kōtia Hydrating Day Cream SPF15

I got an invite from Beauty Review to trial Kōtia Hydrating Day Cream SPF15 and I accepted. The 50ML round container came in a cute, little box. I thought the look of the product packaging was simple but appealing. The font on the box and the container is easy to read. The Deer logo on the top of the lid of the container is a nice touch and emphasizes the brand and product. The colour of the container is an appealing shade of brown with a matte but shiny tinge.

The application instructions on the back of the container were simple: Apply a small amount to a clean, dry face and massage in with your fingertips, covering your face and neck. I done so and the cream fast-absorbed into my skin. I only needed a small amount and could feel it hydrating my skin straight away. It has a silky smooth consistency with a faint fragrance that's not overpowering. There's a good amount of product in the container which will last ages if used in moderation.

Suitable for all skin types, this cream hydrated my skin all day. I noticed when I cleaned my face in the evening, my skin felt softer than usual. It has an added SPF15 to guard against UV which I like. Since trailing this day cream over this week, my complexion has enhanced with improved elasticity. I'm eager to use it daily and see more results. So far, so good.

I like that it is Dermatologically Tested and Made in New Zealand from New Zealand Deer Milk. I probably wouldn't purchase this or any other products in the range as I looked at the prices on the Kōtia website and it's quite expensive. $69 for this particular day cream in the range. The whole range does look lovely and the benefits of the Deer Milk is intriguing.

The kōtia Hydrating Day Cream SPF15 comes packaged in a card board box that reflects both the company colours and deer logo. The 50ml jar is brown (maybe not my favorite colour) and has all necessary information written on it. I loved the fact that SPF15 is incorporated, even though it should be higher to accommodate for New Zealand conditions in my opinion. It reduces however the amount of products you have to apply in the morning, and I am all for that. I wasn't attracted to the smell, but the texture is beautifully thick. Once applied, the creme is fast absorbing and leaves the skin feeling smooth and hydrated throughout the day. The skin looks healthy and plump after application for a few days and its great to know the company does not use parabens or testing on animals. I would be very interested to trial other items from the range, like the hand creme or night creme.

I love this product. I was abit taken back when i read "deer milk" but than thought, why not. The packaging is smooth and sleek, looks beautiful on my vanity. One i opened the product, the smell was beautiful, a light subtle clean smell. I love it. The moisturizer isn't heavy which i usually find they are when they have SPF in them. It doesn't leave white shadow on your face from the SPF either. I was actually wearing this product when i walked the run way at NZFW19 and was complimented on my skin and the photos didn't have any flash back. i feel it keeps my usually dry skin very well moisturized and i don't have that tight feeling on my face after a shower since using this. Over all totally would recommend it and will definitely look into their full skin range to go with the day cream.

I was super excited to be selected for the trial team for this product as it’s been on my list of “must try” products for a while now. First of all, I love the name! So great to see a kiwi business using Te Reo. The packaging is beautiful, a shimmery metallic looking jar with a lovely deer logo. I have to say the scent surprised me. For some reason I was expecting it to smell weird (perhaps because of the deer milk component) but I was pleasantly surprised to find it has a familiar pleasant scent reminiscent of older original face creams like Olay and Nivea. I feel that it did boost my skin’s radiance and it was definitely super hydrating. I love that it is spf 15 too. I find it hard to comment on any products anti-ageing properties as I can’t compare what my skin would look like in a year if I wasn’t using the product. Also a week isn’t long enough to notice a change in fine lines so I will update this review after a few months of use. The only reason I probably won’t purchase is that I found it a bit too rich and greasy for my already oily skin type. I would be keen to give the night cream and other products a go though.

I wasn't blown away by this product; it wasn't bad but wasn't amazing.

The packaging has been designed well, it's sleek and looks expensive and the colour and matte effect reflects that it's deer milk.

I know it's not a botanical based product so don't know why I was expected a floral smell, I guess because most day creams have an element of botanics in them. The smell wasn't unpleasant, it was subtle and I guess if it was heavily botanically scented it would probably be artificial and wouldn't reflect the natural element of the product. So this isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it wasn't one of those creams that you smell and say "wow that's delicious".

