How To Make Your Own Organic Beauty Treatments Using Milk

DIY Milk Beauty Recipes: Cleanser, Bath Soak, Scrub, and More

Milk has been used in beauty rituals for centuries because its fats and proteins leave skin feeling soft and comfortable, and fermented milk such as yogurt or buttermilk contains lactic acid, a gentle alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) that helps skin look smoother. Fresh milk recipes are simple: mix, use right away, and rinse. Because milk spoils quickly, every fresh recipe here is made and used the same day, and we include one dry milk bath you can store.

Below are six recipes measured in grams and percentages, with honest notes on what milk can and cannot do for the look of your skin.

What Milk Brings to Skin Care

• Lactic acid: an AHA that loosens dull surface cells. Fresh milk contains very little; fermented milk (yogurt, kefir, buttermilk) contains more. Even so, the amount is far lower than in a measured lactic acid product. Read more in our lactic acid glossary entry.
• Milk fat: softens and leaves a comfortable, non-tight feel, which is why whole milk suits dry skin better than skim.
• Proteins: leave a light, smooth film as they dry.

The FDA notes that AHA products can increase skin's sensitivity to the sun. Milk's lactic acid is mild, but it is still good practice to use sunscreen the next morning. Goat milk is a popular alternative; see our goat milk glossary entry.

Equipment and Sanitation

Use a digital scale reading to 0.1 g, clean glass bowls, a whisk, and clean cotton rounds or a washcloth. Wash tools in hot soapy water, dry them, and wipe with 70% isopropyl alcohol. Use milk straight from the refrigerator, well within its date.

Fresh food rule: recipes 1 to 5 contain fresh milk and no preservative. Make them right before use, keep the milk refrigerated, and throw away any leftovers the same day. Do not bottle them for later.

Recipe 1: Milk and Oat Gentle Cleanser (one use, 30 g)

Stir together and let it sit 2 minutes until creamy. Massage over damp skin for 30 to 60 seconds, rinse with lukewarm water, and pat dry. Oats add a soft, cushioned feel; a 2007 review by Kurtz and Wallo describes colloidal oatmeal as a cleanser, moisturizer, and buffer.

Recipe 2: Milk and Honey Bath Soak (one bath)

Warm the honey slightly so it dissolves, whisk it into the milk, and pour into warm running bath water. Soak for 15 to 20 minutes, rinse off with a quick shower, and moisturize. A 2013 review by Burlando and Cornara describes honey in cosmetics as softening and moisturizing.

Recipe 3: Milk and Honey Facial Scrub (one use, about 45 g)

Stir into a thick paste. Massage a small amount over freshly washed, damp skin for 30 seconds in small circles, then rinse with lukewarm water. Oats give a much gentler scrub than sugar or salt on the face.

Recipe 4: Warm Milk Hand and Nail Soak (one use)

Warm 240 g (1 cup) of whole milk until it is comfortably warm to the touch, about 38 to 40°C (100 to 104°F), never hot. Soak clean fingertips for 5 minutes, then push back softened cuticles gently with a towel and apply hand cream. The warm soak leaves hands feeling softer and nails looking glossy. Discard the milk afterward.

Recipe 5: Milk and Almond Oil Makeup Remover (one use, 10 g)

Shake in a small clean jar right before use. Sweep over the face with cotton rounds, avoiding the inside of the eye, then rinse with lukewarm water. The oil loosens makeup and the milk leaves skin feeling soft. Make a fresh batch each time.

Recipe 6: Dry Milk and Oat Bath Powder (storable, 200 g, about 4 baths)

This version contains no water, so it keeps. The essential oil is used at 3% of its carrier oil, the top of Plant Therapy's 1 to 3% range. Whisk the powders together, drizzle in the scented oil, and rub between gloved fingers until even. Store in an airtight jar, scoop with a dry spoon, and use 50 g per bath within about three months. Throw it out if it smells sour or clumps from moisture.

Sensitive Skin and Safety

• Patch test any recipe on your inner arm for 24 hours if you have sensitive skin or a dairy, oat, honey, or nut allergy. Use oat milk in place of dairy and sunflower oil in place of almond if needed.
• If your skin is sensitive, make the dry bath powder with the Anti-Age blend at the lowest rate of its range, 1% of the carrier oil, then work up.
• Keep milk recipes out of the eyes, and skip sunburned or broken skin.
• Use sunscreen the day after using fermented milk or yogurt on your face.

Troubleshooting

• Sour smell: the milk is spoiling. Throw it out and start fresh with cold milk.
• Cleanser too thin: add 1 g more ground oats and wait 2 minutes.
• Bath powder clumped: moisture got in. Store it outside the bathroom with the lid closed tight.
• Skin feels sticky after the honey scrub: rinse a little longer with lukewarm water; honey dissolves in water.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is milk good for your face?

Milk can leave skin feeling soft and comfortable thanks to its fats and proteins, and fermented milk adds a mild touch of lactic acid. Results are gentle and short term. Patch test first if you are sensitive to dairy.

Does milk contain lactic acid?

Fresh milk contains only a little lactic acid. Fermented milk, such as yogurt, kefir, and buttermilk, contains more, but still far less than a measured lactic acid product.

Can I leave milk on my face overnight?

No. Milk spoils at room temperature, so rinse it off after use. Use a leave-on moisturizer for overnight care.

Can I store a homemade milk cleanser or toner?

Not fresh milk recipes. Make them right before use, keep the milk refrigerated, and throw away leftovers the same day. For something you can keep, make the dry milk bath powder or a preserved milk lotion.

Is goat milk better than cow milk for skin?

Both work in these recipes. Many people like goat milk for its rich, creamy feel. Choose whichever your skin is comfortable with.

Is a milk bath good for dry skin?

A warm milk and honey bath leaves skin feeling soft, especially when you moisturize right afterward. Keep the water warm rather than hot and the soak to about 20 minutes.

Shop and Learn More

For a measured, shelf-stable way to use lactic acid, try our Alpha Hydroxy Probiotic Cleanser, which pairs lactic acid with yogurt extract. To make a preserved milk lotion, follow our guide to making goat milk lotion, and for a fresh face mask, see our honey, milk, and oatmeal mask recipe.

Sources

• U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Alpha Hydroxy Acids. fda.gov
• Kurtz ES, Wallo W. Colloidal oatmeal: history, chemistry and clinical properties. J Drugs Dermatol. 2007;6(2). JDD
• Burlando B, Cornara L. Honey in dermatology and skin care: a review. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2013;12(4):306-313. doi:10.1111/jocd.12058. PubMed
• Plant Therapy, Anti-Age Essential Oil Blend product information (supplier data: dilute to 1 to 3% in a carrier).

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

About the Author
Written by Kari Thomas, cosmetic formulator and founder of Skin Perfection.