Should You Use Milk of Magnesia on Your Skin?: The Internet Rumor, Researched
Milk of magnesia makes skin look better in the short-term, but in the long run, it can lead to bacterial proliferation – not cool.
You always hear beauty gurus say that Milk of Magnesia (MOM), an OTC antacid and laxative, can secretly double as a life-saving foundation primer or mask for those with oily skin types. But does this actually have scientific merit in regards to absorbing facial oil? And are there any drawbacks to this off-label use?
What is MOM’s original purpose?
In its unflavored and most widely-used form, magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2) is the active ingredient, accompanied by water and sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) (1).
Mg(OH)2 acts as an antacid (to counter something like stomach ulcers) via neutralization: Mg(OH)2 will dissociate in water, and the basic hydroxide ions (OH-) will combine with the acidic hydrogen ions (H+) in stomach acid to form water. Hence, neutralization.
As a laxative, Mg(OH)2 relies on the magnesium ions (Mg2+) that form upon dissociation. Because these ions aren’t largely absorbed by the intestinal tract, they will draw water from the surrounding tissues, which will increase the water content of the intestinal tract, resulting in softer and more “passable” fecal matter. Mg2+ ions also cause the release of a compound called cholecystokinin, which similarly results in higher levels of water, electrolytes, and intestinal movement (2).
Sodium Hypochlorite
The other ingredient of importance is sodium hypochlorite (NaClO), otherwise known as bleach. It is in very low concentration and acts as a pH adjuster or buffer. When dissolved in water, NaClO will slowly decompose, releasing chlorine, oxygen and sodium hydroxide.
The reaction of this process is: 4 NaClO + 2 H2O >>> 4 NaOH +2 *Cl2 +O2.
*Keep in mind that the rate of decomposition is extremely slow, so the amount of chlorine gas emitted will probably be negligent. However, it’s best to not inhale bleach for any sustained periods of time.
What attributes are relevant when referring to MOM’s applications in skin care?
Milk of magnesia does indeed has some ability to absorb surface lipids on the skin. Though not many studies have been specifically designed to test this concept, one study suggests that Mg(OH)2 is more adept than magnesia or magnesium oxide (MgO) at facilitating the absorption and separation of wax and stearyl esters, which are similar to compounds found in sebum (3). While this is far from conclusive, it does give some weight to the efficacy of MOM as a “degreaser.”
Furthermore, what little of the bleach content is present, can further “degrease” the skin. As a strong oxidizer, bleach can cause defatting or the chemical dissolution of surface lipids (4), resulting in less oil on the skin.
Are there are drawbacks?
Clearly, the most obvious drawback is that milk of magnesia is quite basic – as are its two main ingredients magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2) and sodium hypochlorite (NaClO). MOM has an overall pH of 10.5, while sodium hydroxide (NaOH), as seen above in the chemical reaction has an astonishingly high pH of 14 (5)!
When the skin is at a basic pH, all kinds of problems related to impaired skin can manifest, such as: contact dermatitis, increased acne (since a basic pH interferes with regular desquamation and allows for bacteria proliferation), and many others. With consistent use, MOM can seriously wreck your skin!
What do I do?!
Relax. If you’ve been applying MOM to the skin, just discontinue use. If you’re bummed out because something so promising isn’t actually so, don’t worry! There are other (better) ways to deal with oily skin, ranging from something as complicated as oral isotretinoin, to something as simple as a pressed powder. There are too many to identify, describe, and analyze! Therefore, keeping in line with this post, here are a few topical “cosmetic” absorbents that can easily replace MOM:
Smashbox Anti-Shine contains magnesium silicate, which functions similar to milk of magnesia, but without the harmful pH.
- The Smashbox Anti-Shine ($28.50, Amazon.com) contains a similar, but less basic, compound magnesium aluminum silicate, to absorb excess facial oil. I have personally tried this and it’s quite effective, although you may have some difficulty obtaining it in-stores. For some reason, both Nordstrom and Sephora have pulled it from their shelves. The texture is a slightly thick paste- or spackle-like gel that’s excellent for filling in pores, and can be applied underneath or on top of makeup and/or sunscreen.
- The Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer ($52.00, Amazon.com) contains the powerful absorbents, isododecane and alumina. Furthermore, it contains a gentle mineral-based sunscreen wrapped up in an elegant silicone base, whose texture is simply divine! While pricey, I always have one of these on hand. It’s best used underneath or mixed with makeup and/or sunscreen.
- The OC Eight Professional Mattifying Gel ($27.73, Amazon.com) contains a patented type of acrylate copolymer that allegedly forms “micro-particles that trap facial oils.” While the concept and marketing are impressive, I have yet to try this and therefore, cannot give a wholehearted recommendation.
