Tatcha's New The Milky Sunscreen SPF50: Is It Actually Worth £49/$50?
Gia reviews this year's most talked about SPF in time for her holiday to Italy. But will it pass The Beauty Ed®'s BS detector test?
The Beauty Ed®’s Note: After years of writing beauty reviews for magazines and newspapers like InStyle, Cosmopolitan and The Daily Mail, I’ve developed a ruthless “BS detector” for beauty marketing. Especially with luxury skincare. Just because a product has fancy packaging and a high price tag, it does not mean that it actually performs. So when the new Tatcha Milky Sunscreen SPF50 landed on our desks, I was especially keen to find out if it was worth its eye-watering £49/$50 price tag! The short answer? And in the opinion of my Gen Z contributor Gia - it’s a yes! It more than earns its keep for her dry, reactive skin. But the same might not be said about Tatcha’s other launches: here’s her full, honest review on them all…
[Just so you know, some of the links in this review are affiliate links. This means that we might earn a small commission if you decide to buy, which helps keep The Beauty Ed® and THE LAB running!]
The Pre-Vacation Trial: Can Tatcha Survive the London Humidity?
As someone who is fiercely loyal to skincare that genuinely works, I was thrilled to swap my entire routine for a full Tatcha get-ready-with-me test for The Beauty Ed®. It has long been a favourite brand of mine, and with my annual summer Italy trip approaching, it felt like the ideal moment to put Tatcha’s new The Milky Sunscreen SPF50 to the test.
For me, holiday beauty always begins with skin prep. Long travel days, heat, dry cabin air, and constant SPF reapplication can quickly leave my naturally dry skin looking dull and dehydrated. And I’m notoriously difficult to please when it comes to sunscreen. I look for hydration, radiance, no white cast, no pilling under makeup, and absolutely nothing that aggravates my acne-prone skin. So for this review, I temporarily retired my usual skincare staples and used an entirely Tatcha-led routine to keep my test fully transparent and thorough.
Tatcha Review: The Dewy Milk Moisturiser vs The Dewy Skin Cream
The first step in my review was the Tatcha The Dewy Milk Moisturizer, which I applied onto slightly damp skin to lock in hydration.
Anyone who knows me knows I have long been devoted to Tatcha’s Dewy Skin Cream, which remains one of my most repurchased luxury moisturisers, even though it costs a staggering £69/$74.
Its rich, cocooning texture gives the kind of healthy, plump radiance that makes skin look immediately more rested. So naturally, I was curious to see how this, its new ‘lighter’ version compared.
The biggest difference lies in the texture. Where the original cream feels richer and more enveloping, the milk formula absorbs faster and feels noticeably lighter on the skin, making it particularly well-suited to combination or oil-prone skin types.
What impressed me most, however, was that the finish remained unmistakably Tatcha: luminous, smooth, and healthy looking.
*Even while using strong dermatologist-prescribed topical creams that usually leave my skin flaking beneath makeup, this kept my complexion comfortable and visibly radiant. Several friends even commented that my skin looked glowy that week, which, frankly, is the highest praise any moisturiser can receive.
At £61/$64, like the rest of Tatcha’s products, it sits firmly in luxury territory, but I remain convinced that Tatcha’s moisturisers are among the best investment skincare products for glow, particularly if your skin tends to look dull, dry, or tired.
My honest take: if your skin is dry like mine, I would still choose the original Dewy Skin Cream. But if you want the same signature glow in a lighter texture, the Dewy Milk Moisturizer is an excellent summer alternative.
Why Tatcha’s The Milky Sunscreen SPF50 Is Worth £49/$50
As you can see, this SPF stayed with me all week. It was permanently in my bag for top-ups between errands, and long days out in London .
The product I was most excited to put to the test was the The Milky Sunscreen SPF50, and it quickly became the hero of the entire routine.
I’ve been using it as the final step in my morning skincare, giving the bottle a quick shake before pressing out a few pumps just before leaving the house. I’ve also been diligent about topping it up every few hours, particularly on days spent out in London.
What immediately stood out to me was the packaging. I am endlessly loyal to a pump dispenser: it feels inherently more luxurious, but more importantly, it makes everyday use effortless. There is no leaking, no product waste, and no messy over-pouring when you are trying to reapply on-the-go.
The formula itself feels less like a traditional sunscreen and more like a hydrating veil over the skin. Infused with Okinawa aloe, it works beautifully for anyone prone to dehydration in the sun. My skin tends to lose moisture quickly, especially while travelling, so I noticed almost instantly how soothing it felt. Rather than sitting on the surface, it seemed to lock hydration in, leaving my complexion comfortable, fresh, and noticeably glowier throughout the day.
Most importantly, it delivers everything I personally need from SPF: no greasy residue, no chalky cast, and no interference with makeup. Given how fussy I am with sunscreens, especially with acne-prone, reactive skin, that is not something I say lightly!
This has now become one of those products that permanently lives in my handbag.
Testing Tatcha’s The Brightening Serum on Reactive Skin
I also tested The Brightening Serum each morning before moisturiser.
Vitamin C - which is the hero ‘brightening’ ingredient in this formula, can be notoriously difficult for reactive skin, so I was pleasantly surprised how it layered seamlessly into my routine, caused no irritation, and gave my skin a fresher, more rested look over the course of the week.
That said, while I appreciated the formula and found it effective, it was the one product in the routine I would be least likely to repurchase immediately.
At £86/$89, it’s undeniably expensive, and while it performs beautifully, I personally place greater value on moisturiser and SPF within my current routine.
Pros
· Excellent under makeup
· No sticky residue
· Brightens subtly over time
· Reactive-skin friendly, especially for a Vitamin C
Cons
· High price point
· Less essential than the moisturisers or SPF
Is Tatcha’s Kissu Lip Mask Worth The Hype Too?
I’m extremely particular about lip care, and this was the first time I had used a formula with such a distinctive jelly-balm consistency, which felt far more sophisticated than many of the novelty lip masks currently dominating the market.
The weighted glass pot explains the £27/$29 price tag, but it’s justified thanks to the formula which cushions lips so beautifully. I have found that so many overnight lip products feel unpleasant but this made my lips feel really comfortable without any heaviness or tackiness.
Research tells me that the inclusion of Japanese peach extract makes the formula especially effective on dry, weather-worn lips, while camellia oil helps hold that moisture in place so the softness lasts well beyond the initial application.
What I particularly loved is that despite the rich feel, it never veers greasy. Instead, it leaves the lips looking healthy with a glassy sheen, perfect before bed, but equally lovely as the first step before liner and lipstick in the morning.
The Final Verdict: Tatcha Products Actually Worth Packing for Italy
For anyone building a summer skincare wardrobe, this routine made a compelling case for Tatcha’s glow-first philosophy.
If I had to recommend just one hero product from this entire test, it would be Tatcha The Milky Sunscreen SPF50. It delivers the rare combination of protection, radiance, comfort, and makeup compatibility, and it feels especially relevant for anyone traveling this summer.
For dry, sensitive skin that still wants glow, this is one of the most elegant SPF launches I’ve tried this year.
(I was kindly gifted these products by the PR for this review, but all opinions are my own)
I think it’s an investment buy for sure, and not for everyone’s budget but it’s often hard to find SPF that doesn’t react, especially when your skin is so sensitive! Loved the review 🫶🏼