Milk Bath

A milk bath is nothing but a regular bath with milk added to it. But it is believed to be the age-old secret of beautiful and glowing skin. This bath is mainly famous for its association with the legendary beauty Cleopatra. Cleopatra was believed to submerge herself in a bath of milk and honey regularly, and this was thought to be the secret behind her soft and radiant skin. Today, this bath is offered in many spas to cleanse and moisturize the skin.

The benefits of this bath can be mainly attributed to the presence of lactic acid and fats in milk. The lactic acid found in milk is a natural alpha hydroxy acid, which can exfoliate the skin. In other words, this mild acid can gently exfoliate the dead skin cells. This acid dissolves the proteins that bind the dead skin cells together.

On the other hand, the fats present in milk hydrate and moisturize the skin to make it soft and supple. The dead skin cells, if not removed can eventually clog the skin pores, which can cause the development of blackheads and pimples, besides making the skin dull. Milk can remove these dead cells, and improve your complexion and skin tone. In general, skin exfoliation causes a little bit dryness. But when you use milk for this purpose, it does not make your skin dry, as it contains fats.

The beta hydroxy acids found in milk can also exfoliate the skin, and at the same time, moisturize it. Milk also contains proteins and vitamin A, which can also nourish your skin. A milk bath may prove beneficial in skin conditions, like eczema and psoriasis as well. So, you can include milk in your natural skin care regimen to get beautiful and healthy skin.

Pour about 2 to 4 cups of fresh milk or buttermilk into the bathwater. Ideally, the bathwater should be slightly warm or lukewarm. If you do not like fresh milk, then use powdered milk. If you are going to use powdered milk, then mix it properly with a small amount of water before pouring it into your bathtub. By doing so, you can avoid the clumps that can form while adding powdered milk directly to bathwater.

Once your bath is ready, you can submerge yourself in it for about 10 to 15 minutes. Use a soft loofah or washcloth to scrub your body gently to facilitate the exfoliation of dead skin cells. After this beauty bath, you will observe a marked difference in your skin, as it would become much softer and smoother than before.

To further enhance the benefits of this bath, you can add a few other ingredients like honey, oatmeal, sea salt, baking powder, seaweed, nutmeg, and a few of drops of aromatherapy oils, along with milk. Honey can soften your skin, as it is a natural moisturizer, while oatmeal can soothe dry and itchy skin. Baking powder on the other hand, can effectively cleanse your skin, while the addition of essential oils can make this bath more refreshing.

After having a milk bath, your skin will be oily for a while, which is quite natural. It is in fact good for your skin, as skin exfoliation should be followed by the application of a moisturizer. The fats present in milk can act like a natural moisturizer. However, do not stay too long in a milk bath, as the acids present in milk can irritate the skin. If you experience any kind of skin irritation while taking this bath, then immediately rinse off the milk from your body. If you are allergic to milk, then it is better to avoid this bath.