- The Paula’s Choice Shine Stopper ($21.95, Amazon.com) also contains a type of (meth)acrylate crosspolymer, in addition to a small amount of the absorbent present in the Smashbox Anti-Shine, magnesium aluminum silicate. Coincidentally, the textures of both are also quite similar. Likewise, they perform about the same for my very oily skin type. You’ll want to be careful with these two products, as using too much will cause them to ball up and make a mess.
John’s favorite product? Hourglass Mineral Veil.
Ultimately, my personal Holy Grail product is the Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer because it really extends the wear-time of anything I apply over it by a few hours. It also provides decent UVA and UVB protection, which coupled with its silky, water-light texture, makes it a perfect mixing medium for my regular sunscreen.
Have YOU tried MOM before? Let me know what you think either on down below or on my blog!
Links/References:
About the author: John Su is an established skin care expert and aspiring dermatologist. He also runs a blog, The Triple Helix Liaison, dedicated to providing unbiased, meaningful, and insightful information about skin care. For his full bio, please visit our About page.
Related articles
About Author
John Su describes himself as eccentric—you might find him having a conversation with himself. He’s a stickler for accuracy, so you might find him correcting one thing or another! His goal is to answer questions and provide unbiased, meaningful, and insightful information when it comes to skin care. His underlying motivations stem from a need to inform people who have doubts, questions, or even prayers for solutions to their problems. He has his own skin care blog, The Triple Helixian.
View all John Su posts.(29) Readers Comments
Leave A Reply
Leave a Reply
Melinda Holmes
I actually tried MOM as a primer for my oily sensitive skin, but didn’t like it. I use Monistat Soothing Care Chafing Relief Powder-Gel as a primer and find that it works very well.
Jody
What about Monistat chafing gel? I’ve heard some people use that on their face too as a primer.
Nicholas
Paula Begoun has been promoting the use of Milk of Magnesia for years. Kind of makes you question her recommendations somewhat.
Pingback: Should You Use Milk of Magnesia on Your Skin?: The Internet Rumor, Researched-FutureDerm Post! v 0.13 « TheTripleHelixLiaison
John
@Melinda Thomas
That’s good, since it’s very affordable.
John
@Jody
Since the Monistat Gel is designed for topical application and doesn’t include high amounts of any basic-yielding solutes, the pH should be about neutral. Get some pH paper and you can test it yourself.
I personally am not a fan of it, since it’s similar in texture to the Smashbox original Photo Finish primer. It’s so super slick, as to feel greasy. And it doesn’t contain any real absorbents; it’s most made up of silicones and a tiny bit of silica I believe. It doesn’t extend wear-time for me, but again if it works for you, yay! Oh, and it really accentuates any dry skin, which is not good for me.
John
@Nicholas
Yeah I suppose. But everyone, including myself, makes mistakes. Paula is usually right, and I love her vision of trying to raise awareness on actual skin care facts to the general public. But like I said, everyone makes mistakes. That’s why it’s important to always seek a 2nd, 3rd, or even 4th opinion from credible sources.
Karen Stauss
I have tried MoM and found it worked great… for about 3 days. On the 4th day my skin decided it was smarter than the MoM and was even oilier that it had been before. I like Peter Thomas Roth’s Anti Shine Mattifying Gel and DermaDoctor’s TeaseZone.
Arlon Barbieri
@Nicholas
Paula Begoun no longer recommends milk of magnesia. Someone questioned this at Paula’s Choice facebook page and here is the answer:
“We no longer recommend Milk of Magnesia as a regular-use product, and haven’t for some time due to its high PH level. That aside, in today’s skin care market there are other formulas of which have similar benefits while being friendly to daily use (our upcoming new formula of the Skin Balancing Oil-Absorbing Mask is a good example!). However, to use for special occasions, the Milk of Magnesia mask is an OK thing to do!”
Luanne
Any opinions on using MOM as a deodorant?? I’ve heard so many use it for that and love it. Does that have any negative effect long term with the PH levels or absorbed through the skin?
John Su
@Karen Stauss
I’m glad to hear that you found something that works for you. Thanks for sharing!
John Su
@Arlon Barbieri
That’s good to hear. Thankfully she stopped doing that.
John Su
@Luanne
I think the use of MOM as a deoderant should be fine and not have any long-term negative side effect. Here’s why:
While the high pH may increase the risks of bacterial or fungal infections, the reduced amount of perspiration from the use of MOM may actually result in an overall or net loss of sweat, resulting in an overall reduction in terms of getting a bacterial or fungal infection (since bacteria and fungi love moist and dark areas). Basically, what I mean is that the net loss of perspiration has a more meaningful positive effect than the change in pH, which has a comparatively smaller negative effect.
As for absorption, the skin of the armpit is a bit thicker than that of the various areas of the face, so this shouldn’t be a problem.
