Naturally decadent skin rejuvenation
When I got in touch with Tata Harper’s organic skin care line to request samples her PR team sent me a full lineup of retail size product. A value of about $500. I was blown away by their generosity. As much as it was fun to feel like a kid on Christmas morning, I was especially excited because that meant that I would be able to really run a serious trail.
From the onset I fell in love with the elegant packaging and the pretty glass bottles. Next I was intoxicated by the botanical scents – couldn’t wait to get these potions on my skin!
Not only are these products a delight to the senses, they are also authetically 100% natural. The line is made from start to finish in Vermont with botanicals harvested right in Tata’s own organic garden. Even the packaging is eco, made of 100% post consumer materials and 100% recyclable.
***Disclaimer: some of these products contain wheat***
Regenerating Cleanser
This is by far one of the best face scrub cleansers I’ve ever used. I liked it as much as Anne Marie Giovannie’s cleanser + srcub combination (which up until now was unrivaled) but because there’s nothing to mix, Tata’s Regenerating Cleanser is easier and also a little more economical to use. The bottle runs $75 but has lasted me from August through December.
Not only is it a good value, but it leaves my face gently exfoliated without dehydrating my skin. The granules are so fine that they won’t irritate inflamed skin or promote break outs like those harsh big granules in cheap scrubs scrubs.
If there is only one Tata Harper product that you can afford to invest in, I’d strongly recommend trying this one! The scent is just delicious too.
Restorative Eye Cream 
I really enjoyed using this eye cream and would definitely recommend giving it a try if you’re developing wrinkles. I can safely say that the wrinkles around my eyes became subdued after about two months of application. Aside from that it was also perfectly balanced between hydrating and not being too heavy.
The only thing to be careful of with this creme is that it doesn’t have an excessively long life. After 3 months I still had quite a bit of creme left and it started to go bad. Now I actually appreciate this!
Because Tata’s products don’t contain harsh preservatives, naturally after a few months and after enduring the Summer heat the creme had expired.
You could keep your precious goods in your fridge if that’s not too inconvenient. I bet that would extend the life of the creme. This little bottle could easily last 4 months if refrigeration makes a difference.
Rejuvenating Serum + Rebuilding Moisturizer
I didn’t notice a difference between the Rejuvinating Serum and Rebuilding Moisturizer, both in performance or experience. Each creme has an exquisite, if not slightly overpowering fragrance.
If you don’t have any allergies, the fragrant scents are absolutely intoxicating. I really loved putting them on my face, especially at night – once I laid to rest the flower essences lingered beneath my nose and made me feel like I’d laid to sleep on a bed of flowers. The scent is really that good.
Although Tata doesn’t use any synthetic fragrances in her prodcuts, I would actually warn anyone with sensitivities about the strength of flower essence in these cremes.
Tata has also made sure to list any of the constituents that are found in the oils used in the products that are included on the European Union designated 26 fragrance allergens, so that people with allergies can avoid them.
As for performance, I have to say that they may not have been best suited for my skin. I have that troublesome dry + oily combination skin prone to break outs. The cremes didn’t exacerbate any brake outs, but they didn’t seem to hydrate my skin well enough and I didn’t notice a reduction in eruptions.
However used in combination with the Replenishing Nutrient Complex oil listed below, that did create a balanced hydration system that worked well for me.
Replenishing Nutrient Complex
The Replenishing Nutrient Complex was another one of my favorites. This is essentially a hydrating oil. I enjoyed using it on it’s own as well as over the top of the face cremes. Oils really do seem to work best on the dry+oily combo skin!
Again, you can expect that fabulous Tata Harper botanical essence scent from this product.
Resurfacing Mask
The Resurfacing Mask is also a must have. The cool gel felt deeply soothing as I applied it to my skin, then it slowly became only lightly taught.
Once I washed it off my face felt noticeably smoother and my pores seemed to have diminished!
Ingredient Q + A
There were a few ingredients present in several products that I had some reservations about. But not having a chemistry degree, only the internet at my fingertips, I reached out to Tata to better understand the role of these ingredients, and how for instance the alcohol in her products differs from say denatured alcohol.
Q – One of the top ingredients in the Regenerating Cleanser is Cetearyl alcohol. It rates only as a 1 on the EWG cosmetics database, but because alcohol is generally thought to be an irritant, I’m curious how the fact that it’s derived from wheat contributes to its effect on cells being different than that of denatured alcohol?
