This 'buttery' J-beauty cream broke the internet years ago – here's why midlife women are loving it again 2026


I also gave Tatcha’s Dewy Skin Cream a try, and few moisturisers have truly wowed me in recent years like this one


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Josie O'Brien
Josie O'BrienCreative Content Writer
1 hour ago
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Seven years ago, Japanese-inspired skincare brand Tatcha broke the internet with the launch of its Dewy Skin Cream, before finally bringing the cult favourite to the UK four years later. Since then, the bestselling moisturiser has garnered an impressive following that includes celebrities, with Selena Gomez, Meghan Markle and Nicola Coughlan all among its fans.

  • The Dewy Skin Cream is a cult favourite among beauty fans and celebs, including Meghan Markle 
  • The formula plumps the skin, and contains red algae, hyaluronic acid and biomimetic squalane
  • Midlife women are raving about its anti-ageing powers: smoother wrinkles, less texture and a healthy glow

Japanese beauty – often shortened to J-beauty – has a minimalist philosophy that focuses on a few simple steps and a few simple, but efficacious, ingredients. That’s why The Dewy Skin Cream combines Japanese botanicals with clinical powerhouses. 

And as we're in an era of skincare fanatics loving products that combine natural and clinical ingredients, it's easy to see why the formula is having a resurgence among midlife women in 2026. 

Model with pot of tatcha dewy skin cream
Tatcha's Dewy Skin Cream is deliciously rich and deeply nourishing

Of course, the little purple tub is iconic in its own right, housing Tatcha's bestselling moisturiser. Touted to be rich in texture with soft floral nose notes and a gentle herbal quality, the cream supposedly floods skin with lasting hydration while strengthening the moisture barrier. It's also formulated to leave your complexion smoother and plumper with every use.

What’s inside Tatcha’s Dewy Skin Cream? 

Hyaluronic acid, red algae and Hadasei-3 work together to attract moisture to plump and hydrate skin, while the biomimetic squalane provides serious moisture and improves the skin barrier. Finally, the infusion of Japanese purple rice protects skin from free radical damage that causes wrinkles.

What are verified shoppers saying about Tatcha’s Dewy Skin Cream?

The formula offers line-plumping hydration by the spoonful, which is exactly why midlife women are loving it. Reviews describe the cream as “beautiful”, “decadent” and “incredibly luxurious”, with many praising just how effective it is at minimising the appearance of wrinkles. 

The reviews describing the texture as ‘incredibly luxurious’ were bang on the money... It melts into my skin like butter

Josie O'Brien, beauty journalist

One woman beamed: “I am 47 with normal skin but ageing and wrinkles…My daughter gave me the Tatcha cream (she is a teen and didn't want to use it) and wow. Just the cream alone, without even any serum or anything, does wonders to my skin! My face is so much more refreshed, yes and smoother – maybe even less wrinkles. She only told me it's Japanese and 'really expensive' – turns out it is cheaper than anything I have used in past years but it works better!”

Another echoed: “The texture is rich, silky and incredibly luxurious, yet it melts into my skin without feeling heavy. It leaves my skin feeling deeply hydrated, soft and with a beautifully healthy glow that lasts throughout the day. I also love that it layers well under makeup without pilling. It’s quickly become one of my favourite moisturisers whenever my skin needs extra nourishment and radiance.”

My honest review of Tatcha’s Dewy Skin Cream

Few creams have truly wowed me in the last few years. As a beauty journalist, I get to try new products every week, many of which are the latest releases in skincare. One product I didn’t get to try upon its release in the UK in 2022 was Tatcha’s Dewy Skin Cream. To be honest, I was gutted, especially given it kept selling out at the time. So, when an opportunity to try it this year arose, I jumped at the chance. 

 Tatcha’s Rice Wash and Dewy Skin Cream
I trialled Tatcha’s Rice Wash and Dewy Skin Cream

Great news: it lived up to my expectations – the reviews describing the texture as ‘incredibly luxurious’ were bang on the money, actually. I love the little spoon that comes with the pot to scoop the product out, and it melts into my skin like butter, creating a beautiful finish that’s both immensely hydrating and balancing. 

After a week of use, I noticed patches of texture on my cheeks had disappeared. Unfortunately, it didn’t do much for controlling an acne breakout I was suffering with at the time, but as someone whose spots leave red marks for weeks on end, it definitely helped speed up the healing process of these unsightly blemishes. 

inside tatcha dewy skin cream tub
Inside my tub of Tatcha's Dewy Skin Cream

I’m a big believer in using full routines from brands, as the products are created to purposefully work together. So, I used it alongside Tatcha’s Rice Wash, a gentle and creamy cleanser that washes away daily buildup without stripping skin. This alone gave my skin a look of luminosity, which I would lock in with the dewy cream, no serum necessary. 

Woven into both products are hyaluronic acid, red algae and Japanese rice derivatives. Together, they transformed my everyday skincare routine into an indulgence that I looked forward to each evening. And they looked absolutely beautiful standing proud on my bathroom shelf.  

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