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Did you know that ancient beauty queen Cleopatra used to swear by milk baths scented with honey? Of course, some sources contend she used to use camel's milk, while others say mare's milk or donkey milk -- all three a little hard to come by nowadays, at least in North America. Does the milk matter when it comes to homemade facials? It turns out you can use a variety of dairy products as part of your beauty regimen. Experiment and find out which one works best for you and your skin.
Cow's Milk
Plain old cow's milk is the handiest dairy product around for homemade facial purposes. Use full-fat, organic milk whenever possible -- all that extra fat is actually very good for your skin. Dry milk powder can also be used as an ingredient in DIY facials. Care2.com suggests combining 1 tablespoon of whole milk plus 1/4 teaspoon of almond oil as a facial mask recipe.
Goat's Milk
You might have noticed that goat's milk soap is increasingly popular as a beauty aid. Goat's milk can also be used successfully in a homemade facial. It's harder to find than cow's milk, and you probably won't be able to secure it in powdered form. Goat's milk has more linoleic acid than cow's milk. Linoleic acid helps moisturize the skin and has also shown some anti-inflammatory properties.
Buttermilk
Modern commercial buttermilk is basically cow's milk with extra acid added -- basically, it's artificially soured. Sour milk used to be a major beauty secret for softening skin. By the way, buttermilk is not particularly high in fat, despite its name. Liquid buttermilk can be found in your grocery store's dairy case, and the powdered form in the baking section.
Why It Works
Milk -- whether from a cow, a goat, a sheep or other mammal -- contains alpha hydroxy acids, specifically lactic acid, which help exfoliate your skin. Lactic acids and other AHAs also help minimize the appearance of fine wrinkles and may also help even out blotchiness and reduce red spots. Meanwhile, the fat or lipids in milk helps rehydrate skin cells.
