Goat milk has been forced upon me since the realization that I was lactose-intolerant, and it's made its way into my beauty routine as well. Most recently, I tried a goat milk soap bar and absolutely fell in love with everything goat all over again. Yes, goat milk has plenty of skin benefits — even more than cow's milk. Before we go into the hefty world of benefits that lactic acid has for your skin, let me tell you why goat milk blows cow’s milk out of the farm.
According to sources at Livestrong, cow’s milk causes acid to form in the body, while goat’s milk has a pH level closer to that of humans. This is a good thing, because the pH levels in our skincare definitely affect how our complexion looks and feels, especially if you're dealing with hormonal outbreaks. Goat’s milk has made a recent claim to fame in soaps by delaying signs of aging; apparently the fat molecules in goat’s milk contain anti-inflammatory properties, and you know that’s what’s up when it comes to smoothing wrinkles and pimple.
I’ve found goat’s milk superior to other cleansing methods as well. The lactic acid is great for my blemishes, while the fatty acids are moisturizing leaving my skin smooth instead of dull and dry. One thing that makes a cleansing method outstanding to me is the restorative properties and goat’s milk brightening game is on point, thanks to all its vitamin A.
If you're ready to give goat's milk a try, here are favorite ways to use the stuff to get glowing skin.
1. Choose Your Goat's Milk Wisely
Since I’m terrified of my own hormones, I certainly am concerned about any extras throwing off my sense of logic or giving me acne. Look for raw, organic goat’s milk that's free of any additives or pesticides, you’ll be sure to get the finest milk a goat has to offer. My quest for goat’s milk in NYC was relatively easy — but expensive. The whole ordeal definitel had me longing for the days where I went to high school on a farm in NH.
2. Use Goat Milk As A Daily Face Wash
I’ve been using coconut milk for almost a year as my daily face wash due to its moisturizing and cleansing properties. Goat’s milk is antibacterial so it makes for a great cleansing for acne-prone skin. However, if you wear makeup you’ll need to remove it before trying goat’s milk on its own.
3. Mix The Milk Into Your Favorite Scrubs
After you’ve tried goat’s milk on its own, try stepping it up by adding a few extra ingredients packed with additional vitamins and nutrients. I like to work with the same ingredients my face has gotten used when I add new products. If you love caffeine scrubs, try adding goat milk to your fave coffee exfoliate.
4. Try A New Face Mask
This mask is a hearty breakfast for you and your face to enjoy. I blended together about four tablespoons of oatmeal, one tablespoon of goat’s milk, and a sprinkling of nutmeg. Go slow with the nutmeg if you’ve never used it before as it can be irritating for some. Personally, I find it to be a delicious anti-inflammatory my face has come to know and love.
5. Wash Your Hair With It
I tend to spoil my child — erm, I mean, hair — rotten. I usually extract coconut milk by hand and brew expensive, organic rosewater to wash it with. Your hair wants to be as pH balanced as the rest of you, so give it a treat of goat’s milk as a hair rinse. I recommend using your goat’s milk in lieu of shampoo and following up with your fave hair moisturizers be it conditioner or oils. This particular rinse is great for curly or kinky hair that tends to suffer from dryness because often, shampoo can too be acidic causing dryness which of course leads to breakage.
Happy milking!
Image: Alpha (1)/Flickr; Kristin Collins Jackson (5)
