Tried It, Tested It: Tatcha’s New Brightening Serum And Eye Cream

This makes the brand’s latest two launches all the more interesting. While Tatcha doesn’t shy away from actives such as squalane and hyaluronic acid, the brand is revisiting vitamin C – one of the beauty industry’s most popular ingredients – with The Brightening Serum and The Brightening Eye Cream. Wrapped up in striking orange packaging (a purposeful contrast to its usual pastel hues), these new formulas promise a multitude of benefits.
The serum is made with a 12-hour time-release of vitamin C rich Japanese plum (nankou ume), the brand’s signature Hadasei-3 complex and ferulic acid – this essentially means an even and gradual dose that absorbs better for sustained antioxidant protection, all day brightness and instant and long-term results that target hyperpigmentation and reduce the appearance of post-acne marks. The eye cream is powered by Japanese plum, Hadasei-3 and niacinamide to brighten, firm, depuff and improve the skin barrier around the eyes.
With this in mind, we asked a few of our team members with different skin types to test out the new serum and eye cream. Keep scrolling to find out their first impressions and whether Tatcha is going to be next big thing in vitamin C skincare…
Ashlee’s Tatcha Brightening Serum Review
• Skin type: Dry/combination
• The product: Tatcha The Brightening Serum, £86.00

I have a confession to make. Having worked in the beauty industry for over 8 years, I am still a little lax on my daily vitamin C use. Unclutch those pearls, for I have good reason. My skin is prolifically volatile; a reactive diva with seemingly no rhyme or reason as to what might set it off.
But one thing's for sure, she’s inclusive… my skin barrier does not discriminate. From the super luxe to the budget friendly brands, the honeymoon stage is always so promising, until I wake up to the familiar the sting of sore patches, dehydration and burning red cheeks.
While we are confessing, I am a skin picker. I squeeze aimlessly in the evening, triumphant at first and deeply regretful the next morning. As the post inflammatory marks stare back ever so boldly; I have yearned for the day I am finally incorporate a daily vitamin C treatment into my routine. One which does not further inflame and helps to fade the regret (plus dark spots and blemishes) from the night before.
If there was a strong contender to offer me a solution, it would be Tatcha – a brand rooted in the sensorial aspects of a beauty ritual and founded by Vicky Tsai to alleviate her own struggles with skin reactivity. A Dewy Skin Cream lives in my personal skin barrier repair kit, ready to extinguish. A mini permanently resides in my makeup bag too.
I was eager to give this serum a go. On first impressions, it's quite thin, with an almost watery texture. But like all Tatcha products, the more you work it into the skin, the richer and more indulgent it becomes. Committing to its signature ritualistic approach is instinctive – you want to continue to massage this into the skin, it just feels so silky! Lightweight, but plumping.
After using it in the AM, I followed with my Dewy Skin Cream to support. Not forgetting SPF (I use one with a glowing finish), I found no piling, so stinging, no soreness, no patchiness.
Immediately after applying my skin felt very refined. There was no tightness as I’ve experienced in the past with some vitamin C products (it is an acid after all).
After using this for a week, I haven't had any reactivity. The slow release vitamin C (plus the stabilising ferulic acid) allows my stroppy skin barrier to slowly uptake the ingredients. She doesn’t need to throw a tantrum as the active is drip-fed. Thank you Tatcha – I think we’ve finally found a common ground.
Ashlee’s Tatcha Brightening Eye Cream Review
• The product: Tatcha The Brightening Eye Cream, £64.00

Dark circles have become my thing, I’ve decided. After many years of seeking out the thickest concealers, the richest eye creams and a peach array of colour correctors, I’ve decided to take ownership. An alliance, if you will.
Instead of seeking out the unrealistic, immediate results of photoshopped under eyes, I instead grade my eye creams on their textures and long-term effects. I focus on how makeup sits underneath, and how the skin around my orbital bone reacts. Is it slightly less translucent? Or is it more hydrated? Yes and Yes. Am I less puffy? Yep. Does this formula leave a lasting finish on the skin under my eyes, or has it evaporated quickly? Oh yes. Dare I say, has it tightened the skin around my eye and made it appear less dark?! Bingo!
I have to be honest: I gave this eye cream an intense trial. The last weeks of January have not been kind (are they ever?) and I knew something powerful was needed to boost these under eyes. The skin around my eyes is particularly fragile, and with prolonged use I noticed my undereye was more robust.
The Brightening Eye Cream has a deliciously whipped texture. A rice grained amount is all you need, and the spreadability means it really smooths and deeply hydrates the eye area. For how enriching it is, it’s surprisingly lightweight. Like other Tatcha formulas, when this makes contact with the skin something magical seems to happen. It becomes richer and absorbs so beautifully. Another win from Tatcha!
Vanessa's Tatcha Brightening Serum Review
• Skin type: Oily, sometimes dehydrated
• The product: Tatcha The Brightening Serum, £86.00

As much as I love my active ingredients – such as vitamin A, niacinamide, squalane and peptides – vitamin C is not a big part of my skincare routine. Of course, I’ve used plenty of vitamin C products and enjoyed them, but I can’t think of many that I would repurchase immediately.
I may have oily skin, but that doesn’t stop me from yearning a healthy glow and anything that could boost my depleted collagen levels (vitamin C is celebrated for its brightening abilities, but I love the fact that it can help the body produce collagen). Moreover, my complexion can look very dull in the winter months – so, as a serious Tatcha fan, I was excited to try this serum in my morning routine and see if it would be the vitamin C hero I’ve been searching for.

