While milk baths offer some breathtaking photo opportunities for maternity shoots and beauty shots, this isn’t the reason why they’ve taken the world by storm.
In fact, it’s not even a particularly novel idea; bathing in milk has been a long-standing practice in many civilizations. Cleopatra, well-known for her intellect and cunning, as well as her beauty, was known to take milk baths, specifically using donkey milk to keep her skin soft, smooth, and glowing.
On the other side, the second wife of Roman Emperor Nero, Poppaea Sabina, also used to bathe in donkey’s milk, using it to preserve her beauty and fairness. Additionally, Valeria Messalina, Emperor Claudius’ other half, would also use milk. Only, she’d soak small slices of bread in it to use as face masks.
Clearly, milk is a multi-functional elixir, as beneficial for your beauty as it is for your health. And while both of those are inter-connected, using milk directly for skin and hair care purposes offers a lot more benefits than just drinking a whole glass of milk each day!
Preparing a Milk Bath
Now unlike the great ladies and rulers of yore, we can’t really go to the next lactating donkey and grab a few buckets for our baths.
Aside from it being a bit too expensive for comfort, using a full tub of milk just so we can give our skin some love is a bit wasteful.
Milk is a resource, after all. It’s necessary that we make good use of it.
So here’s a way you can take a milk bath and avail all the benefits of this lactose-filled drink, just with a few tweaks.
What You’ll Need for Your Milk Bath
Here are some basic things you’ll need to prepare for your milk bath:
- 2 cups of whole milk (or powdered milk)
- A favorite white, simple fragrance-themed bath bomb from the Lovery bath set
- 8–10 drops of your favorite essential oil (we recommend rose or any floral oil)
What you’ll need To Do
If you’ve drawn a bath before, it’s pretty much a straight-forward process from there.
However, since you’re using milk, it’s understandable if you might be a bit apprehensive about the whole thing.
So here’s what you do.
When filling the tub, add the milk and allow it to mix. Test the water to see if you feel a difference in texture. If the water is still slightly clear, add more milk until it becomes opaque. Next, add a bath bomb for that added kick of nourishment. Then, add some drops of essential oils gradually so the fragrance doesn’t become too intense.
Lastly, add some flower petals, just for an added touch!
What Will Happen?
Milk baths are quite effective, so you’ll feel the difference after just one dip.
The fat and protein from the milk exfoliates and softens your body, hydrating it alongside. This not only helps clear out skin irritation, but it also soothes your muscles and relaxes you. In addition, with the milk’s lactic acid, this bath helps remove dead skin as well, leaving it smooth and silky.
And if that’s not enough, it encourages the renewal of skin cells, which helps maintain that smoothness.
Ready for Your Milk Bath?
Buy a spa gift basket from Lovery, a pint of milk from your local grocer’s and prepare your milk bath! Give your body the hydration and nourishment it needs, the classic way!
