by kristen garrido
The latest "it" girl ingredient in skincare is colostrum, but some ethical pushback has many questioning whether or not to use it.
Often referred to as "liquid gold" or "nature's first food," colostrum is a nutrient-rich substance produced by mammals, including humans, in the first few days after giving birth.
“It acts like mother nature’s immunization shot for the baby, because it contains all of these bioactive compounds that can’t be found in any other natural source." -Sarah Rahal, MD
It's the primary ingredient in breast milk and its role is to provide essential nutrients for newborns, but what's inside might play a larger role in your skin's health.
Though its main purpose is for stronger gut health and natural immunity for infants, colostrum also has targeted benefits for the hair and skin barrier.
“The living nutrients in colostrum work directly in the cells themselves to heal our existing hair and skin cells.” -Sarah Rahal, MD.
It's comparable to collagen in that they both repair the skin; however, collagen provides your body with amino acids to build new tissue; colostrum repairs the damage on its own.
"Colostrum’s potency feeds regenerative nutrients to the lips and skin for hydration, while also combating inflammation to reverse redness and puffiness" Well+Good reports.
If you're wondering how exactly this chemical is sourced and whether it's ethical, you're not alone. It's reported that the mass market of colostrum is actually sourced from cows.
Cows are said to produce around 15 liters of colostrum though their calves only consume half, leaving the rest to go to waste. This gives opportunity to reuse and recycle.
As long as we can create modern and humane ways of obtaining colostrum directly from cows without harming them or their calfs, It's a great way to benefit us while minimizing waste.
Colostrum is nature's medicine and has a plethora of benefits, but it's up to you to decide whether to try it for yourself and see if it's really worth the praise.