Milk has been a staple in skincare traditions for centuries. Milk contains a naturally rich mix of skin-friendly components, and is popular for those wanting a more natural, ingredient-focused approach to skin softness and comfort. Here is a rundown of beauty benefits of using milk within your skincare routine.
Why Milk Feels So Gentle On Sensitive Skin
Milk contains lactic acid, which is a mild alpha hydroxy acid that exfoliates the skin softly. It gently removes dead skin cells, without the sting you get from stronger acids, making it better for for sensitive skin types to avoid irritation.
Natural fats and proteins in milk help to reinforce your skin’s barrier. The lipids within milk help to lock in moisture, helping to reduce “transepidermal water loss”. Using a milk-based cleanser or a milk bath can leave your skin feeling soothed, rather than stripped and tight.
Vitamins and minerals in milk (like vitamin A and calcium) support repair, and calm inflammation. Although, if you have acne-prone skin or dairy-reactive skin, make sure you do a patch-test, or dilute milk if you’re doing a milk bath.
Natural Exfoliation Effect You Can Actually Notice
As I explained above, milk contains lactic acid, and it has exfoliating benefits on the skin, to leave your skin softer and smoother, after a few applications. The lactic acid helps to dissolve the bonds between dead skin cells, without aggressive scrubbing.
You can use milk if your skin reacts to stronger acids. It gives you chemical exfoliative benefits, rather than a mechanical skin scrub, reducing the risk of microtears and redness from over-scrubbing.
To use milk, soak a clean cotton pad in milk and sweep it over your face, or mix the milk with a soft powder (like rice or oat flour) to create a gentle scrub.
Calming Dryness And Redness Without Feeling Heavy
Milk hydrates the skin, without giving you a greasy residue, because its natural fats and proteins help to lock in moisture, while letting your skin breathe.
Apply a thin layer, or use milk in a rinse to get hydration, that feels light instead of being occlusive.
You can make your own milk toner, by diluting whole milk with equal parts water, and applying it with a cotton pad. The lactic acid gives you mild exfoliation, and the protein soothe inflamed or reddened areas.
If you’re dealing with irritated skin, choose cooler milk, and avoid rubbing too vigorously. Pat gently with a lightweight moisturizer to seal in hydration, to prevent tightness.
Having a brief milk soak gives you localized relief for sunburn, or patchy dryness by soaking a clean cloth in milk, and laying it on the area for 5-10 minutes, and you can use whole milk or coconut milk, for extra nourishment.
Simple Way To Boost Softness And Smooth Texture
You can boost your skin’s softness (and texture) with a DIY milk-based face mask. Mix 2 tablespoons of whole milk with 1 tablespoon of raw honey until smooth.
Honey gives you humectant properties and mild antibacterial action, so it’ll work for most skin types. Apply to clean skin and leave for 10-15 minutes.
Gently massage the mask in small circular motions before rinsing. This removes dead skin cells, and can help in fading dark spots over time. You can use the milk and honey mask 1-2 times a week.