As a teenager working in her mother’s beauty boutique in Houston, Texas, Vicky Tsai once heard the best beauty secrets originated in Japan with the geisha. Years later she decided to investigate if this were true.
Tsai traveled to a little community in South Kyoto where artisans were hammering golf leaf by hand. A practice dating back to Imperial Japan, the gold leaf artisans lay paper between the gold to protect the precious metal they hammered. Their gold-leaf artistry transformed the supporting paper into aburatorigami, an incredibly soft, strong and absorbent leaflet ideal for removing excess oils from delicate skin. In the 1800’s it was discovered that this paper had skin benefits and became the beauty secret of Geisha. Captivated by her own discovery of this ancient beauty treasure, Vicky wanted to share these papers with the world. She sold her engagement ring and bought a large quantity of the papers. Tatcha was born.
Tatcha Aburatorigami papers are made of the highest grade of 100% Abaca leaf. Most blotting papers are made with a mixture of pulp and linen. This material can be drying, and while it removes shine, it doesn’t do much for the overall appearance of the skin. In contrast, when applied to the face, Tatcha papers leave the skin soft and velvety smooth.
Word of Tatcha papers quickly spread among the fashion and beauty elite – Tatcha papers have become a favorite of makeup artists and celebrities. In addition to the Tatcha.com Tatcha Aburatorigami papers (three pack: $30 for 90 sheets or one pack: $12 for 30 sheets) are now available at SPACE NK boutiques and BeautyHabit.com
Tsai commented recently, “Tatcha was started as a way to share time honored beauty traditions from Japan. With the recent tragedies, we are more dedicated than ever to pay homage to a culture that inspires us so.”
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