When you've spent enough time researching skincare ingredients, you learn to distinguish between marketing language and actual evidence. "Clinically tested" might mean almost anything. "Dermatologist recommended" often means a dermatologist was paid to recommend it.
For colostrum, the research situation is different. We have placebo-controlled trials, peer-reviewed publications, and measurable outcomes. Not as many as we'd like—the authors of a 2024 review in Cosmetics explicitly called for more clinical studies—but enough to move beyond speculation into documented effects.
Here's what the actual research says.
The Sheep Colostrum Study: Measurable Results in Eight Weeks
In 2024, researchers published a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study examining colostrum's effects on mature skin in women ages 40-70. This is the gold standard of clinical research design: participants were randomly assigned to receive either colostrum cream or placebo, neither the participants nor the researchers knew who received what until after the study concluded.
Fifty-two women applied their assigned cream for eight weeks. Researchers measured skin hydration, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), sebum levels, erythema, skin tone, and elasticity using standardized electronic equipment.
The results were clear:
- Skin moisture increased in the colostrum group compared to placebo
- TEWL decreased, indicating improved barrier function
- Skin firmness improved as measured by cutometer
- Participants reported improved softness and reduced redness
These aren't subjective impressions—they're objective measurements taken with calibrated instruments by researchers who didn't know which group they were measuring.
The study, published in Applied Sciences, represents the kind of evidence that should inform skincare decisions: controlled conditions, adequate sample size, objective measurements, and peer review.
Wound Healing: The Deep Wounds Comparison Study
A clinical study published in the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research compared colostrum powder dressing against conventional wound dressing in patients with deep wounds (stage II-IV). This research addressed a different application than cosmetic skincare, but the mechanisms are related—wound healing and skin renewal share fundamental biological processes.
The researchers found that colostrum dressing outperformed conventional treatment across multiple measures:
- Faster healing time: Wounds closed more quickly with colostrum
- Fewer dressings required: More efficient healing process
- Better quality healing: Healthier granulation tissue formation
- Reduced pain: Lower pain scores during treatment
The authors attributed these effects to the growth factors in colostrum—the same factors relevant to cosmetic skincare. Transforming growth factors, insulin-like growth factors, and fibroblast growth factors all support cellular activities involved in tissue repair.
Burn Wound Research: Outperforming Standard Treatment
A study from the American University of Beirut examined colostrum's effectiveness in deep second-degree burn wounds using a rat model. Researchers compared four groups: untreated burns, silver sulfadiazine (Flamazine, the standard treatment), colostrum-treated, and non-burned controls.
The results favored colostrum:
- Faster wound closure compared to both untreated and Flamazine groups
- Less scar formation in the colostrum-treated animals
- More physiological inflammatory response—the colostrum group showed earlier mast cell increase followed by appropriate decrease, matching normal healing patterns better than either control group
The researchers concluded that "topical application of Colostrum is superior in treating deep partial thickness burns" and recommended further clinical evaluation for burn wound management.
The Fibroblast Proliferation Studies
Multiple laboratory studies have examined colostrum's effects on fibroblasts—the cells responsible for producing collagen, elastin, and other structural proteins in skin.
Research published in International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2024) tested sheep colostrum on human skin fibroblasts and found remarkable effects:
- Colostrum stimulated fibroblast proliferation by up to 191.2% at 24 hours
- At 48 hours, proliferation increased to 222.2% compared to controls
- Human diabetic fibroblasts showed 115.4% stimulation—significant for patients whose cells typically struggle to proliferate normally
This matters for cosmetic skincare because fibroblast activity directly correlates with skin firmness, elasticity, and the ability to repair damage. Declining fibroblast activity is a hallmark of aging skin.
Extracellular Vesicles: The Frontier Research
Some of the most compelling recent research focuses on colostrum-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs)—tiny packages of bioactive compounds that cells release and absorb. A 2022 study in Advanced Healthcare Materials examined these EVs specifically.
The researchers found that colostrum EVs:
- Promoted fibroblast proliferation and migration
- Enhanced endothelial tube formation (important for blood vessel development in healing tissue)
- Contained anti-inflammatory factors facilitating transition from inflammation to regeneration
- Accelerated wound closure in animal models
- Survived freeze-drying while maintaining efficacy
This research represents the cutting edge of understanding how colostrum works at the cellular and molecular level. The EVs appear to orchestrate healing by delivering precisely the right signals at the right time.
Lactoferrin: The Anti-Inflammatory Connection
A 2025 study in Cells specifically examined lactoferrin derived from colostrum exosomes and its effects on skin regeneration.
