By Dr Jolly Kabirizi
Yesterday we looked at how to make soap from milk. Today let’s find out how to store and use it.
The soap will be good for up to two years. You don’t have to worry about it going bad. Excess oil will make soap too soft.
Store your soap in a dry, cool and dark place wrapped in plastic wrap. You can also put it in a zipper bag or use shrink plastic. Just be careful to not melt the soap while you’re packaging it.
If you wrap and store your homemade soap and you haven’t added any ingredients that spoil fast, it might have an even longer shelf life than two years. It might change its colour a bit, but it will be good to use nevertheless.
Benefits of milk soap
- Milk (cow, sheep and goats) contains high levels of important proteins, particularly casein and whey proteins, which have a range of antimicrobial, antioxidant, antibacterial and immunomodulatory properties.
- Basically, the milk used to make milk soap contains important cleansing agents which can help clean and rejuvenate our skin.
Also included in milk are;
- Vitamin D, A, B6 – helpful for repairing damaged skin cells, may smooth out fine lines and wrinkles, promotes healthy skin cell growth
- Lactic acid – a natural exfoliant and excellent for moisturization by removing dead cells from the skin.
- Calcium – this mineral is found in our epidermis and helps to keep skin hydrated
- Selenium – a mineral known to strengthen cell membranes which is beneficial for more mature skin
Milk soap is gentle
Milk soap is a gentle cleanser, especially if it’s made at home with the recipe that was provided. It doesn’t strip the skin of its natural oils and thus does not damage its protective barrier. The milk and oils in the soap might help to strengthen that barrier.
Moisturizing and anti-inflammatory benefits
Homemade milk soap moisturizes the skin and helps reduce inflammation thanks to the selenium, fatty acids and cholesterol that milk contains. So using it might help with some skin issues. However, you should remember that soap itself is just a cleanser and you need to use other products such as creams to manage any skin problems you experience. In addition to that, milk contains vitamin A (also known as retinol), which is famous for its anti-aging and brightening effects.
Milk, along with all the oils added to it to make soap, improves the lipid barrier of the skin and helps keep it moisturized, healthy and resistant to the impact of external factors such as sun and air pollution. Always use sunscreen when you walk outside during the day. And if you live in an area with highly polluted air, look up some creams that protect the skin from such damage.
Soft exfoliation
Milk contains alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) such as lactic acid that play the role of exfoliators. AHAs are widely used to treat acne, scars and hyperpigmentation caused either by the sun or by aging. They remove dead skin cells, boost the production of collagen and give the skin a more youthful and better complexion.
Promotes a healthy microbiome
Every living thing has a microbiome (bacteria). And our skin has one as well. Healthy bacteria help keep our skin healthy. But the environment and our eating habits might disrupt this microbiome. Since milk is the main ingredient of this homemade soap, it can improve the microbiome of your skin, thus making it healthier and more resistant to external factors.
Might help with acne
One form of acne treatment is thorough cleaning because acne spreads through certain bacteria. This homemade milk soap is a gentle yet effective cleanser that can help stop the growth and spread of this bacteria. It is important to use gentle cleansers if you struggle with acne because harsh soaps strip the skin of its natural oils. The skin will then try to regain its balance and begin to produce more oils, which will lead to clogged pores and even more acne.
