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Ingredient glossary

Colostrum

What Colostrum does for your skin, who it suits, and what to watch for.

INCI: Colostrum Extract · Also: Bovine Colostrum, Sheep Colostrum

Decent support

In short: Colostrum delivers hydration and barrier support, suits most skin types, and the evidence behind it is limited. One thing to know: clear it with your doctor if pregnant.

What it does
Hydration, barrier support
Best for
Most skin types
Watch out
Clear it with your doctor if pregnant
Evidence
Limited
How long
8–12 weeks
Does it clash with what you use? Check it →

Written by Maya FaourHow we score →

The Glow take

Can help, with honest expectations.

When your goal is deep, lasting hydration, Colostrum can genuinely help, though the evidence is still thin, so keep expectations gentle. Gentle enough that most skin types can reach for it.

— Maya

What it does

  • hydration
  • barrier support
  • soothing
  • anti aging

limited evidenceA randomized double blind placebo controlled study in 52 women aged 40 to 70 found a sheep colostrum cream used for 8 weeks increased skin moisture reduced TEWL and improved firmness versus placebo measured by Courage Khazaka probes and cutometer. In vitro work with sheep colostrum shows antioxidant activity fibroblast proliferation and faster wound closure yet penetration of large colostrum proteins through intact stratum corneum and their exact cosmetic contribution remain open questions.

On a label: unknown.

Who it's for, and who should skip it

Tends to suit

  • dry
  • mature
  • normal

Approach with care

  • dairy allergy
  • Clogs poresModerate
  • Irritation riskLow
  • Allergen originComes from dairy

How it fits each skin type

  • DrySuits
  • CombinationSuits
  • OilySuits
  • SensitiveSuits

Often chosen for mature. Take extra care if any of these apply to you: dairy allergy.

Where it fits in your routine

WhenMorning or evening
Where in the orderAfter cleansing, before your moisturizer

Give it eight to twelve weeks, and possibly less: that is simply when it was measured.

What was measured, and in whom

Measured on: Hydration TEWL sebum erythema tone and elasticity measured with Multi Probe Adapter and cutometer plus subjective surveys.

In the 8 week sheep colostrum cream versus placebo study instrument measurements showed improved moisture reduced TEWL and increased firmness at trial end with no earlier visit reported so the onset within those 8 weeks is unknown and the conservative bucket is kept.

The Efficacy of a Cosmetic Preparation Containing Sheep Colostrum on Mature Skin randomized placebo controlled double blind 8 week trial in Applied Sciences DOI:10.3390/app14072862

Plays well with

Colostrum, answered

Is Colostrum safe during pregnancy?

Clear it with your doctor first. Colostrum is flagged as use-with-caution during pregnancy and breastfeeding, so check with your doctor or midwife before adding it.

Who should avoid Colostrum?

Approach Colostrum with care if any of these apply to you: dairy allergy. It carries a moderate risk of clogging pores, so acne-prone skin should go carefully.

What concentration of Colostrum actually works?

Its concentration is rarely printed on the label, so use the ingredient list as your clue: near the top third it is likely doing real work, near the bottom it is more of a sprinkle.

During pregnancy

Treat Colostrum as a maybe rather than a yes for now. It is flagged as one to use with caution while pregnant or breastfeeding, so it is worth clearing before you carry on.

When in doubt, check with your doctor or midwife. They outrank any website, including this one.When it is worth booking →

Compare Colostrum with

Can you mix Colostrum with

This, for every label you own

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Sources & how we reviewed this

  1. DOI 10.3390/app14072862read in full
  2. PMID 39125660abstract only, the full text is paywalled

Last reviewed August 2026. Educational information about a cosmetic ingredient, not medical advice.