By Laura
Updated: August 1, 2024
7 minutes
It’s just milk, so what? Oh well, that is about to change as we are going to give you a mind shift about milk. And we could bet that by the end of reading this article, you would never casually joke about milk the same way you would usually do. Perhaps, it is time to have a restock as it is about to get milky here.
If there were to be a poll, we could almost guess that you would tick the option of milk giving nutritive benefits, nothing more. Sorry to burst your bubble but there is more to milk and its benefits than meets the nutritive criteria and you would realize that in this article.
If you are into skincare, by now, you would realize that nothing is a waste. Because the tiniest of foods or fruit could be a breath-taking inspiration for the development of a skincare cream.
Perhaps this information is new to you. Well, no one is an island and so you don’t have to beat yourself up for not knowing about this information before now. And that’s where we come in – to inform you and also help you understand in detail.
So, in this article, we discuss 10 amazing benefits of milk for your skin. And be sure, we would not leave you hanging with half information so, not to worry, we’ve got you covered on the key things you should know about its application.
Bearing this in mind, we cover how to use it in the latter part of this article.
It promises to be an exciting and educative read,
Like every other drink, you could tag milk as a beverage, however, not just any type of beverage but one of immense benefits. So, you may be asking yourself what other benefit does milk offer aside from its nutritive value ? A lot! More than you can even think of. Due to the nourishing properties milk offers, it makes it suitable for treating varying skin conditions. That is why you would usually find the most effective skin creams to contain some form of milk in their ingredients.
So, in this section, we examine 10 benefits of milk. Some of which you may have prior knowledge about and some others are new knowledge. In all, no knowledge is a waste.
10 Benefits of Milk for Skin
1. As a moisturizer
Milk contains biotin and some other moisturizing ingredients that work to keep your skin hydrated. It helps to nourish your skin by preventing dryness and flakiness. This works by enriching the deep layers of your skin and moisture from the inside out. So, bid flaky, cracked, and dry skin goodbye. Usually, most moisturizers perform a second job of hydration too. This applies to raw milk too. The hydrating effect of milk helps to stop itchiness on the skin. So, it doesn’t matter what you use raw milk for, either you turn into a face mask or you add it to your bath water, a general observable feature is a smooth and supple skin. Furthermore, milk helps to revitalize your skin cells and help your skin to glow. You can achieve that young and radiant skin that you have been desirous of. A good way to make raw milk into moisturizer is by turning it into a milk mask that you can apply on your face.
2. As a cleanser and acne treatment
Milk is composed of lactic acid, which is an active ingredient. And this ingredient does is help unclog the skin pores. This is achieved by eliminating dirt on the skin. Also, lactic acid works to remove bacteria causing acne. Most times, due to our everyday interaction with nature and other people around us, and even with ourselves by frequently touching our faces, chances are that the skin would come in contact with bacteria causing this acne. Milk helps to reduce the risk of skin inflammation by delivering a calming effect on the acne-dominated area to give you clear, smooth, and oil-free skin. Additionally, the soothing effect of milk helps to get rid of other inflammatory conditions such as eczema, vulgaris, and ichthyosis.
In the past, this could have resulted in a big issue with little to no information on how to resolve these breakouts. But thanks to research and technological advancement for helping us learn about the useful benefits that a commonly available product such as milk offers.
3. Skin-brightening
Milk helps to prevent the secretion of a melanin-controlling hormone, tyrosine which darkens the skin. So, applying raw milk to the skin can help halt tyrosine secretion in the skin thus drastically reducing the production of melanin. Now you ask, what effect does this have on the skin? The effect of this is that the absence of melanin can help maintain the natural brightness of your skin. Also, milk can help even out your skin tone and get rid of dark spots and excess tan.
4. Skin exfoliant
Of the many compositions in raw milk, the beta-hydroxy acid stands out. This is because they are rich exfoliant. So, milk can serve as an exfoliating agent to help eliminate dead skin cells, grime, and other skin debris such as blackheads and whiteheads. Raw milk can help eliminate those dark blemishes caused by acne or other skin inflammation and give you smooth, clear, and beautiful skin. You can use milk as an exfoliator by following this simple tip. Firstly, get raw milk into a bowl and mix it with granulated sugar then apply it to the affected area.