Firstly, I loved the texture of it from the get-go – it almost felt like an oil. I was sure Tatcha wouldn’t disappoint in this aspect, and it surpassed my expectations. Again, it layered well with my other products – I used it with one of my Tatcha favourites, The Dewy Skin Cream, as well as other brands, and I didn’t encounter any piling or balling issues.
My skin might be going through a relatively good moment, but I did have a colleague say I was glowing on one of the days I used it. I also used it on a day off and was pretty pleased with how ‘glowy’ I looked in some pictures I took – my choice of makeup probably helped, but I think the serum may have played a key part too!
I’ve also been dealing with some acne marks that feel like they’ve been lingering forever – thankfully, they finally seem to be making their way out. I can’t say for a fact that this serum helped, but next time I’m dealing with acne marks at their worst stage, I’ll be using it to see if it speeds up the clearing process in any way.
There’s a very fine line between looking radiant and oily for me, but this serum seems to be just the right balance. Brightness aside, it also claims to firms and support skin’s elasticity – I’ve been using it for just under 10 days, so I think I would need a little longer to see any firming changes in my skin. However, this is a claim I’m excited about, so I’m definitely going to continue to use it in the hopes that it can sculpt my complexion ever so slightly.
Vanessa's Tatcha Brightening Eye Cream Review
• The product: Tatcha The Brightening Eye Cream, £64.00

I have to be honest – I don’t expect much from eye creams other than a good hit of hydration. No matter how much beauty sleep I get, my dark circles make a regular appearance on most days. Which is the reason why, even if eye cream is an essential step in my routine, concealer is ultimately my best friend!
My dark circles are the reason I love the idea of reaping the benefits of vitamin C under my eyes. But even though my skin isn’t for the most part sensitive, the area around my eyes has unfortunately not reacted well to vitamin C products in the past – so I was a little nervous about using this eye cream!

Moreover, some eye creams in general can have a drying out effect around my eyes, leading to a crusty effect a few hours later (if you know, you know). My main hope was to not experience any sensitivity with this cream, but to also not get any annoying crustiness either.
Well, I’m thrilled to report that no sensitivity or crustiness occurred when using this eye cream. In fact, it was a joy to use! The texture is, once again, lovely – silky-smooth to the touch and fairly hydrating. It layered well under makeup, and I think it did actually have a subtle brightening effect. Also, I adore the packaging – on days when you’re not in a rush, it’s so nice to use the little spatula that comes with it. I’m going to continue using it to see if I can tackle my dark circles once and for all – and I might even extend it to my night routine.
The Verdict On Tatcha The Brightening Serum & Eye Cream
Tatcha’s The Brightening Serum and Brightening Eye Cream have proved to be a hit with both Ashlee and Vanessa. “Vitamin C is notoriously tricky to formulate with, and I love the idea of a slow release that can work for up to 12 hours,” says Vanessa. Both agreed that their favourite product was the serum. "It's a great pick for anyone, especially those who have experienced sensitivity with vitamin C," says Ashlee. "It'll be staying firmly in my AM routine for the foreseeable."
“I’m just obsessed with the oil-like feel!” says Vanessa. “And while I think the texture of the eye cream is fab, I personally just love a super rich and thick cream under my eyes.”
The Pros: Both of our testers found the serum had a brightening effect and loved the texture. They also loved the soothing and hydrating feel of the eye cream. “I know people with sensitive skin are often afraid of vitamin C, but I think these products could potentially be good options for them,” says Vanessa. "If you're looking for a winter pick-me up, incorporate the eye cream into your AM routine as an extra boost for your under eyes," suggests Ashlee.
The Cons: It’s still early days for either of our testers to see any firming results from the serum. As for the eye cream, Vanessa prefers a richer and thicker texture over a lightweight finish.
More From Tatcha
The new Brightening Serum and Eye Cream join a stellar lineup of treatments from Tatcha. We love the richness of retinol alternative Tatcha The Silk Serum, £98.00, as well as Tatcha The Dewy Serum, £86.00. Pick your favourite and team them with Tatcha’s holy trinity of moisturisers, Tatcha The Dewy Skin Cream, £24.00, Tatcha The Water Cream, £24.00 and Tatcha The Silk Cream, £123.00, for radiant, healthy skin.
If you’re a seasoned vitamin C enthusiast, you’ll want to try Tatcha Violet-C Radiance Mask, £70.00 – it’s fab for quick results. For cleansers, we love Tatcha Matcha Cleanse, £42.00 and Tatcha The Rice Wash, £41.00. And for a full Tatcha routine, there’s the body and mind smoothing bodycare collection.
Read More
• Our Review Of The Tatcha Dewy Skin Cream• Benefits Of Vitamin C For Skin • Best Tatcha Skincare Products
• Our Review Of The Tatcha Matcha Cleanse • Review Of The Tatcha Silk Serum
• Our Review Of The Tatcha Indigo Cleansing Balm