Style

FYI, Mariah Carey Bathes In Cold Milk

by Summer Arlexis
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

When it comes to Mariah Carey's diva-ish ways, you've probably heard it all. Rumor has it that she makes some pretty outlandish demands and she's known for spending a small fortune on the simplest things — when you're pop royalty, you can do that. But when Mariah Carey revealed she bathes in milk, she also debunked one of the most ridiculous rumors you've likely heard about the singer.

If one thing is for certain, it's that there's always a ton of "he said, she said" surrounding Mariah Carey. Whether the claims are ever true or not, the singer has been marked by a reputation that no word other than "diva" could be used to describe her alleged antics. So you know her beauty routine would be far from subpar. After all, a true diva wouldn't be caught dead looking anything less than fab.

Her beauty secrets include a diet based on Norwegian salmon and capers and steering clear of mascara in favor of faux lashes, and this is all coming straight from Mimi herself. So when the singer dished that her bath water doesn't even consist of H2O at all, it wasn't really that far-fetched for a prima donna like Carey, and it turns out the odd practice may be totally worth it.

In a recent interview with The Guardian, breaking down everything in the singer's life, from her upcoming Christmas tour to her bipolar disorder diagnosis reveal, Carey let on that she isn't one to cry over spilled milk. Instead, the 48-year-old who looks like the 2005 Emancipation of Mimi version of herself just walked out of a time machine bathes in the cereal juice.

The big reveal came to light in response to being asked if the rumor was true that she only uses French mineral water for her baths. Carey simply shut that diva conspiracy theory down by giving away the skincare secret of occasionally using milk as a beauty treatment.

At the first mention of soaking her body in milk, it's only natural that a gazillion questions come to mind. What kind of milk is she using (almond milk, non-fat, 2%)? Is cow juice safe for the vag? How many gallons of milk does it take to fill a tub? We. Need. Answers. Mariah!

All that the diva disclosed is that cold milk, specifically, does her body good, and the strange secret will seriously make you question the singer's sanity.

But as it turns out, the head diva may be onto something. Carey wasn't the first beauty queen to dive into a tub of milk. Legend has it that Cleopatra — yes, Egyptian ruler with winged liner on fleek and otherworldly beauty, Cleopatra — kept her skin looking radiant by bathing in donkey milk.

Surely anything that Cleopatra or the non-aging Mariah Carey does would be worth giving a shot. But if you still need further convincing on the practice, the benefits of dousing your body in lactose may raise your eyebrows.

Let science tell it and the lactic acid in milk stands in as alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) that are said to stimulate the skin's cell growth. Fat and protein found in milk also help soften the skin, leaving your body feeling supple and smooth. If you have eczema-prone skin or experience dryness or the reg, a milk bath can even help soothe irritations and provide hydration.

In other words, bathing in milk à la Mariah Carey sounds like just what the body needs, as strange as it may sound. Hence, the abundance of milk-based, luxury bath products on the market that aim to moisturize and soften the skin. Take Herbivore's milky bath soak or Lush Cosmetics' Milky Bath Bubble Bar, for example, bath enhancers formulated with milk for the ultimate spa experience.

If for nothing else, a milk bath just may feel super relaxing — that is, if you can get past the fact that Carey says it should be ice cold. Here's to drinking your calcium and bathing in it, too.