Would You Try This: Milk Bath and Toner

Posted by Alexandra C. | Tuesday July 3, 2012

(image via nomoredirtylooks.com)

When a beauty product is endorsed by Cleopatra herself, you know it's going to be good. Which is why I'm anticipating this edition of Beauty Detective where I'm investigating... Milk! Sounds more farm detective than beauty detective but milk used as a toner or in a bath has been a beauty secret of women for a long time. Queen Elizabeth was apparently a fan of the milk bath and as I mentioned, Cleopatra was a well known milk bather too.

(image via comeovertohollywood.com)

So, why use milk? Milk naturally contains lactic acid which is an exfoliant. It also contains vitamins A, D and E which are anti-inflammatory and will soften your skin (this means it's also a good product to use for soothing burns). When it comes to your choice of milk to use, it's really up to you. Cows milk, goats milk, soy or almond each have properties that can help do good for your skin.

How you use milk is also up to you. Supermodel Amber Valletta uses goats milk to wash her face, for instance. A milk based face scrub with oats would provide extra exfoliation while not being too harsh. If you're interested in trying out your own, we posted a honey, oat and yogurt mask a little while back. Seeing as it contains a dairy product, you would achieve similar results. Or, you can replace the water and yogurt with milk instead.

If you're looking for a more relaxing and calming experience, I suggest trying out a milk bath. Here's a recipe for a DIY milk bath for silky, smooth skin:

3 cups whole milk (or 2 cups of powdered milk)
5 Tbsp fresh mint leaves, chopped
3 Tbsp raw cacao powder (found at most health food stores)
1/2 cup epsom salts
1 cup cornstarch (via beautylish.com)

Or, simply pour about 6-8 cups of milk into a bath. You can add chamomile, lavender or additional herbs to your bath too.
(adapted via thebeautydepartment.com)

For my own investigation, I decided to try using milk as a toner/cleanser. I've been trying to cut down on my milk consumption lately after reading about how it contains hormones that contribute to acne. So, I've purchased a carton of goats milk to use instead. An added bonus is that goats milk is pretty tasty and its a good source of protein!

I'm going to use goats milk as a toner for a week to see how my skin feels and if I notice any changes in my skin texture and appearance. Are you chicks as curious as I am to see how this works out? I'll update the article after a week and let you know my verdict!

Have you ever heard of using milk in your beauty routine? Have you ever tried it or would you ever try it? Let me know!

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12 Comments

	on July 07, 2012 eflores85658 872 said: not now, Maybe In the future:)
	on July 05, 2012 KatelynRose1984 20,704 said: I'm not a huge fan of milk, so I doubt I'd ever take a bath in it.
	on July 05, 2012 farouknabela 3,469 said: To be honest, I think milk is repulsive. So no, never in my life.
	on July 04, 2012 flower 4,433 said: no
	on July 04, 2012 GoneBatty 3,196 said: I've been doing milk baths for years to ease sunburn pain, I never really thought of doing it regularly. I like the idea of added some powered milk to a bath though... I think I might try it!
	on July 04, 2012 katieg 10,672 said: I live on a farm. Selling milk raw is illegal for comsumption as it has not been pasturized yet.It is a big fine and you could loose your Quota license. I have also raised goats on the farm and they do not smell great.(neither does their milk and the smell stays on the skin until washed well with soap) If you know someone that has a farm and you ask them for some cow milk for the purpose of a milk bath they may GIVE you a little but not to drink. There is a case before the court now of a man selling raw milk.
	on July 04, 2012 midnightsun2288 6,053 said: I don't drink milk at all, I am ok with some vanilla soymilk but I don't especially like the taste. I have never tried almond milk, but I might after reading the other comments. Though I don't think I would ever try goats milk. Anyway I have tried Skin Milk body lotion, which really does leave your skin feeling super smooth. I don't think I would ever try a milk bath because I just really have an aversion to milk for some reason.
	on July 03, 2012 smiley_gen 9,832 said: I have tried a type of Milk Bath before and loved it. It left my skin feel soft and smooth! I would certainly love to try this with almond milk as mentionned by adft.
	on July 03, 2012 fredamans 12,209 said: I bet it's great for your skin! I am so going to try it!
	on July 03, 2012 AlexJC 50 said: @adft Thanks for your input/suggestion. I am definitely going to investigate this a little more because raw milk sold directly to the consumer is illegal in Canada (I might be wrong about this, does anyone know?) so I am going to keep working and using this and I will report back with findings! Maybe I should switch to soy or almond milk???