Before I go on, let me just say that milky skin is by no means a “new” trend. Milk has been part of the beauty zeitgeist for centuries—I’m talking centuries. Rumor has it that Cleopatra herself often took baths with milk, as it helped her skin to age!

Even today, many people soak irritated, inflamed skin in a bath of warm milk (goat, cow, coconut, rice, oat, etc.) to soothe, moisturize, and soften the skin.

“Milk is very soothing and conditioning to the skin; that’s why you’ll see a lot of hand soaps, body soaps, and products made with goat’s milk, because it’s extremely moisturizing,” certified and renowned esthetician Kaela Bulzing once said. mbg. In particular, animal milk contains natural fats that can help create a skin barrier and retain moisture. “In addition, [animal-sourced] milk contains enzymes and lactic acid that gently exfoliate dead cells,” says cosmetic chemist Victoria Fu, co-founder of Chemist Confessions.

Similar to homemade milk products, “milk” beauty products tend to be nourishing, soothing, and some don’t use real milk at all. Today, milk cosmetics can say more about the textural elements of the product than about the ingredients inside the gum.

“Dairy products tend to be positioned as soft, soothing products,” says cosmetic chemist and Chemist Confessions co-founder Gloria Lu. “There’s also probably some influence from Asian skin care with milky essences and toners.”

There’s also something about dairy confections that really nourishes your skin. After all, milk is what provides us with essential nutrients from birth and supports growth and development. Milk, in a certain sense, is the essence of life.