If you've spent any time searching for skincare that actually works—especially if your skin runs sensitive, reactive, or just perpetually unhappy—you've probably encountered a dizzying alphabet soup of ingredients. Hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, retinol, AHAs, BHAs... the list goes on. But there's one ingredient that rarely makes the trending lists, despite being fundamental to healthy skin: MSM.
Here on our Washington State farm, MSM isn't just another ingredient we toss into formulas because it sounds impressive. It's in every single product we make, from our Face Cream to our Muscle Cream. And there's a very good reason for that.
The Basics: What Exactly Is MSM?
MSM stands for methylsulfonylmethane. I know—it's a mouthful. But here's what matters: MSM is an organic sulfur compound that occurs naturally in plants, animals, and yes, humans. It's found in foods like leafy greens, tomatoes, and certain grains, though modern farming and food processing have significantly reduced how much we actually get through diet.
Think of sulfur as one of the building blocks your body uses to construct and maintain healthy tissue. It's the fourth most abundant mineral in your body, and your skin, hair, and nails are particularly sulfur-hungry. Without adequate sulfur, your body struggles to produce collagen and keratin—the proteins responsible for skin's firmness, elasticity, and overall structural integrity.
Why Your Skin Might Be Sulfur-Depleted
Here's something that doesn't get talked about enough: most of us aren't getting the sulfur our bodies need.
Modern agricultural practices have depleted sulfur from soil. Food processing destroys much of what remains. And unless you're eating a remarkably diverse, whole-food diet heavy in cruciferous vegetables and alliums (onions, garlic), you're probably running a deficit.
Your skin shows it. That persistent dryness that no amount of moisturizer seems to fix? The dullness that makes you look tired even when you're not? The fine lines that appeared seemingly overnight? These can all be signs that your skin lacks the raw materials it needs to rebuild and repair itself.
When customers tell us things like "my skin hates everything" or "I've tried everything and nothing works," we've learned to listen for what's underneath that frustration. Often, their skin isn't actually difficult—it's depleted.
What MSM Does for Your Skin
MSM works on multiple levels, which is part of what makes it so effective for such a wide range of skin concerns.
Supporting Collagen Production: Your body needs sulfur to synthesize collagen. Without it, collagen production slows, and existing collagen breaks down faster than it can be replaced. MSM provides the sulfur your body needs to keep that collagen factory running.
Reducing Inflammation: MSM has been studied for its anti-inflammatory properties. For skin that's perpetually irritated, red, or reactive, this matters enormously. Inflammation isn't just uncomfortable—it accelerates aging and prevents your skin from healing properly.
Improving Permeability: MSM can help make cell membranes more permeable, which means nutrients get in more easily and waste products get out. Think of it as improving your skin's ability to both nourish itself and detoxify.
Supporting the Skin Barrier: That protective outer layer of your skin needs sulfur to maintain its integrity. A compromised skin barrier leads to moisture loss, sensitivity, and vulnerability to environmental damage.
The Athletic Connection
I'll be honest about why MSM became non-negotiable in our formulations: our family.
With four college athletes in our household—two competing at the Division I NCAA level—we've seen firsthand what physical training does to the body. The inflammation. The soreness. The skin that takes a beating from sweat, friction, and environmental exposure.
MSM showed up in our lives first as a supplement for joint health. Athletes have used it for decades to support recovery and reduce exercise-induced inflammation. But as we developed our skincare line, we started asking: if MSM helps with inflammation internally, what could it do topically?
The answer, we discovered, was significant. Our Muscle Cream and Active Cream both feature MSM prominently, and the feedback from athletes—runners, weightlifters, CrossFit enthusiasts, weekend warriors—has been remarkable. "Works like magic, reducing recovery time and minimizes soreness," one customer told us. That's the kind of result that confirms we're on the right track.
MSM and Goat Milk: Why They Work Together
You might wonder why we pair MSM with goat milk in every formula. It comes down to synergy.
Goat milk's natural lactic acid gently exfoliates, helping remove the dead skin cells that can block absorption. Its pH closely matches human skin, so it doesn't disrupt your acid mantle the way many products do. And its fat molecules are small enough to penetrate effectively, carrying beneficial compounds deeper into the skin.
When you combine goat milk's delivery capabilities with MSM's sulfur content, you get an ingredient partnership that actually makes sense. The goat milk helps the MSM reach where it needs to go. The MSM provides the building blocks your skin needs to repair and strengthen itself.
It's not complicated. It's not trendy. It's just good formulation based on what actually works.
What to Expect When You Start Using MSM
Unlike some skincare ingredients that promise overnight transformation (and rarely deliver), MSM works gradually. It's providing your skin with raw materials, not forcing dramatic surface-level changes.
Most people notice their skin feels calmer first—less reactive, less easily irritated. Then comes improved texture and tone as your skin starts rebuilding with adequate sulfur supplies. Over time, you may notice better elasticity and resilience.
If you're coming from a place of chronic irritation—if you're someone whose "face felt like it was on fire" after trying supposedly gentle products—MSM-based skincare offers something different. It's not about aggressive actives or dramatic peels. It's about giving your skin what it's been missing.
The Bottom Line
MSM isn't glamorous. It doesn't have the marketing buzz of retinol or the trendy appeal of whatever ingredient is dominating social media this month. But it's fundamental.
Every product we make on our Washington State farm contains MSM because we believe in formulating with ingredients that actually support skin health at a foundational level. Combined with our fresh goat milk and other carefully chosen ingredients, MSM helps create skincare that doesn't just sit on your skin's surface—it provides the building blocks for genuine improvement.
Your skin isn't asking for miracles. It's asking for the raw materials it needs to do what it already knows how to do: heal, protect, and renew itself. MSM is one of those essential materials.
