Got milk? Ashleigh Cometti surveys the latest flurry of milk-based body care products, which promise to drench skin in lightweight hydration.
The use of milk-based beauty rituals dates as far back in time as 51BC, when ancient Egyptian queen Cleopatra would bathe in sour donkey milk for its skin-beautifying
It’s said that the lactic acid contained in sour milk would help remove dead skin cells and promote a more even skin texture.
Luxuriating in a milk bath didn’t end with Cleopatra, either, and many historians noted that Roman empress Poppaea (wife of Nero) and Queen Elizabeth I would also bathe in milk to experience its skin-loving benefits.
While we’ve done away with bathing in sour milk in the 21st Century, milk in beauty has evolved to describe the texture of a product - a lightweight product designed to smooth on to limbs in lieu of lotion.
Below, Ashleigh Cometti explores the rise of body milks, and surveys the best ones to add to your body-care regime.
The Milk Movement
Premium New Zealand beauty brand Tronque continues to lead the charge when it comes to efficacious, high-performance body care - and it’s newest innovation is no different.
Founder Tanné Snowden sought to build on her collection of cosseting body care with a lighter formulation that boasted a luxurious skin-feel whilst still being results driven. The result was the recently released Triple Active Body Milk, a three-in-one skin milk that feels like cashmere to apply, while addressing concerns including skin tone, elasticity and firmness.
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Advertise with NZME.“From the outset, we knew we wanted to develop something that felt entirely different from anything else in our range. We envisioned a feather-light, velvety milk, more fluid than a lotion, yet richer than a serum, that would melt into the skin and leave behind a soft, luminous finish,” Tanné says.
“The result is a milk with an opalescent texture that delivers instant hydration and long-term rejuvenation.”
Tronque’s unique formulation harnesses four high-performance actives, lovingly nicknamed by Tanné and her team for the benefits they have for skin.
The Fluid Drainer contains vegetable caffeine and green coffee extract to boost micro-circulation and smooth contours; the Silhouette Refiner utilises glaucine, caffeine and xanthan gum to target cellulite, while firming areas such as the thighs and abdomen; the Collagen & Elastin Stimulator to combat sagging or loss of tone; and Hyaluronic Acid to hydrate and plump skin, leaving skin glowing with health.
But Tronque isn’t the only body care brand to capitalise on the milk movement, with a suite of other beauty brands following suit.
Locally, this includes the likes of Edna Swart’s Ed&I range of body care, alongside luxurious global takes from Dior Beauty, Officine Buly and Codage Paris.
A body milk’s lightweight texture is a step away from traditional body lotions, but still with all the beauty benefits. Confused about the difference between the two? Read on to find out more.
Body Milk vs Body Lotion
While both products serve dual purpose to hydrate and nourish skin, Tanné says the difference between the two lies in the formulation and performance of each product.
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Advertise with NZME.“A body milk is lighter, more fluid, and typically absorbs much faster than a traditional lotion,” she says.
“The texture is elegant, like a silky veil that glides on effortlessly and disappears into the skin without heaviness or residue. What makes it superior is not just how it feels, but how it functions.”
Unlike their richly textured cousins, body milks offer a heightened sensorial experience, Tanné adds, with products such as the Tronque Triple Active Body Milk bridging the gap between a body lotion and a milky hydrating serum.
It does so thanks to its cocktail of high-performance actives, think hyaluronic acid, caffeine complexes and collagen-stimulating peptides, helping go one step further than surface-level hydration by targeting skin tone, firmness and elasticity.
A body milk’s lightweight texture means it layers beautifully with other products - and can be cocktailed with body oils to lock in hydration, layered under SPF for a day spent outdoors, or used immediately after a shower on damp skin.
Application Techniques
Try Tronque’s Self-Massage Draining Method for 5-10 minutes twice daily to promote lymphatic drainage, boost circulation and contour the body.
- Using both hands, glide the product on to your skin, beginning at the ankles and moving upward toward the hips and waist.
- Next, apply firm but gentle pressure with both hands around the one ankle to start, gliding upward to the top of the thigh and waist, using pressing motions with your fingertips to encourage drainage and micro-circulation.
- Repeat this a couple times on each leg.
- At the top of the inner thigh, press and release this area a few times. Repeat a couple of times to encourage lymphatic flow.
- Repeat this on each arm and décolletage, towards your heart.
- You can also use our Body Contour Massager (body gua sha) instead of using your hands to encourage further lymphatic flow and fascia release.
- Both techniques enhance the benefits of the product and help the absorption of the ingredients, encouraging lymphatic drainage, target cellulite and collagen and elastin production.
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From drugstore favourites to elevated takes on the trend, discover our picks of the best body milks to sub into your daily body care rotation, below.
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