Got milk? These milky skincare products can soothe, hydrate, and gently exfoliate
By Rebecca Fearn
Milk skincare is having a moment; from milky textured cleansers and micellar waters to lactic acid face masks that actually contain milk, there isn’t a step in your routine that can’t benefit from a touch of the white stuff.
Milky formulas are excellent at soothing the skin, skincare expert and London-based facialist, Lisa Franklin confirms: ‘milky textures are great for more sensitive skin types as they tend to remain at a consistent cool temperature, creating a lovely, soothing sensation on application.’ She continues: ‘they also tend to be gentle formulations which are also ideal for sensitive skin.’
In addition, products that contain milk usually feature lactic acid, which can be used to gently buff away dead skin cells and exfoliate.
Take a look at our top milky textures and milk formulas here.
Best milk skincare: cleanser for sensitive skin
The Organic Pharmacy Rose & Chamomile Cleansing Milk, £35, Feel Unique
With extracts of rose water, aloe, and shea butter, this ultra gentle milky formula is ideal for even the most sensitive skin types, including those that may have been out in the sun a little too long. It removes makeup with ease, and is best used alongside a muslin cloth or flannel.
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Best milk skincare: cleanser for oily skin
Aesop Gentle Facial Cleansing Milk, £25, Selfridges
Despite also being super kind to skin, this milk textured cleanser is effective enough to thoroughly cleanse normal-oily skin types that need a deep clean. With grape seed and sandalwood, this smells like a spa and leaves skin feeling soft and bouncy.
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Best milk skincare: cleanser for combination skin
Collosol Eau Du Lait, £14.50 for 200ml, Feel Unique
A Parisienne classic, Collosol has been used by French women and handed down in families for generations. The unique half milk, half water texture ensures skin never feels greasy, and it’s effective at removing makeup on all skin types, including combination.
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Best milk skincare: moisturiser
Kate Somerville Goat Milk Moisturising Cream, £55, Cult Beauty
Another classic that only hit UK shores a couple of years ago (it had previously been an American exclusive), Kate Somerville’s Goat Milk Moisturiser is deeply nourishing yet lightweight in feel. The formula, as its name suggests, also contains moisturising goat’s milk, and natural milk proteins.
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Best milk skincare: toner
Pixi Milky Tonic, £10, Pixi Beauty
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Formulated with oat to soothe skin, this milky toner adds an extra nourishing step to your routine, AM and PM. It’s also alcohol free, meaning it never feels drying or leaves skin feeling taut.
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Best milk skincare: mask
Patchology FlashMasque MilkPeel, £28, Patchology
Milk skincare isn’t just brilliant at soothing the skin, it can also gently exfoliate thanks to the naturally occurring lactic acid This Patchology 5 minute Milk Peel uses coconut and soy milk to gently exfoliate and sloughs away dead skin, while thoroughly moisturising.
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Glossier Milk Oil, £10, Glossier
A makeup removing-specific follow up to Glossier's bestselling Milky Jelly Cleanser, this oil uses a combination of micellar water and weightless oil to gently remove makeup. It also works brilliantly in tandem with the Milky Jelly Cleanser; the oil being the first cleanse, and the cleanser the second.
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ESPA Hydrating Cleansing Milk, £25, ESPA
This milk features a beautiful blend of sweet almond and soya bean oils, marshmallow, and chamomile. It's ideal as a morning cleanser for normal, dry or sensitive skin.
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Chantecaille Flower Infused Cleansing Milk, £59, Harvey Nichols
As with all of Chantecaille's luxurious products, this milk contains the best quality rose water to nourish and boost the complexion. Use it to remove makeup, or even within your toner step.
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Susanne Kaufmann Cleansing Milk, Cult Beauty
Not only does this cleanser look incredibly chic in bathrooms, it also comes with a pump, making it ultra convenient to use on rushed mornings. The formula contains vitamin E and sage to perfect skin.
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L’Occitane Immortelle Milk Makeup Remover, £22, L’occitane
Infused with the brand's luxurious floral water, this milk is specifically designed to remove all traces of makeup in a kind-to-skin, gentle way.
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My Clarins RE-MOVE Micellar Cleansing Milk, £17, Boots
Part of the My Clarins line, which is specifically designed for delicate younger skin, Clarins' milk uses fig extracts to moisturise and hydrate.