However, as with all things, if you notice something isn’t quite right after using MOM, discontinue use of it to see if that makes your problem goes away.
I hope that made sense and thanks for commenting.
Sânziene si Mătrăgună
@John Su – the last reply (@Luanne) makes me think that my home made sodium bicarbonate based deodorant (I use this for several years now) is indeed a good idea
The main challenge is to find a fine enough sodium bicarbonate in order not to scratch the skin 
John Su
@Sânziene si Mătrăgună
Good call!
Happy Halloween!
Simona (Sânziene si Mătrăgună)
Thanks, even though I don’t celebrate it, I wish a happy Halloween to everyone who does
Partiallyclaudy
What if I used an acidic toner such as Apple Cider Vinegar before applying the Milk of Magnesia? Would that help neutralize things a bit?
John Su
@Simona (Sânziene si Mătrăgună)
Glad to hear it!
@Partiallyclaudy
It would certainly help counteract it. But is MoM really worth going through all that trouble? Not to mention that ACV doesn’t have any particularly good benefit for the skin.
But hey, you work with what you have right? Furthermore, I’m not sure MoM will function in the same way if it’s naturally-high pH becomes neutralized. It may not be as effective at absorbing oil afterwards.
AwwRITE!
I haven’t had success with the Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer–I think my skin is simply too oily. I recently bought the Guerlain Parure Extreme foundation, which is supposed to have primer built in, but even that can’t keep my face from oiling up within a few hours (yuck). Have you tested any other primers lately that you would recommend?
AwwRITE!
Also, would you consider writing a post on how to keep skin ph-balanced? I just read the term “acid mantle” on a different site and it seems like a topic that a lot of people would be interested in learning about!
John Su
@AwwRITE!
Hm, did you try any of the other primers listed in this post? Also, as someone with super oily skin too, you’ll want to combat your oil production via different sources. For example, in addition to a good primer (something that I don’t use on a daily basis actually), use an oil-controlling foundation and a similar setting powder.
You may want to check out this post for more information: http://www.futurederm.com/2012/11/08/my-top-liquid-face-makeup-products-from-sephora/
I have also have tried the Guerlain Extreme, and I prefer the Lancome Teint Idole 24H by far. Maybe try that?
Finally, as for the pH-balanced thing, the skin is naturally acidic. And to keep it that way, you’ll want to avoid alkaline cleansers like soaps, and use hydroxy acids. And I may do a post on what an “acid mantle” is exactly. But it’s not an actual structure in the skin so-to-speak. It’s just a term that’s been coined to represent the acidity of the skin.
I hope that all helps.
AwwRITE!
I think I’ve tried all the big-name primers out there (mostly through free samples from Sephora) and none of them really help for more than an hour or two.
I only just learned that my skin is supposed to be at a ph of 4.5-5.5 and that if I’m using a product that is too alkaline, my skin reacts and eventually becomes more oily. I think if I pay attention to the ph balance of some of the products I use, I can help repair some of the damage I’ve been inadvertently causing. After changing a few things around in my product routine to align with this concept of not making my skin too alkaline, I’ve noticed that my skin is not producing as much oil and seems to be calmer, so maybe I won’t need to find a new primer after all (or maybe the ones that other people like will start to work on me). We shall see.
John Su
@AwwRITE!
Well, an acidic pH doesn’t really contribute to oil production. However, this pH range (roughly) is necessary for the skin to naturally and optimally exfoliate and maintain its barrier. So using too alkaline products can make your skin go haywire, which includes congestion and the appearance of more oil.
So yeah, definitely use a well-formulated hydroxy acid product in your regular routine. My favorites are from Paula’s Choice. Consider reading this post: http://www.futurederm.com/2012/05/17/hydroxy-acids-part-iv-the-best-hydroxy-acid-product-reviews-and-recommendations-of-all-time/
Good luck!
