Nothing is more sumptuous, soothing, or satisfying than soaking in a warm bath infused with the most relaxing scents amidst candlelight. The addition of milk only accentuates this experience: soy, oat, and rice milk can nourish and support your skin and ease your murky mind. 

Choosing bath products formulated with milk as a primary ingredient is a great way to enhance your bathing routine.

The ancient Egyptians are famously known for bathing in sour milk and honey to soften their complexions and ease rosy inflammation. That said, you don’t have to be Cleopatra to experience the lavish benefits of a milk-infused me-time. From milky waters to milk-laden aftercare, many scrumptious lotions, balms, and washes feed your skin—and serve many benefits without the need to soak in a milk bath.

#1 Gentle Exfoliation

Are milk baths good for you? Of course! The benefits of milk for skin are bountiful. Due to the lactic acid being a primary component of milk, soaking in milk can give you smooth, silky skin. 

Lactic acid gently rids your skin of rough, dead skin cells, making room for new, healthier cells to take their place for smooth, soft, and bright skin. For those with sensitive skin, milk is a fantastic alternative to strong exfoliants with abrasive ingredients. 

#2 Full-Body Hydration

The same proteins and fats that give milk its healthful reputation also help replenish and moisturize your skin for a complexion that's just as soft as it is supple. Milk may even play a role in regulating the hyaluronic acid levels in your skin to:

•  Maintain moisture
• Provide skin barrier protection
• Improve elasticity

Opting for a milk lotion is a great way to utilize milk to moisturize and nourish your skin on a daily basis.

#3 Ease Inflammation 

A rosy blush is a perfect accompaniment to a romantic date night, but pervasive inflammation is never a recipe for a good time. Dry, itchy skin, like rashes and sunburns, can cause raised or scaly skin that's often painful to the touch. 

Adding milk, alongside other anti-inflammatory ingredients like oatmeal and honey, to your bathwater can help soothe raw or cracked skin during your wind down. In studies, milk has been shown to speed up the healing of skin wounds, pointing to its potential therapeutic benefits. ¹

#4 Calm Your Mind & Relax Your Body

A toasty bath is a meditative must-have—soaking in warm water can increase blood flow from your head to your toes to help relax the body and ease your mind.²

Adding a milk bath product to your concoction of tub-time trimmings only amplifies the experience to deliver you to a bubbly bliss filled with an abundance of nourishing milk protein.

Pouring Milk Bath Perfection

When drawing a milk bath, make it a relaxing and lux experience. Light a few candles, stream your most-soothing relaxed tunes, and fill your tub with warm water.

Then, add one to two cups of your milk of choice—oat, soy, and rice milk are particularly nourishing. Or, add something from our Milk Collection, such as our Milk Bubble Bath, Milk Body Wash, or Oat Milk All Natural Bar Soap.

You can also infuse your bathwater with essential oils, Epsom salts, or rose petals. 

How Long Should I Stay In The Milk Bath?

Immerse yourself into your milky abyss and stay submerged for approximately 20 to 30 minutes to allow your skin to absorb the benefits fully. 

Should I Rinse Off After A Milk Bath?

At the end of your bath, rinse off in warm water and thoroughly rinse your tub to remove any lingering residue.

How Often Should You Bathe in Milk?

The frequency of your milk baths is entirely up to you. If you start to experience any negative side effects, however, consider less frequent soaks or narrowing down the cause of your skin irritation if any—if oat milk doesn’t suit your skin, consider a soothing soy milk bath recipe. 

Selecting The Right Milk For Your Bath

Any type of milk product will give your bath a creamy, soothing boost. Different kinds of milk bring different qualities, such as fat levels, probiotic amounts, and vitamins and nutrients. 

Milk varieties are bountiful, and many can accompany your rejuvenating at-home spa day experience, including:

• Whole milk
• Soy milk
• Oat milk
• Goat’s milk 
• Coconut milk
• Buttermilk

Another option is to use a pre-formulated bubble bath, like our Milk Bubble Bath, which contains the perfect combination of milk solids and proteins along with other skin-soothing ingredients.

Making Milk A Part Of Your Skincare Routine

The benefits of milk abound far beyond bath time—milk-based body care products are the perfect accompaniment to a milky soak:

• Body Wash – For days when you prefer a shower to a bath, soothe your skin with a product like our Milk Body Wash for a gentle exfoliating clean that’ll leave your skin feeling soft and hydrated.

• Lotion – Seal in the hydration after your milk bath with a luxurious, delicately scented body lotion. Our Oat Milk Body Lotion helps soothe dry skin, and our Soy Milk Body Lotion combines milk with the regenerative power of soy for a lavishly moisturizing experience.

• Eau de Toilette – Take the tranquility of a milk bath with you through the day with a clean fragrance like Milk Eau de Toilette. With key notes of oat, mandarin, vetiver, bergamot, and coconut water, it’s a subtle and divine scent for everyday wear. 

• Crème – Following your milk bath, lock in the moisture with an Oat Milk Hand Crème.

Nourish Your Skin The Natural Way With Archipelago Botanicals

Nourishing your skin with milk—whether through milk-infused soaks or skincare—can help exfoliate, hydrate, and soothe your skin and brighten your complexion. 

For clean milk products that are naturally nourishing, explore Archipelago’s award-winning Milk Collection. Paired with other gentle and beneficial ingredients like jojoba, white tea, coconut oil and soft, subtle spa scents, you’ll love the way your skin feels after just one use. 

At Archipelago, “The Art of Living Well” inspires each of our products, from fragrance collections and bath necessities to natural home cleaners and candles. Your at-home oasis is just a click away.

Sources: 

1. International Journal of Surgery. Wound healing property of milk in full thickness wound model of rabbit. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29689312/
2. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Physical and Mental Effects of Bathing: A Randomized Intervention Study. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6011066/
3. Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology. Lactic Acid Bacteria and Lactic Acid for Skin Health and Melanogenesis Inhibition. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31916515/
4. Molecules. Effects of Sphingomyelin-Containing Milk Phospholipids on Skin Hydration in UVB-Exposed Hairless Mice. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35458740/
5. Molecules. Milk Proteins-Their Biological Activities and Use in Cosmetics and Dermatology. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8197926/