I Tried Superkind—Tata Harper's New Collection for Reactive Skin—And I'm Glowing

Sensitive skin is a skin type—it’s something you're born with. Sensitized skin is a skin condition, as it develops over time and is triggered by stressors and allergens in your environment. Both are reactive and can cause a weakened skin barrier. Think: inflammation, itchiness, redness, dryness, and/or tightness in your skin. During the last year, as stress and cloth masks took over our lives, reactive skin became a reality for many of us. Enter: Tata Harper's newest trio of formulas, Superkind.

"Superkind was inspired by conversations I was having with friends," Harper shares. "The modern environment we live in is making skin more reaction-prone, and this collection was formulated specifically for both sensitive and sensitized skin." The product descriptions felt right up my ally, as they're all about comforting, soothing textures and skin-barrier strengthening ingredients. Tata Harper was kind enough to give me the run-down on each product and let me test them before launch. Now, I can finally share my honest thought on the feel-good trio of products. Below, find everything you need to know about Tata Harper's new Superkind collection.

The Softening Cleanser

Harper refers to this cleanser as a "cleansing treatment" rather than an average face wash. According to her, it's meant for "constructive cleansing," which means it's made to support and reinforce your skin barrier. The softening cleanser is a sulfate-free, micro-foaming blend of cassava tapioca and natural plant surfactants. "It’s super soft and goes on almost like a cream (that’s why it’s called softening cleanser.) When you add a little bit of water, it transforms into a foam and leaves the skin feeling clean and hydrated," Harper explains.

My experience with the product has been exactly that—gentle, nourishing, and softening. As someone who's been a cleansing balm and oil devotee for years, it was wonderful to try a soothing cream-to-foam formula that didn't strip my skin. It's brimming with vitamins A, B, C, and E (including maracuja seed oil and jojoba esters to promote regeneration and breakdown buildup). It's refreshing, hydrating, and never leaves my skin feeling tight.

The Radiance Mask

"The Radiance Mask was our way of making sure those with reactive skin can enjoy the benefits of our best-selling product, our beloved Resurfacing Mask," Harper says. The brand did a lot of research to determine the right acid combination to use—and ended up including a self-neutralizing AHA blend of phytic and lactic acid. "Their large molecular structure allows them to focus on the surface layer of the skin without disrupting the barrier," Harper explains, adding, "This particular blend promotes cell turnover and also boosts hydration." Along with the acids, the mask offers a sugar carbohydrate complex (i.e. moisture-binding technology) that stimulates the production of ceramides to attract and bind moisture in your skin as long as possible.

It has the same bouncy, jelly texture as the aforementioned formula (which is one of my favorites, by the way), but it’s creamier, softer, and really comforting. It's like whipped, cushion-y butter. According to Harper, the Radiance Mask helps prevent over exfoliation, while still providing that ever-elusive glow. After using it over the last few weeks, I can certainly attest to that fact. While the Resurfacing Mask makes my skin look even and lifted, the Radiance Mask helps it feel plump, dewy, bright.

The Fortifying Moisturizer

This moisturizer is substantial but oh-so weightless. It's brimming with vitamins A, B, C, as well as AHAs and something called "extremophile endurance technology," which has three elements to help your skin withstand extreme environments and conditions.

• The first is microalgae (plankton) peptides from France. According to Harper, it offers a "cocooning effect that creates a protective shield on the surface of your skin and acts like an allergen micro-filter." Essentially, it prevents your skin from going into reaction mode. It’s also shown in clinical trials to reduce histamine activation by 22% (specifically basophil).
• The second is mondo root from Japan, a type of grass specifically developed to prevent signs of atopic dermatitis, like redness, inflammation, and itchiness. It does so by activating the immune defenses of the skin. It’s proven to decrease the extent and severity of eczema by 53% in 60 days and decrease the frequency of flare ups by 43% in 60 days.
• The last is Rose of Jericho from Mexico. It’s shown to increase skin density by 14% in three weeks and improves moisture level by 71% in just 24 hours

As someone who loves a thick moisturizer, it took some adjusting to use something more lightweight. That said, my skin still felt cared for in that moisture-blanket type of way. It has a clean scent, absorbs quickly, and is a perfect swap for the warmer months.

The Bottom Line

These products are proof positive that effective, anti-aging skincare doesn't have to hurt. They're soothing and sweet to your skin as they protect and smooth. Always make sure to patch test and to only incorporate one new product at a time (that way, if you do have a reaction you'll know exactly what's triggering it). The products are entirely fragrance free and without essential oils—a big departure for Tata Harper—as they can be irritating to sensitive or sensitized skin). My verdict? You're going to love them.