Anna
ACV isn’t good for the skin? Where have you been? ACV works like a toner, exfoliant & acne defense product. When diluted, it can also balance the pH. The same can be said about MOM, with proper dilution it can benefit the skin especially considering the fact that alot of primers already contain magnesium in their base formulas. The key is moderation of course. It can be placed in a glycerin base or water solution with a 1:3 ratio so that the pH is neutralized like the magnesium in most primers. Tap water is best as it’s pH is more acidic than purified water. This is an effective way to save money using things already at your disposal. Don’t let the beauty industry who has alot of money to lose tell you not to use home products that are cheaper & easily accessible without first seeking an unbiased opinion from someone with medical background…..like the dermatologists who have recommended or endorsed things like ACV or MOM for years. MOM especially has been promoted for skin use such as combating seborrhea, baby rash, and canker sores. It sounds backwards for someone to say that an inexpensive treatment can wreak havoc on your skin but then turn around & promote silica based, paraben loaded, chemically formulated & carcinogenic products that cost an arm & a leg. I’d rather risk bacterial breakouts than be susceptible to cancer. But we can’t be extremists. So rather than substitute a potentially harmful product for a potentially even more harmful product, why not remedy the issue. I think prepping a concentrated toner of ACV & then a concentrated primer of MOM would be too much pH disassociation for the skin. Dilute both & your skin will thank you for it. While we’re on the topic of ACV, here’s an M.D. endorsed article on uses for ACV in skincare:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/128444-benefits-apple-cider-vinegar-facial/
John Su
@Anna
Well if you must ask, I’ve been in Oz… Lol. Perhaps ACV works for you, but regardless, it just doesn’t have much research documenting its efficacy. I mean even most essential oils have more research behind them, and I don’t believe in THOSE.
Yes, ACV may act as a “toner,” (though toners aren’t really necessary for the antiquated purpose of balancing the skin’s pH), as there are plenty of excellent water-soluble and pH-appropriate cleansers these days.
As an exfoliant, maybe ACV does work. But hydroxy acids work significantly better than ACV and have much better peer-reviewed documentation supporting topical use. Same for the treatment of acne and “balancing the skin’s pH.”
And as for dermatologists recommending ACV… does that mean everything recommended by a dermatologist is good? Think of it like this: there are plenty of poor products and dermatologist-created skin care lines that are similarly recommended. However, keep in mind that just because one or even a few dermatologists recommend something, doesn’t automatically prove something’s efficacy. Why not depend on something that has published research? That way, it’ll be peer-reviewed (meaning that a LOT of established dermatologists affirm the subject(s) of a particular study)!
Also, as someone who has seborrhoeic dermatitis, I can tell you that MOM and ACV have done nothing for me; in fact they worsen the condition. But does that mean they’re completely useless? Nope. My personal and singular experience doesn’t prove or disprove anything.
And FYI, there’s nothing wrong with silica or parabens. Just because you haven’t read up on the research, doesn’t mean they deserve to be condemned or feared.
Ultimately, I can’t convince you to change your ways if you’re not willing to see reason. And that’s okay. We all do what we think is right, right?
P.S. I’m not going to even mention Livestrong and how it “proves” ACV’s efficacy… Why don’t you just type in “Apple Cider Vinegar” into http://www.pubmed.com, and see what comes up?
cookie
What about those applying MoM on their skin for rosacea? I’ve heard that the reason people have it may have something to do with their bodies having too much alkalinity, allowing for the proliferation of demodex in the pores. Would applying something basic help this or is it still a bad idea?
John Su
@cookie
Actually, MoM would do the opposite because it’s so basic. Keep in mind that basic and alkaline are the same thing.
A higher skin pH will allow for additional bacterial, fungal, and other infections; a more acidic pH is what inhibits this type of proliferation.
Does that make sense?
Hyspin
John Su the only info they have on ACV med scape on skin is an anti microbial and should not be used on inflamed skin (that would include dermatitis and eczema), otherwise ther isn’t really any research for or against apple cider vinegar as a topical treatment. But apparently new research shows that it may be good source to reduce glucous levels. Also we must not forget that what may not work for you, may work for others each subject must be treated on a case to case bases. I think if MOM diluted as mask followed by rinse of water or ACV works for some, why knock it. But as you said ACV isn’t necessary as a toner because skin will return to regular pH on its own. Which begs the question knowing that fact, how harmful could MOM really be if the skin will auto adjust afterward anyway? I actually curious about that. What is the average time it takes for the skin adjust back to its correct pH after a alkaline cleanser any way?
John Su
@Hyspin
Well, I never said that ACV is awful. If you’d like to use that on your skin, go for it. All I’m saying is that hydroxy acids are significantly better than ACV in terms of the amount of research and efficacy. See my response to @Anna above for more details.
As for MOM, THAT really isn’t great for the skin. It’s a highly documented fact that an increased pH of the skin increases chances of microbial proliferation, reduced barrier repair, and irregular exfoliation. Many cutaneous conditions like eczema, various forms of dermatitis, and even acne are actually characterized by a higher than normal pH of the skin. Okay, if you want to dilute it, again that is your prerogative. But then you’re reducing efficacy, and then in the end, what’s the point?
And yes, your skin will “auto-adjust,” its intrinsic PH, but that is dependent on how basic/acidic the cleanser is, which will influence how well and how long it takes for the skin to do so. There is no measured “average” time, just because there is so many factors (like length of time, cleanser pH, cleanser formulation, the individual’s skin type and pH, the rest of the skin care routine, etc…) that will influence any attempt to calculate such a number.
Does that all make sense?