking for a new eye cream.

Full disclosure: This entry contains a sample product sent by PR or the manufacturer for editorial consideration.

Catching Up + Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist

It is cruel irony that the scarf is in crisp focus in the picture above when the main subject should be the Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist, but perhaps that is meant to be. I've been meaning to digress a little from makeup and see how everyone is doing. How are you? What is the weather like at your place? Are you happy? Would you like to talk? I love hearing from you, whether it be through the comment box below or email, even though I may take forever to respond. As ever, if you have any questions or would just like to say hi, the fastest way to get to me is to tweet me.

As for me, life has been pretty time-consuming. I'm at a place where I actually notice each day pass by and feel both exhilaration and panic as it does. Did you know it's almost the end of February already? Didn't the year just begin? New York is as lively as ever but I have to remind myself sometimes to forgo the headphones and gadgets, look around and actually see, or I will miss all these sights and the anonymous faces on the subway will remain anonymous. A part of me perpetually carries the fear that I will have to leave this place soon, even as I fight to stay everyday. We'll see.

I'm sure you've noticed that I've been slightly absent from this space and on my social media accounts. While I will never completely abandon Messy Wands, I have been making a concerted effort to live a more offline life. It scares me sometimes when I struggle to remember what I did a day or two before, and I do believe it has to do with the short attention span I've developed by hopping from Twitter to Facebook to reading two paragraphs in an already open browser window to checking mail at three different email accounts. If my mother was reading this, she would scoff that her memory, at her mid-50s, is still better than mine.

Anyway, some of those offline things include reading The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera, waiting eagerly for Matilda and Pippin to open on Broadway, making home-cooked meals at least five days a week (then bringing leftovers to lunch, which oddly makes me feel accomplished), and playing Agricola. I will go skiing in Vermont next week even though it terrifies me, participate in the frenzy that is Sleep No More sometime in March, attend a performance of the complete Bach Cello Suites in April, and I can't wait to add more exciting events to my calendar.

Digression aside, we now have to talk about that rosewater mist. Since being introduced to the Tatcha Dewy Skin Mist, the traditional toner+cotton combo no longer interests me. I now alternate between the Tatcha and Jurlique mists as toner substitutes. As befits the name, the Jurlique mist smells quite strongly of roses, but works well to provide an additional boost of moisture beneath your serum and moisturizer. I've been using it 3-4 days per week (3-4 spritzes per use) for the past month and I'm barely a quarter way through. For $22, I think you'll get your money's worth.

Full disclosure: This entry contains a sample product sent by PR or the manufacturer for editorial consideration.

Skincare of the Moment

Now that I've reached the end of my Tatcha skincare (sob), I've had to dig around my stash to find replacements. A few products that are in my current rotation:

Natura Bisse Tolerance Toner – Smells wonderful. I don't actually know if it is "skin fortifying" because my skin doesn't really have that concern yet, but I love the extra burst of moisture it delivers anyway. When this runs out I may try another NB toner.

Tatcha Dewy Skin Mist – Sometimes I use this in lieu of the toner. For my original review, see here.

Guerlain Super Aqua-Serum – I've had this bottle for so long. If you look now, the company has actually reformulated and repackaged this line. The serum is pretty awesome. I apply this religiously over my face, concentrating on my nose so as to avoid dry, peeling skin. It's worked!

Paul & Joe Moisture Lotion N – I used to believe having sufficient moisture requires thick creams and this little lightweight lotion has proven me wrong. A little goes a long way since it's so watery, but I love how it feels on the skin afterward.

Diorsnow White Reveal Moisturizing UV Protection – (imagine Chandler from Friends) Can these product names BE any longer? This is my staple, though I may switch it when I run out because I realized this contains Octinoxate and I would like a 100% mineral sunscreen. I don't know if it matters, but this contains 19% Zinc Oxide. The ones I usually find are usually 5-10%. Does this mean it's more effective? I would love to hear opinions on this!

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate – I apply this on my neck, but on lazy nights/days I want a simpler routine I just use this as an all over face oil. Love the lavender scent.

Fresh Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip Treatment – Very emollient lip balm. I don't know if it helps with lip lines, but my lips definitely feel very soft the day after. Unfortunately, I do find Fresh lip balms can get a little too soft. One of my tubes broke from the base mid-use, but I managed to put it back in and resume usage.

Haus of Gloi Aether Pumpkin Butter – I have to thank Kate for introducing this in one of her skincare posts. It's a pleasure to find new gems and this pot is basically a diamond mine of the best skin ever. My legs are so smooth I can't stop touching it. I'm going to order this in bulk when this pot is done, skincare ban be damned.

Ambre Extra Nourishing Body Moisturiser – I'm starting to realize I should go full indie on body care products because this little bottle of oil does wonders for dry, cracked skin. I could use it all over, but I usually apply this to my poor feet and it soothes cracks, dried cuticles, and turns something that resembles chicken feet into well, a human's.

Full disclosure: This entry contains sample products sent by PR or the manufacturer for editorial consideration.

Watering the Skin with Tatcha Dewy Skin Mist

The Tatcha Dewy Skin Mist is the second piece in their water collection (for my review of the mask, see here). Before using this, I held the opinion that all mists are created equal. Sure, some have scents, but they seem to perform the same on the skin – fun at first squirt but tingling dryness later. I've tried cult classics like Evian and Shu Uemura and (relative) beginners like Amorepacific and have never went beyond the first couple of spritzes. They just don't do anything for me. In fact - and I hate to admit this because it seems like such a waste - sometimes I use my Evian spray to wet my hands.

The Dewy Skin Mist smells strongly of ginseng (to me, that's a draw) and my favorite use for it is as an extra nourishing base before I put on my face makeup. Sometimes I also do a couple of spritzes before I apply the Moisture Rich Silk Cream. I've used it on a couple of my friends and both asked to examine it immediately after. I know there's alcohol listed in the ingredients, but it doesn't dry out my skin when used, as opposed to other mists I've tried. That said, mists are not a substitute for moisturizers, especially in the winter months.

Now, for disclosure's sake I need to tell you that Tatcha sent me a bottle for review, but if you read my first feature on them, I mentioned near the end that I purchased one before I had any contact with them. I'm secretly glad I now have another because I have less than half of my current bottle left. On a side note, I'm so proud that I'm making progress in finishing my products!

Tatcha Dewy Skin Mist retails for $48 and is available online at Tatcha.com.

Full disclosure: This entry contains a sample product sent by PR or the manufacturer for editorial consideration.