BEAUTY

I Tried a Night Cream with Deer Milk in it and This is What Happened

Tried and Tested: marie claire’s beauty director gives this world-first ingredient a whirl

During winter, my big skin gripe is dehydration. All the reverse-cycle air-conditioning, the biting winds and hot showers (I’m only human), leaves my skin feeling parched and dry.

To counteract the problem, I was on the hunt for a night cream that would add extra doses of nourishment. So, when New Zealand skincare brand kōtia came across my desk promising deep hydration, I was keen to give it a try.

kōtia is a well-edited line of eight products, including a cleanser, toner, serum, day cream, night cream, mask and hand cream. Layered up or used on their own, they promise to add serious glow to a dry complexion thanks to decadent skin protection and hydration.

But what makes this brand really different is its star ingredient, deer milk. If you haven’t seen deer milk in your skincare ingredients list before, you’re not alone; adding deer milk into a skincare product is a world first.

The star ingredient in this night cream is deer milk
(Credit: kōtia)

So why deer milk? Well, for starters deer milk boasts an impressive number of antioxidants, nutrients and anti-inflammatory agents such as vitamin A, folic acid, vitamin E and vitamin D3. All of this helps protect the skin and prevent lines and wrinkles. Secondly, deer milk has the highest fat, protein and amino acid content of any other milk available, and it’s a really good source of calcium, phosphorus and zinc. A fawn grows up super-fast thanks to its mother’s power-packed milk!

Milking a deer is a time-consuming process but don’t fret about the sweet little baby deer. kōtia’s milk is produced keeping its New Zealand-breed fawns and mothers together during the milking process. This ensures that neither mother nor baby are stressed.

After learning all this, I was set on trying out the night cream. I took it home and the first night I put it on I noticed just how nourishing this night cream really was. It is so velvety and just sank right into my thirsty skin. Added vitamin C, which is great for brightening, meant that I woke in the morning with a new-found radiance. Over time, the vitamin C will also help improve the appearance of uneven skin tone.

I loved the hydration the night cream was giving my skin so I decided to add in the kōtia Serum to double up the benefits of that power-packed deer milk. After a week of this nightly duo, my skin had added plumpness and bounce and just looked like it was completely fine, thank you very much, despite the chilly weather outside.

kotia's night cream with deer milk is extremely nouishing
(Credit: kōtia)

If you’re in need of some deep hydration, whatever the time of year, this night cream is a great hydrator. And you can bank on waking with skin that’s dewy and full of bounce. Who knew a sweet little deer could offer up such skin benefits.

For more articles on kōtia’s beautiful deer milk range click here

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