Review: Is This Creamy Facial Cleanser Suitable For Sensitive Skin?

Effective yet non-irritating?

Tatcha’s The Rice Wash Soft Cream Cleanser has been on my beauty radar for a while now, ever since the luxury skincare brand announced the appointment of celebrity makeup artist Daniel Martin as its first-ever Global Director of Artistry and Education. As a self-professed skincare minimalist, I’ve always found Daniel’s “less is more” approach to be refreshing and relatable. In fact, he’s been called the “master of natural makeup” or an expert in creating the “no-makeup makeup look.”  

Similarly, Tatcha follows a minimalist approach to skincare too and takes inspiration from Japanese beauty and culture, offering gentle yet effective products that are formulated with Japan-originated ingredients. Intrigued yet? Read on as I give my honest thoughts after trying out Tatcha’s The Rice Wash Soft Cream Cleanser.  

*The product was sent as a press gift. The views and opinions of the reviewer are independent and purely editorial.

First impressions, claims and packaging


Close-up photo of Tatcha The Rice Wash Cleanser

Tatcha’s The Rice Wash Soft Cream Cleanser. 

The cleanser is sold as a 120ML squeeze tube packaging and it sports a lovely gold and lavender hue. It’s formulated with the brand’s exclusive Hasadei-3 anti-ageing complex, which is a fermented, antioxidant-rich essence of Japanese superfoods including Akita rice, Kyoto green tea and Okinawa algae to “flood skin with moisture and reveal youthful healthy-looking skin.” The product contains hyaluronic acid too, which helps to increase hydration in the skin. 

Usage and application 


Close-up swatch of Tatcha The Rice Wash Cleanser

The cleanser foams into a creamy lather with water.

The first two aspects of the cleanser that stood out the most to me were its lemony citrusy scent and creamy texture. As I have sensitive skin, I conducted a round of patch test to confirm that my skin would not react negatively to it before I proceeded to apply a small amount of it over my damp face. 

I also followed the brand’s recommended “how to use” instructions, which advised that we add a bit of water to the product so that it foams into a creamy lather before applying it all over our face. The product has gentle exfoliating properties too, which I believe is due to the tiny rice grains from its Japanese rice powder ingredient. 

Although the rice grains did not irritate my skin at all, I decided to play it safe by using this daily in the evening instead of the usual twice a day. I’ve used this product for almost two weeks now and I’ve noticed my skin feeling less flaky and slightly smoother than before. I also appreciated how clean my skin felt with each use. 

Final thoughts


Close-up photo of Tatcha The Rice Wash Cleanser

I intend to use this cleanser sparingly whenever my skin needs a little gentle exfoliation action. 

The sensorial experience you get with this product is truly wonderful as its creamy texture and exfoliating properties will leave your skin feeling clean, hydrated and refreshed with every use. If you have normal to dry skin and are looking for a new, luxe cleanser to try, do consider giving this a go. 

The product’s creamy texture is a big plus for me too, however, I’m not a fan of the cleanser’s strong lemon-y scent as I find it to be a tad overpowering. Furthermore, given my sensitive skin, I’ve reacted pretty badly to fragranced products in the past so I try to avoid using too many scented products in my routine. As such, I prefer to err on the side of caution and use this sparingly whenever my skin is in need of a deeper cleanse and a little gentle exfoliation. 

If your skin tends to be sensitive to fragranced products just like mine, I recommend that you check out the brand’s range of non-fragranced products, which includes The Rice Polish: Gentle Foaming Enzyme Powder. Don’t be afraid to seek a dermatologist’s advice if you’re ever unsure about the types of products that work best for you as everyone’s skin is unique! Tatcha’s The Rice Wash Soft Cream Cleanser is available via Sephora.sg for USD35


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