A – The term “alcohol” refers to the chemical structure of the ingredient and does not necessarily mean that it is bad for the skin. In fact, most skin care products do contain some type of alcohol even if they claim to be “alcohol-free.” The important part is for the consumer to become familiar with the different types of alcohol structures and to learn to recognize the INCIs that are derived from cheap, low molecular weight alcohols, compared to ones that are moisturizing, fatty alcohols, that give form and structure to formulations and the skin.
It is very true that some alcohols, such as ethanol, ethyl alcohol, denatured alcohol and isopropyl alcohol, can be quite harmful to living cells and it is very important to avoid these ingredients on products as they may disrupt healthy skin layers. It has been important for us not to include any of these alcohols in our formulations. The only alcohols we use in our product line are the fatty alcohols that actually beneficial for the skin. Cetearyl alcohol is derived from natural oils and fats, and is used as an emulsifying wax to soften thick formulas, as well as moisturizes the skin. It also is a natural surfactant and works in our Cleansers to remove oil and debris from the skin to come off with the water that is being rinsed off.
Q – Sorbitan Palmitate – this one rates quite high on EWG (5-8 on the scale) Listed as a synonym for Polyetheylene Glycol and significantly toxic to skin. What can you tell me about your take on this safety rating and this ingredient’s role in products?
A – The Sorbitan Palmitate that rates high on EWG is PEG-Sorbitan Palmitate. This is derived from the synthetic ing polyethylene glycol – and is not what we use in our products. The Sorbitan Palmitate that is in Tata Harper products has a hazard zero of a 0 – and is derived from sorbitol, a sugar alcohol also found in apples, pears, peaches, and prunes. It is an emollient and a lipophillic emulsifier making the oil and water in our lotions and cremes stay together.
Q – Benzyl Salicylate, listed as a 6 on EWG and as an ester of benzyl alcohol and salicylic acid/ associated with allergies and contact dermatitis. Linalool, lists at EWG 4 and a terpene banned in the EU. While the group below has tripped me up me for some time now. They’re ingredients I frequently see in natural products at the very end of the list of ingredients. They rate fairly high on EWG, but I know that they’re all basically essential oils. Do you know why they list as toxic? How little of these are included in your formulas since they’re always listed last, and if the ratio makes them benign?
– Limonene / EWG 6
– Geraniol / EWG 5
– Citronellol / EWG 4
A – For all of the following ingredients, Benzyl salicylate, Linalool, Limonene, Geraniol and Citronellol, they are all natural constituents of our clinical grade essential oil blends. Benzyl salicylate is found in Ylang-Ylang and jasmine oils, Linalool is in Lavender and coriander oils, Limonene is found in citrus oils, Geraniol and Citronellol are found in geranium and rose oils. The EWG hazard rating for these ingredients are referring to the individual constituents isolated in a lab out of the natural essential oil, or synthetically replicated to be used in “fragrance” blends. These hazards do not pertain to our formulas, as we never use isolated or synthetic constituents, but in instead use strictly pure, naturally occurring essential oils only. We have volunteered to list any of the constituents that are found in our oils that are included on the European Union (EU) designated 26 fragrance allergens (16 occurring in natural complex substances such as essential oils). This is not mandated in the US, but we feel it is important to help our consumers with sensitive skin and allergies to list these for their right to know if they have any pre-determined allergies to those essential oil constituents. With that said, to someone that is not prone to allergies to these oils, there should be no reactions and will see the benefits of including these exquisite oils in our formulations.
That certainly relieves my concerns
And has actually helped me to better understand a number of brands that I had written off for the last few years because of my weariness of ingredients like Limonene and Geraniol. I knew that they were derived from essential oils, but because I saw them listed as toxins I assumed the worst – and who can blame me with the stuff industry pulls over on consumers! But Tata is on our side, she’s a chemist that set out to make a product that is as safe as it is luxurious, has done exactly that.
I hope you’ll give some of Tata’s decadent products a try!
Visit the Tata Harper site to shop online or for store locations.
Tata Harper's Organic Skin Care
From $48
Pros
- Organic ingredients
- Quality, small scale production
- Decadent scent profiles
- Effective anti-aging formulas
- Luxury feel
