Where the Tata Harper Magic Happens

Tata Harper famously does most of the manufacturing for her all-natural clean skin care on her farm in Vermont, where until recently she also lived. When the single mom and her family moved south to Connecticut (the farm is as busy as ever making products, and the family still stays there often), she embarked on decorating her new space–with special attention to an intentionally sprawling bath area. “I have a home office in another part of the house,” she says. “But this is where the real research goes on!”

It’s a private space, reached through Harper’s bedroom and full of light from the enormous windows, with trees just outside. “Natural light is important, and so is feeling in touch with nature,” she says. Harper mapped out spaces according to her routines, so there’s a wonderful sense of ease throughout. “Even though it serves me as something of a laboratory, this is the place for downtime,” she says. “I really relax here, and I get my best ideas when I’m in that state.”

It Starts in the Shower with a Hair Routine

Like many of us, Harper says her best ideas come when she’s in the shower, a large walk-in stocked with Grown Alchemist and Sangre de Fruta hair products (there’s a tub of goop scalp scrub, too) that sits just behind the window-ringed bath and meditation area. “When I’m my most relaxed, I’m able to solve many problems,” she says.

“I love both the shampoo and the conditioner.”

“I’m also obsessed with these two.”

Scalp Care

Harper believes massaging the scalp can help with hair health, so she focuses on it–in and out of the shower.

“This feels so good and leaves my hair so soft.”

“I love to use this scalp gua sha comb while I’m still in the shower.”

“I’ve been loving this Manta brush right after I get out of the shower for an amazing scalp massage.”

Best Shower Brainstorm: Superkind

One of Harper’s best ideas recently was a line for sensitive skin packed with active ingredients, aptly called Superkind. “So much of what’s offered for reactive skin is about what’s not in it,” she explains. “Superkind is about incredible ingredients that really work–whether your skin is sensitive or not. Of course, we’ve taken out all the offending ingredients, too, but we replaced them with stuff that’s powerful, doesn’t irritate skin, and works synergistically to keep skin calm.”

A Dream Skin-Care Sink

Much of the skin care–existing and potential future Tata Harper skin miracles–sits along a double-sink area. “All the cleansing and exfoliating and experimenting goes on here,” she says. “There’s a big mirror, some hair ties–you can just give yourself the full treatment.”

“In the mornings, I always exfoliate my skin with the Regenerating Cleanser,” Harper says. “When you wake up, you have skin-cell buildup from the night, because during the night, your organs–including your skin–reset and regenerate. Old cells die, and new cells are born. I like to take off all of the dead skin cells.”

“At night, I love to double cleanse. I remove my SPF, dirt, and traces of makeup with my oil cleanser, and for the second cleanse, I go deeper with our purifying cleanser, our mask for detox,” she says.

STEP 1

STEP 2

Bath and Meditation

The center of the space is a big bathtub surrounded by windows and fronted by a plush meditation area. Once out of the shower, Harper often lands here next. “I was obsessed with this Italian meditation chair, and then I ended up putting a little table near it, so I use it for meditation and also for trying out or working with product,” she says. She clusters bath oils, body creams, and an ultrahydrating face mask by the tub: “I love an indulgent bath,” she says.

Treat Your Skin during the Day, Too

Harper uses the table at the meditation chair for a midday routine she started during the pandemic. “I do this right after lunch, and it’s like a pick-me-up,” she says. “Rather than having a coffee or something along those lines, I sit down and apply an essence like our brightening essence or a tonic like the goop one. I then apply our Restorative Eye Creme and add a few drops of our Retinoic Face Oil.”

A Decidedly Glamorous Vanity

Tucked off to one side, the vanity area is where Harper loves to put on many of her serums and skin creams, as well as her famous lip and cheek tints and, if she’s going out, a little makeup. “I’ve always had a separate area different from the sink,” she says. “So did my mother and grandmother. I think it’s important to have a place that’s separate from the area where you wash your hands and brush your teeth where you can sit down in a nice chair and do your skin-care routine. It’s relaxing.”

Take (Exquisite) Care of Your Skin

This rose-infused mist smells like a meadow full of flowers, feels incredible on skin, and hydrates deeply. It’s especially good to spritz on right before a serum or moisturizer, but we love it anytime, particularly after a too-long session in front of the computer.

“My favorite serum is the Elixir Vitae. I am in my mid-forties, and it’s made with seventy-two active ingredients to help keep skin as youthful as possible,” Harper says. “It is like my daily topical dose of injectables–it’s made with neurotransmitter peptides for a smooth, baby-skinned look. It also contains a cocktail of ingredients to help strengthen and plump skin, because as we age, our skin gets thinner.”

This hydrating gel-cream seals moisture into the skin’s outer layers, leaving it supple and renewed.

Flatter with Touches of Makeup

Harper’s favorites are all clean and super chic.

SHOP ALL TATA HARPER