SKINCARE | Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask (Plus Honey Blossom Limited Edition!) Review - BHA and AHA All in One!

I have been waiting for this moment a long time. My first skincare review from Tata Harper Skincare. Seeing as how I have the entire product line, where to start seemed somewhat daunting, but I think the easiest way to begin is with the very FIRST product I tried - The Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask* (30mL/$80.00 CDN). This was the Elle Award Winner and voted one of Instyle's Best Beauty Buys in 2015 and when I was at the Tata Harper Farm and head office in Vermont (here), this was the product that everyone said I needed to try first. For anyone wary of starting a whole new skincare regime, what I call "peripheral" products such as masks, tend to be a nice way to get to know a line. I hope that because I once worked for Tata Harper that I can provide you all with an inside look into the company and give you THE MOST MASSIVE rundown on what the products are like as well as cool ways to put your products to use for your skin!


Like all Tata Harper products, this is a Ecocert certified product and is hand-batched right on the farm. Don't believe me? I was there when batch #1000 was made (below)! 



Natural products tend to smell differently than non-natural ones because the actual ingredients dictate the scent. There is absolutely no artificial fragrance in Tata Harper products with most of the fragrance coming from flowers and essential oils. The Resurfacing Mask is also a vegan product as there are no animal by-products and is a jelly consistency because it is made with aloe instead of water. It is pink thanks to Pink Clay brought in from France though the jar on the right (photo below) is the limited edition Resurfacing Mask that was made with honey blossom. My old boss was sweet enough to bring one back from Vermont for me! It smells just like honey blossoms and works identically to the original formulation.


What I absolutely LOVE about this mask is that when it says "instant glow", it's true. It is hands down one of the BEST masks I have ever used and seen an instant difference with. When I trained staff on this mask, the looks of amazement were incredible to witness. Essentially, this is a truly natural and effective chemical peel. The term "chemical peel" still scares people, but what it really means is "non-physical/chemical exfoliation". Chemical exfoliation is perfect for those with sensitive or mature skin with this mask being formulated for even those suffering from rosacea.



You will notice that the very first ingredient in this mask is aloe juice and not water (aqua). When a rep from another very well-known brand in Sephora saw this, even she was impressed because it isn't commonly done due to product preservation issues. The preservative in this mask is radish root extract and NOT phenoxyethanol which is also a very awesome thing to note. A few companies do this, but is still is not the norm even for a lot of green marketed products.


The next ingredient is gold. Willow bark extract is nature's beta hydroxy acid (BHA) which you might be more familiar with as salicylic acid. Even I am scared of salicylic acid in products, but from a natural source it was in no way harsh or drying on my skin. This in no way means that it is ineffective though! This BHA still goes into the pores and exfoliates WITHIN the pore as opposed to an alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) which exfoliates on the skin's surface. I think of it as an "Exfoliation "T". Both types of exfoliation are ideal which is why there are also pomegranate enzymes, a natural source of AHA! Both of these exfoliators are practically at the top of the list meaning that their concentrations in this mask are not being diluted with fillers.

I talked a little bit about why the mask is pink, but what I love about having clay in this mask is that those with oily skin can benefit from this mask too! Now, you can have that detox effect of a clay mask without the overly drying effect because of aloe juice and beet root extract (natural skin-conditioner). It's like win-win! 

Ingredients: Aloe barbadensis leaf juice*, Salix alba (Willow) bark extract*, Sclerotium gum, Lactobacillus Ferment, Lactobacillus/Punica granatum fruit ferment extract (pomegranate enzymes), Leuconostoc ferment filtrate (radish root extract), , Maltooligosyl Glucoside, Hydrolyzed Corn Starch, Beta vulgaris (Beet) Root Extract, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Kaolin (Rose Clay), Sodium phytate, Aroma**, Citral, Citronellol, Limonene, Linalool, Benzyl Alcohol, Geraniol

*Ingredients from organic farming
** Clinical grade essential oils blend 

How to use the Resurfacing Mask

The instructions on the box say to apply a generous layer of the mask to a cleansed face and to leave on for 10 minutes for sensitive skin and 30 minutes for normal skin. Do this once a week and your skin will look instantly refreshed and look more even. Especially right after this mask is rinsed off the face. Skin just looks that much brighter!

If you are feeling like your skin is in need of a detox or major blemish control, feel free to use this mask up to 3x/week or as a spot treatment. I will tell you something though, I use it as a SLEEPING MASK. It dries clear and non-sticky and though it can peel off in some areas (like around the chin), it is very comfortable to sleep in and does not leave your pillow a sticky mess! If you are feeling like you really need an extra boost, apply the Regenerating Cleanser (review to come!) first, let it dry and then apply the Resurfacing Mask on top! I LOVED coming up with new ways to cocktail these products because there really is no wrong answer.


Final verdict: A deep exfoliation shouldn't burn or sting though I know it feels like it is doing more for the skin. This mask does what all the other exfoliators do and then some! It is a pricey mask for 30mL and has gone up because of our horrific Canadian dollar, but I would still HIGHLY recommend it. I cannot ever be without it and I happily use this mask every Monday and continually gawk at how much more smooth, even and clear my skin looks after I wash it off. Every ingredient means something and the ones that I have highlighted are ones that set this mask apart from many others. Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask, I love you!

Tata Harper is available at Sephora, Green and Pure, Beauty Mark, Lynnsteven, Eternal Skincare, Murale and Ecodiva Beauty!

*Received as gratis 

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