The researchers found that colostrum-derived lactoferrin:
- Significantly promoted fibroblast viability
- Enhanced cell migration in wound healing assays
- Reduced expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1 and IL-6)
- Suppressed phosphorylated JNK—a signaling pathway associated with inflammation
The study concluded that lactoferrin "not only enhances fibroblast-mediated wound closure but also mitigates inflammation, highlighting its therapeutic potential in skin regeneration."
What the Research Doesn't Tell Us (Yet)
Transparency requires acknowledging limitations. The 2024 Cosmetics review explicitly stated: "Clinical studies for the application of colostrum and colostrum-based formulations are very limited. Further studies showing its antiaging, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and other therapeutic effects on skin defects should be included in the literature."
We have strong mechanistic evidence—we understand how the growth factors and bioactive compounds in colostrum affect skin cells. We have encouraging clinical results from the studies that exist. We have thousands of years of traditional use suggesting safety and efficacy.
What we need is more large-scale clinical research specifically examining colostrum in cosmetic applications over extended timeframes. The existing evidence is promising, but the field is still developing.
Why This Research Matters for Your Skincare Choices
When I formulated our Colostrum Cream, I reviewed the available research to understand what we could reasonably expect from this ingredient. The evidence pointed clearly to effects on hydration, barrier function, fibroblast activity, and anti-inflammatory response.
That's what we formulated for. Not miraculous overnight transformations, but measurable improvements in skin function supported by published research.
Our colostrum comes from our own Washington State farm, collected within 24 hours of birth when bioactive compound concentrations peak. We process it carefully to preserve the growth factors and immunoglobulins that research shows benefit skin.
The clinical evidence says colostrum supports skin health through well-characterized mechanisms. That's a claim built on research, not marketing.
References
- Kazimierska, K., Erkiert-Polguj, A., & Kalinowska-Lis, U. (2024). The efficacy of a cosmetic preparation containing sheep colostrum on mature skin: A randomized placebo-controlled double-blind study. Applied Sciences, 14(7), 2862. https://doi.org/10.3390/app14072862
- Kshirsagar, A. Y., Vekariya, M. A., Gupta, V., Pednekar, A. S., Mahna, A., Patankar, R., Shaikh, A., & Nagur, B. (2015). A comparative study of colostrum dressing versus conventional dressing in deep wounds. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, 9(4), PC01-PC04. https://doi.org/10.7860/JCDR/2015/12004.5739
- Kazimierska, K., Szabłowska-Gadomska, I., Rudziński, S., Kośla, K., Płuciennik, E., Bobak, Ł., Zambrowicz, A., & Kalinowska-Lis, U. (2024). Biologically active sheep colostrum for topical treatment and skin care. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25(15), 8091. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25158091
- Kim, H., Kim, D. E., Han, G., Lim, N. R., Kim, E. H., Jang, Y., Cho, H., Jang, H., Kim, K. H., Kim, S. H., & Yang, Y. (2022). Harnessing the natural healing power of colostrum: Bovine milk-derived extracellular vesicles from colostrum facilitating the transition from inflammation to tissue regeneration for accelerating cutaneous wound healing. Advanced Healthcare Materials, 11(6), e2102027. https://doi.org/10.1002/adhm.202102027
- Cheng, C. H., Hong, W. J., Li, C. N., Huang, Y. H., Tsai, J. H., Huang, C. Y., Wu, J. C., Kuo, C. Y., & Kuo, W. C. (2025). Colostrum-derived exosomal lactoferrin promotes skin fibroblast regeneration by suppressing inflammatory responses. Cells, 47(7), 549. https://doi.org/10.3390/cimb47070549
- Bolat, E., Sarıtaş, S., Duman, H., Eker, F., Akdaşçi, E., Karav, S., & Witkowska, A. M. (2024). The potential applications of natural colostrum in skin health. Cosmetics, 11(6), 197. https://doi.org/10.3390/cosmetics11060197
- Erkiert-Polguj, A., Kazimierska, K., & Kalinowska-Lis, U. (2024). Assessment of the impact of a cosmetic product with sheep colostrum on acne skin. Applied Sciences, 14(5), 2199. https://doi.org/10.3390/app14052199
- Han, G., Kim, H., Kim, D. E., Ahn, Y., Kim, J., Jang, Y. J., Kim, K., Yang, Y., & Kim, S. H. (2022). The potential of bovine colostrum-derived exosomes to repair aged and damaged skin cells. Pharmaceutics, 14(2), 307. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics14020307
- Takayama, Y., & Mizumachi, K. (2008). Effects of lactoferrin on collagen gel contraction by bovine fibroblasts. Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry, 72(9), 2299-2305.
- Ncube, K. T.,";";"; ";";"; "; &"; (2025). Genomic tools for medicinal properties of goat milk: It's hypoallergenic effect and role in treatment of eczema and psoriasis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 26(3), 893. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26030893
