My first goal of the New Year was kicking my coffee habit–I just couldn’t take the jitters and midday crash anymore! A friend clued me in about all the benefits of a daily matcha and suggested Pique Sun Goddess Matcha, sold exclusively online. I had some shipped, and checked out Starbucks Matcha Tea Latte, as well, in my journey to find the superior matcha experience.
I quickly learned that matcha is a whole new world and not all matcha is alike–not by a longshot! If you told me two weeks ago that I would willingly commit to replacing my beloved coffee with matcha I never would have believed it. Read on to find out which matcha won my heart:
If you’re very particular about what you put into your body… Pique
Pique is the gold standard here. Their matcha is ceremonial grade and quadruple screened for pesticides, heavy metals, toxic mold, and radioactive isotopes–none of the things you want anywhere near your body.
Pique Sun Goddess Matcha is sourced from the most biodiverse and ecological places around the world. Pique’s founder created the brand to bring the purest phytonutrients available to consumers in the form of teas and drinks. Meanwhile, Starbucks uses Aiya matcha green tea powder, which is sold in bulk to manufacturers and is available on Amazon, making ingredient sourcing a less reliable experience. Pique was the clear winner for me as far as purity goes.
If you want a matcha regimen that promotes radiant, healthy skin… Pique
Pique’s Radiant Skin Duo really has the ingredients to deliver on this promise. This bundle covers all the bases for deeply hydrated and radiant skin, including naturally-occurring electrolytes and minerals. The Sun Goddess Matcha has catechins for brightening and firming skin and the amino acid L-theanine which promotes balance, focus, and calm energy. Additionally, Pique’s matcha is shaded for 35% longer than traditional matchas, leading to more chlorophyll and l-theanine in every serving! One week in, my skin looked visibly brighter and firmer. I felt more energized, but also calm and focused all day after drinking Pique matcha.
Starbucks makes no such claims and I felt jittery after drinking their matcha latte probably because they don’t have the L-theanine in theirs to offset the caffeine. I experienced many more health and beauty benefits from Pique, especially adding the BT Fountain Beauty Electrolyte (part of the Radiant Skin Duo) to my afternoon routine.
If you like the experience of having your coffee made by a barista… Starbucks
Starbucks is the clear choice for brick-and-mortar availability. If you’re the grab and go type, Starbucks can’t be beat. But I like leisurely drinking my matcha at home or making it at my office when the mood hits, so this wasn’t a major factor for me.
Pique comes in single serving packets that I can take anywhere. Preparation is as easy as mixing a packet with 12oz water–hot or cold. I also mixed it into almond milk and even tried a bit of pineapple juice in my cold version, which was absolutely delicious and a great summer choice.
If cost is a factor… Pique
Consider that a Starbucks matcha latte is $4.58. At $58 for 28 servings, Pique costs about $2 per drink. The bundled Radiant Skin Duo includes their BT Fountain Electrolyte drink, which is equally delicious (it tastes like pink lemonade!) and offers other amazing benefits, like electrolytes and skin-soothing ceramides. My skin feels super hydrated, and the combo even helped curb my mid-afternoon sugar cravings.
The subscription includes 28 packets of each drink, the cutest mini frother, and a beaker for easy preparation. All that for only $107! Overall, Pique is less than half the price of Starbucks and the bundle is a great option—clearly the better value for me.
My overall winner … Pique
I started out looking for a substitute for coffee and ended up finding new love. But the right matcha for me isn’t a sweet sugary Starbucks latte, it’s the Pique Sun Goddess Matcha.
Pique is a deeply-researched company dedicated to bringing teas, superfoods and supplements to health minded consumers. My skin is glowing, and my energy is calm and focused all day long. It was love at first sip, and now I can’t imagine my morning routine without it!
