The scene is well described by Plutarch in his work Parallel Lives, Antonio's Life. A galley with a golden stern and purple sails went up the Nile, while flashes of lights marked the rhythm with which the silver oars were immersed in the water by the rowers. All around one could hear the music of lyres and flutes rising from the traveling ship. And right there, in the center of the ship, under a golden pavilion, a throne was placed on which she, the queen of Egypt, Cleopatra, compared by Plutarch himself to the goddess Venus, was sitting. It is therefore not surprising that, thanks to this celestial apparition, Antony fell in love with Cleopatra, the queen certainly knew how to make her entrance. But Cleopatra's charm didn't stop only with the drapes and choirs that surrounded her. Perhaps Cleopatra may not have been a woman of unparalleled beauty, as historical sources seem to indicate, but she was gifted with great intelligence and eloquence. Moreover, she knew how to take care of herself. Famous is the herd of 700 donkeys that were milked to ensure the queen was bathed in milk, a cuddle capable of making the skin soft, luminous and smooth. Today no one has such a herd and so much milk to fill a tub, but this does not mean that we cannot dedicate a moment to ourselves, a magical moment to feel like the great queens and great kings of the past. So, with a few small tricks, let's see how to create a bath worthy of Cleopatra.
Cleopatra's bath, what science says
Cleopatra used to immerse herself in a tub full of donkey's milk. Nowadays it is certainly easier to find cow's or goat's milk. What can these milks do for skin beauty? Milk, first of all, contains proteins such as casein, beta lactoglobulin and lactoferrin, which are characterized by antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal properties. Milk, when applied externally, helps wound healing and stimulates tissue regeneration, promotes collagen synthesis and helps with acne and psoriasis (Kippenberger et al, PLoS One, 2015). Topical milk-based treatments help reduce blackheads, regulate sebum production, soothe skin inflammations, moisturize tissues, make the skin tone more homogeneous, counteracting the formation of dark skin spots, and have an anti-age effect thanks to the presence of antioxidants such as vitamins A, E and selenium (Khan et al, Lipids Health Dis, 2019). In fact, milk helps to tone the skin and leaves it smoother and more velvety. Not only that, milk has a cleansing and purifying action (Kazimierska et al, Molecules, 2021). Finally, it was observed that the fats contained in cow's milk were able to penetrate the skin of the scalp, stimulating the progression of the hair life cycle and inducing hair regrowth after the physiological hair loss (Kumura et al, Journal of Dairy Science, 2012).
Bath in milk, here's how to make this experience unique
As we have seen, bath in milk is a real beauty ally for the skin, useful in case of irritation, eczema, psoriasis, acne, but also mature and saggy skin. Not only that, milk is also beneficial for hair health. But how to make the bath in milk something unique, special and, above all, possible to do frequently? Here's how to enrich your bath. Get 250 ml of milk, okay cow or goat milk. Finely chop two tablespoons of unpeeled almonds until you get a flour. Mix the almond flour with the milk and add 30 ml of sweet almond oil. Sweet almond oil is emollient, gives the skin tone and a homogeneous color, contrasts stretch marks, while almond peel extracts have been found to be useful in combating photoaging (Lin et al, Int J Mol Sci, 2018 - Li et al, J Cosmet Dermatol, 2021). Pour everything into the tub full of hot water, mix with your hands, then immerse yourself.
