Is Deer Milk The Next Big Beauty Trend?

The beauty world is no stranger to bizarre ingredients, and while milk-based skincare has been around for years now, a new type of milk is gaining traction – deer milk. While you probably won’t see it in your lattes anytime soon, you can slather it on your face thanks to New Zealand deer milk skincare brand, Kōtia.

New Zealand native and founder of Kōtia, Graeme Shaw was trying to produce cheese from deer milk when one of his milk hands discovered her weathered and work-worn hands had been transformed in just a few weeks. Her hands had become softer and less aged in appearance and her nails, stronger and less prone to breakage. The only difference to her daily routine was milking deer. This finding inspired Shaw to have the deer milk analysed by a team of scientists who discovered deer milk was abundant in skin enhancing agents.

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It has significant anti-ageing properties

Deer milk is a great source of Vitamin A (retinol), folic acid (Vitamin E), Vitamin B, and Vitamin D3, notable ingredients that support the skin’s immune system and can destroy the free radicals that cause premature ageing. Plus, the star beauty ingredient, Vitamin A, is absorbed more effectively than synthetic Vitamin A, which helps to further boost your skin’s regenerative properties.

It has a high amount of protein to repair skin cells

In comparison to other animal milks such as cow, goat or sheep, deer milk is significantly richer in protein, and one of the only few protein sources that contains a high level of amino acids, which help to hydrate, nourish and prevent wrinkles. Proteins are essential in maintaining healthy skin and repairing and replacing dead skin cells. The proteins found in deer milk also have the ability to bind water within your skin’s epidermis, the outermost layer of your skin, to softly hydrate skin.

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It’s rich in minerals to nourish healthy skin

Deer milk is rich in minerals, which includes zinc, selenium, calcium, potassium, and phosphorous, which are essential components for healthy skin. These minerals help boost cell repair, protect against environmental stress and act as powerful antioxidants. It also has a high calcium content in comparison to other forms of animal milk, which helps to further strengthen the skin’s natural barrier and prevent thinning that comes from skin ageing.

Finally, it’s ethical

You’ll be pleased to know that this animal-derived ingredient is ethically farmed. A deer cannot produce milk while stressed, and Kōtia has various measures in place to ensure the welfare of the deer in their farm. They endeavour to keep mothers and fawns together to ensure a stress-free environment for these mammals, and the actual milking is regulated to only 90 seconds once a day. Additionally, the company does not test any of their product range on animals (deer included), opting to test on human sample groups instead.

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