Tanaka White, Bio-essence’s latest line of Whitening and Firming skin care range has recently been launched in the market. The product claims to whiten, cool, firm and hydrate skin all packed with the potent goodness of Tanaka Tree Bark.

I have always been attracted to products that are derived from or inspired by nature, so this addiction naturally had me giving the new line a try. I took 3 of the products off the shelves and tested their Rejuvenating Whitening Day Cream, Renewal Night Cream and White Perfecting Lotion for a period of 14 days.

The product claims to whiten and brighten your complexion by reducing dark spots and evening out skin tone, firming your skin by strengthening and improving skin elasticity, fully hydrating skin with a cooling effect. Their secret break-through ingredient, Tanaka Tree Bark — purportedly a traditional whitening secret used by Myanmar women for 2000 years, cherished for its cooling and whitening properties.

After 2 weeks..

I am neither whitened nor brightened by the products. Overall there was a very slight lightening of spots, unfortunately it’s hard to tell if it is by my own skin renewing or by the product itself. I have no indications to tell if the firming qualities worked on me since I am still quite firm. * chuckles – Hence may not entirely be helpful for mid-twenties and below. I am perplexed however that none of the 3 products had the acclaimed ‘cooling properties’, they were not warm per se but they weren’t cooling either.

The Rejuvenating Whitening Day cream has a beige pinkish colour and like most other reviews I’ve researched on, I concur that it did make me look ‘fairer’ but I did not become fairer. Honestly, it’s the corrective colour in it that makes you look a tad lighter in shade. The cream has to be spread evenly with a little effort to blend the colour into the skin.

The White Perfecting Lotion, like many other sunscreen lotions, contains SPF in it. It is not greasy, a little on the thick side and has the same odd drying feeling after applying. Give it a few minutes and the drying feeling will cease once the lotion is fully absorbed. SPF a day helps the skin a long way.

The Renewal Night Cream is again like many whitening night creams: rich and indulgent on application. It spreads smoothly and is a little too greasy for me. Every morning, my skin feels suffocated with a layer of grease -  the cream is not entirely at fault here as I do have combination skin – which makes me despair that it didn’t work at the end after battling the sticky nights.

On hindsight, I did not get any mini breakouts more than I’m supposed to. As for the whitening bit, despite me hoping it would work, the products did not do what they claimed to be capable of. All in all after considering the slight lightening of some spots, I give this try a 2 out of 5 stars.