5. Prevents sunburn and repairs sun-damaged skin
Raw milk can work as a natural sunscreen to help repair skin damage caused by exposure to unhealthy sun rays (UV A and B). Applying milk to your skin can help repair sunburned skin and reverse skin tanning. The soothing effect of milk can help relieve inflammation caused by these sunburns. In addition, milk can help protect your skin from these sunburns too even though you may have to apply sunscreen cream as an extra protection. However, to treat sunburn using just raw milk, you may want to combine it with some curd to get a better result.
6. For luminous skin
Milk can help achieve luminous skin. Radiant skin is void of any skin inflammation or dirt, grime, or other skin defects. And applying milk to your skin can help you achieve this. A radiant and glowing skin always attracts compliments and that is an additional benefit of applying milk on your skin.
7. Serves as a skin toner
The moisturizing effect of milk helps to tone the skin in the best way possible. To effectively maximize the toning effect of milk, you can make a face mask or cleanser out of it by mixing it with other natural ingredients including turmeric, sugar, curd, coffee, lemon, and honey. To do this, get some raw milk and add a few drops of lemon juice (or any ingredient of choice) and mix well. If you have dry skin, you can choose to add a few drops of rose water or your preferred moisturizing essential oil. Apply to areas around your face and neck and let it sit for 15 minutes. Wash off using lukewarm water if you have oily skin and if you have dry skin, rinse us with just normal room temperature water. The result of applying this mask to your skin can add firmness and glow to your skin, making your skin more beautiful .
8. Reverse signs of early aging
Raw milk contains magnesium. Usually, magnesium in the skin works to regulate the revitalization of cells and shield your skin from any outer damage. Our skin is exposed to dangerous amounts of sun rays during the day and this can bring about interaction with free radicals on the skin that may result in cracks in the skin and make your skin age faster than normal. However, the magnesium in milk can help combat these free radicals thus decreasing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.
Also, magnesium helps to restore the skin and boost skin elasticity. So, if your skin is loose, the magnesium in milk can work to keep your skin firm. Mix a spoonful of honey with milk and apply it to your face to get an effective result.
9. Rejuvenates dry skin
Milk can help rejuvenate your skin if you suffer from skin dryness. This works by hydrating and restoring suppleness to your skin. To give it a try, you can make a milk face mask by mixing 2 tablespoons of raw milk with 1 tablespoon of honey. Get some cotton balls and soak in this mixture and apply on your face, then wait 15 to 20 minutes. After which you can rinse off your skin with water for clean, moisturized skin. However, if your skin is extremely dry and flaky, then you may want to add some mashed banana to this mixture.
10. Soothing bath
Do you know that milk has a soothing effect on the body? The perfect time to enjoy the soothing effect that milk brings is during shower time. To experience this soothing and calmness, fill your bathtub with water and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of raw milk and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Of course, you would need those petals to relish the moment, so they leave them out.
How to use milk for skin
The most common form of using milk for the skin is by making a milk mask. To do this, you need 2 major ingredients and 1 optional one. The major ingredients needed to prepare the milk face mask are raw milk and a supporting ingredient. The type of supporting ingredient to use will depend on what you aim to achieve with the milk face mask. Examples of supporting ingredients include honey, curd, lemon, sugar, etc.
The third ingredient which is optional will be dependent on your skin type, whether dry or normal, or oily skin.
Final note
Who could have thought that milk held many amazing benefits other than just nourishing the body? Well, now you know better. So, next time you want to shop for skin care products, don’t forget to include raw milk in your list. The good part is that they are very cheap and affordable, so you can easily buy one.
More importantly, Rome wasn’t built in a day so, you don’t expect to see an “instant” result or magical smooth skin. However, with continuous use, you would gradually start to observe noticeable changes. Remember, healthy skin should be a regimen and not a luxury.