The cream glided onto the skin like silk, it was smooth and felt buttery but did feel a little greasy on the skin. It felt quite heavy when applied and I waited some time for it to be absorbed before applying makeup but it didn't seem to soak in, it just sat quite greasy on the surface, so I used a powder to dry the moisture before applying makeup. This seems a little counter-intuitive as I hate to dry out a 'moisturising' day cream but it did make my skin quite shiny and greasy. It was more the consistency of a night cream - I expect a night cream to be a little heavier as no makeup is applied over the top and it's left to absorb for quite a few hours.

I did use it as night cream for a few nights and this seemed to be a lot better. On waking in the morning a lot of the cream had absorbed and just left a slight greasy layer. Is it most definitely hydrating!

Looking at the price online I feel that it is a little over-priced for the effect this cream had. If it wasn't so greasy and smelled a little more neutral it would probably be more justified.

However it does get some bonus points for the SPF as I wouldn't use a day cream without an SPF with our strong New Zealand sunshine!

All in all this day cream was not hideous, I just wouldn't go out and buy it.

My skin can be super dry, but it also reacts and breaks out if Moisturisers are too rich, it can from one extreme to the other. This Winter, my skin has been playing havoc, even with scrubs I have not been able to get rid of the dry patches and dullness. I work in a school, so I can be inside with all the heaters blaring, or outside in the cold, wind and sun.

The consistency of kōtia Hydrating Day Cream is thick and creamy, it has a light plain scent to it, not overwhelming which is nice. It comes in a small tub, but a little does go a long way. I was surprised at how quickly this absorbed into my skin, usually for my skin even when dry, thick rich creams take a long time to penetrate and they leave my skin a bit oily, it can be annoying when trying to apply makeup on top of this. But, this Day Cream has not done that.

I have been using this for 7 days now, the dry patches are all gone, my skin looks like it has a bit more life to it. No more scrubs! It does last all day, at night when I am removing my makeup, I can still feel the cream working on my skin. I have also started using this cream at night after my shower, not as much as what I would use during the day, but in the morning my skin feels lovely! I am really keen to try out the Night Cream now if this is what the Day Cream does :-)

I am hooked on kōtia Hydrating Day Cream now, so I went to check the price - $69 - which I think is a bit on the expensive side for the size of the tub, it seems like they have paid more for the thick packaging (which does look nice, the lid is also secure so no spills), however in saying this, for what it has done for my skin I am willing to pay that, and even after 7 days not much has gone.

Overall, I would recommend this product for anyone who has skin like mine especially skin tormented by this Winter, or anyone who needs a thick penetrating cream without all the mess and oil residue.

Thank you Beauty Review for selecting me for this trial xoxo

Oh wow. So Deer Milk. Might just be the answer to all of our skin problems!

The Kotia cream is beautifully packaged, its classy and simple. I'd definitely gravitate to it in store.

It's very thick - very, very thick. You only need a small amount - it spreads easily and absorbs quite quickly. I was worried it was going to be too heavy, but I've suffered no pore congestion or breakouts since using it.

Its very smoothing and softening.

I really love this day cream. At nearly $70 it is a luxury product, but well worth a try.

I had no i-deer I could love a day cream so much. Seriously this is like the best cream I've used. And I've tried a lot!

I wish it wasn't so pricey - 69$ is a big ouch for the wallet, so I won't lie - I'll be holding out for specials.

This is a very rich cream, but for something so thick, it's not greasy or sticky. Once absorbed it makes my skin feel so soft.

I think my skin has improved so much since trying this product, the most obvious impact being how glowy and radiant my skin is. Even without make up on my skin looks healthy and dewy. It makes me feel good about myself!

This is deer friendly and I love that. I also like the packaging.

All up a fantastic product, that will become a regular splurge for me.

I am so glad that I got picked up for this trial and found such an amazing product for my skin. I am totally in love with kōtia Hydrating Day Cream SPF 15. My skin becomes extremely dry and itchy in winters, specially my neck area. This is also because of eczema and that's the reason very few day creams suit my condition. kōtia Hydrating Day Cream comes in a nice jar which I loved the most because some thick creams are so difficult to squeeze out from the tube when they are near to be finished and so much of the product is wasted. It is so luxurious and soft in application. I take little quantity with my fingers and apply through out my face and neck. Good thing is that it is rich but absorbs very quickly, leaving a fresh looking and glowing skin. I don't have to re-apply moisturiser after sometime as my skin does not feel itchy the whole day long and does not dry out. I like the light fragrance of this cream. This cream surely does what it says and I will continue to use it.