Cleopatra loved it and celebrities swear by it, but are milk baths all they're hyped up to be?

Before you go pouring your semi-skimmed under the tap, we're delving into what makes milk baths so special, and why beauty brands are jumping on the bandwagon to produce milk formulations with added benefits.

The Story of Milk Baths...

A traditional milk bath dates back thousands of years, and rose in popularity thanks to Cleopatra attributing it to her beautifully radiant skin.

It was believed that she used donkey milk, infused with honey, herbs and floral extracts to help soothe her skin and calm any inflammation. The added use of honey and botanicals would have moisturised delicate skin and kept it protected against environmental aggressors.

Today, you don't have to search far and wide to get your donkey milk fix as a lot of beauty brands have an incredible selection of milk inspired bath soaks, all of which have added extracts to help condition the skin even further.

Why is Milk a great Bathing Ingredient?

Naturally rich in AHA's, including Lactic Acid, milk helps to slough away dead skin cells and prevent a build-up of dirt and impurities from sitting on its surface.

This means that cell turnover is increased, and as the healthy, new cells come through, skin glows and you look rejuvenated and revived.

As milk is an incredibly soothing ingredient, it helps you to feel relaxed as it nourishes irritated and dehydrated skin. Its cooling sensation immediately cleanses and conditions sore areas, to help you feel a little relief, especially if you have eczema or psoriasis.

Our Favourite Milk Bath Soak

Crabtree & Evelyn's Goatmilk and Oat Bath Milk is a soak designed to help soothe and condition irritated skin.

The formula uses goat's milk as its base, which was used in Ancient Egypt for its incredibly moisturising properties; making this soak perfect for the winter months when you need to hydrate your skin a lot more.

Infused with oat, which is incredibly nourishing for anyone with minor skin conditions such as eczema, the milk bath is perfect for those who want a soothing treat and those who don't want to use petroleum-based products to rehydrate parched areas.

The scent is incredibly fresh and clean; perfect for a nightly bath treatment before you head into freshly washed bedding.