kōtia Hydrating Day Cream SPF15

I'm always slightly apprehensive when using day creams, as they tend to contribute to the oily sheen that I've forever trying to avoid, particularly when wearing makeup. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this one wasn't too bad. I only had a few days to trial the product, so only managed to use it under a BB cream - which in itself is a liquid and prone to causing shine in the second half of the day. Using Kotia day cream underneath was no worse (and perhaps even better?) than using the BB cream by itself, although it did seem to slightly dilute the BB cream, even when waiting 5-10 mins for it to 'sink in' first. The cream itself is non-greasy and absorbs pretty quickly, leaving my skin feeling slightly softer than normal. There's minimal fragrance, which I find to be a good thing. I applied it to the backs of my hands and decolletage as well. As I mentioned, it did give some hydration but I wouldn't say that it was super-hydrating. I've had better (and worse!). Looking at the price online, Farmers has it for $70. To me, that's really expensive and not something I'd be prepared to pay. Which is unfortunate, because I do like it.

Deer Miilk is intriguing in itself, but the story of how they milk the deers and the care that is taken is lovely. The product comes packaged in a high end pot. The product is a thick luxurious cream and I absolutely adored the scent. Soft and subtle without being overpowering.

The texture is definitely a cream as opposed to a lotion but the addition of an SPF didn't make it all gluggy like some products.

Sinks in quickly and just leaves your skin hydrated, plump and glowing. I absolutely love, love love it. I even gave it a go on my cracked heels, smothering them in the cream and doing the whole 'sock thing' over night and it has all but fixed them right up in half the time the previous specialised product I used to use did.

This weekend, i've managed to grab myself the Cleanser from the Beauty Vault and I can't wait to see what that is like.

My only comment is about the price, which I think is getting up there for a daily mosituriser. Would I buy it again? Yes in a heartbeat but i'll be waiting until its on special.

I'll certainly be looking out for other products in the range and it would be great to see some reviews on them on here so I can see if they are as good as this one.

The packing & container are understated but attractive, and the product having SPF was a bonus. I was not sure how I felt about using a product that contains deer milk but was prepared to try it. Using a pea sized sample of the cream it was easy to spread using your fingers, the texture feels rich and creamy. As it contained sun screen with a rating of SPF 15 it meant that I didn't need to use a separate sun screen. My skin felt soft and smooth after application and seemed to keep my skin hydrated through out the day. I have not noticed a significant decrease in my fine lines but will continue with the product for a longer period. I didn't notice a scent when using the product. Overall a lovely day cream that seems to hydrates the skin.

Ideal For...: Dehydrated skin

This is undoubtedly the best moisturizer I have ever used! My skin literally changed overnight. I am 40 with aging skin and was using Elizabeth Arden visible difference cream, my skin was getting more and more irritated and sandpaper like. It started by remembering my grandmother who passed away a few back at 96 years old, she took deer velvet supplements every day for many years for her well being and was very healthy up until a few weeks before she passed. So I decided to look into it to see what was available and came across kotia which is made from NZ deer milk! I started using kotia and immediately my skin was silky soft, smooth and glowing. The pharmacy I purchased it from also gave me some samples of the serum and the cleanser. I will definitely be adding them to my skin routine and would love to try the eye cream! You only need to use a small amount as it is rich and creamy. I have combination skin, can be oily at times with dry patches and it suits me. Love how it is so natural, no nasties, very soft pleasant smell and is made in NZ! So grateful to the the person who came across this magic from nature!

I had the sample size of this product and most of all I liked the texture. It is thick and creamy but sinks into the skin beautifully and absorbs well. It makes skin so nicely glowy and soft. Would love to try full sized one

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

This winter has not been kind to my mature skin, and I've found it hard to stay hydrated. Simply put: Kōtia Hydrating Day Cream fixed this.

I love the packaging. It's simple, yet elegant.

Initially I wasn't sure what to expect from a product that uses deer milk, but what I discovered was a very thick, nourishing day cream (does it have a greenish tint? I feel like it does...) that truly plumped and nourished my skin ALL DAY. The dry patches I've seen coming to the fore in the afternoons disappeared.

It's so hydrating I was able to skip using my hydrating primer before applying makeup - which makes this product affordable since I'm now saving $50 by not having to buy primer (which I use every day). I also found it hydrated my under eye area better than my dedicated eye creams. Another saving!

I appreciate the inclusion of SPF as I can get lazy applying this (especially in winter).

The only thing I wasn't fond of was the scent... It was... mature. It seems to be becoming weaker scented the more I open the pottle, but it's still there. If the scent was fresher, it would be a full five kisses from me.

Would I recommend it? Yes. I'll also be investigating the rest of the range too.

I found this product light and felt cool and wet initially. However it took less than a minute to soak in and my skin felt hydrated after using it for around 3 days. Auckland weather is so changeable of late my skin is a bit “all over the place”. This product seems to have calmed it down and it doesn’t feel dry.

This product is hands down the best day cream with SPF in it that I have ever used. I love it and can't say enough about it! Naughtily I tend to shy away from SPF on my face, firstly because of the 'clog factor' and secondly the sunscreen smell makes me nauseous no matter what brand it is. The Kotia Hydrating Day Cream has no sunscreen smell, I've been using it for around 10 days now and my skin just loves it. There's no clogging or breakouts as I have had with every other moisturiser with SPF that I have used previously. The cream is rich and thick and luxurious, but it absorbs really quickly, and a little goes a very long way. My skin feels so soft, it definitely feels and looks more hydrated, and the cream is fine to have on underneath my normal foundation. I'm really sensitive to makeup and skincare smells/fragrances, but this product is so light in terms of scent that it doesn't faze me at all - even with using the Kotia Eye Cream and Rejuvenating Serum underneath the Day Cream. I can't recommend this product highly enough, and it is going to be my go-to moisturiser going forward. When you find a product this good, you need to stick with it.