For skin that's been through as much as psoriatic skin has—the inflammation, the rapid turnover, the cracking and scaling—sometimes what's needed isn't aggressive treatment but gentle, consistent nurturing. Products that provide raw materials. Formulations that don't trigger. Skincare that works with your skin rather than demanding more from it.

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.

MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) provides bioavailable sulfur that your body can readily use for these synthesis processes. Unlike some sulfur sources, MSM is well-absorbed and has been shown to support collagen production in research settings.

For MSM, the delivery system matters. Our formulations pair MSM with fresh goat milk, which supports absorption and provides complementary benefits. MSM in a poor vehicle may not reach the layers where it can do the most good.

What MSM offers is genuine, gradual improvement without irritation, sensitivity, or lifestyle restrictions. For many people—especially those who can't use retinol—this is exactly what they need.

MSM and goat milk form the functional foundation of our products. We add other supportive ingredients where appropriate, but we don't chase ingredient lists. We focus on combinations that work synergistically, where each component enhances the others.

The MSM-colostrum combination addresses inflammaging from multiple angles. The anti-inflammatory effects of both ingredients help calm this chronic process. The regenerative support from colostrum helps repair damage. The structural support from MSM helps rebuild what's been lost.

Topical MSM delivers the compound directly to skin, where it can be absorbed and utilized without systemic distribution diluting its concentration. For skin-specific concerns—inflammation, barrier support, collagen production in the skin itself—topical application provides more targeted delivery.

MSM itself may be gentle, but an MSM product loaded with fragrance, irritating preservatives, or harsh alcohols will still cause problems. The sensitizer doesn't have to be MSM—it can be anything else in the formula.

The athletes who recover best aren't the ones who do nothing all week and then spend hours on recovery modalities before competition. They're the ones who incorporate recovery into their daily routine—proper sleep, good nutrition, active recovery, and yes, topical support for stressed tissues.

Eczema involves a compromised skin barrier. The protective outer layer that normally keeps moisture in and irritants out doesn't function properly. This creates a vicious cycle: irritants penetrate easily, causing inflammation; inflammation further damages the barrier; the damaged barrier lets in more irritants.

That's why every product we make on our Washington State farm contains MSM. It's why we formulate with absorption in mind, using fresh goat milk as our base. And it's why athletes and non-athletes alike tell us they feel a difference they didn't get from supplements alone.

What MSM can do is support your skin's overall health and function, potentially reducing the frequency and severity of breakouts for mild to moderate acne. It can provide a gentler maintenance approach for skin that's responded to treatment but still breaks out occasionally. And it can offer support during the healing phase, helping breakouts resolve faster and with less hyperpigmentation.

MSM-based skincare offers something different: ingredients that support without triggering, formulations that strengthen without irritating, and products developed with genuine understanding of what reactive skin needs.

The benefits of MSM come from consistent use, not occasional application. Each use supports recovery and builds on previous applications. Over time, the accumulated benefit becomes substantial—more resilient skin, faster recovery, better overall skin health.

Athletes talk about recovery in terms of muscle soreness, joint health, and getting back to training. What rarely makes the conversation is skin—despite the fact that athletic skin takes a beating every single day.

MSM offers a different approach to scar management—not by erasing scars overnight (nothing does that), but by supporting the biological processes that determine how scars form and mature over time.

Dermatology has become increasingly evidence-based over recent decades. Professional organizations publish guidelines based on systematic reviews of research, and practitioners are trained to evaluate ingredient claims critically. This environment is hostile to hype but receptive to genuine evidence.

While MSM occurs naturally throughout the environment, concentrations vary widely. The MSM in rainwater is measured in micrograms per liter—far too dilute to provide meaningful skincare benefits. The MSM in raw foods is more substantial but still relatively low compared to what's therapeutically useful.

A skincare ingredient is only useful if it can reach the cells that need it. MSM's small molecular size and amphiphilic nature (meaning it's somewhat soluble in both water and oil) allow it to penetrate the skin's outer layer.

At Artisan The Goat, we include MSM in every formula because the research supports its value. But we combine it with other beneficial ingredients—fresh goat milk, botanical extracts, nourishing oils—because no single ingredient does everything. Good formulation means combining ingredients that complement each other's effects.

Other creams might contain arnica or MSM, but suspending these ingredients in goat milk rather than water or synthetic bases changes how they interact with your skin. It's one of our key differentiators as a goat milk skincare company.

Natural muscle cream isn't a replacement for proper training, nutrition, and rest. It's a tool that supports your body's own recovery mechanisms—enhanced circulation, appropriate inflammation resolution, and tissue maintenance—without the chemical burden of synthetic alternatives.

Your skin isn't designed to let things in easily. That's good news for protecting you from environmental toxins, bacteria, and other unwanted substances. But it creates a challenge for skincare: how do beneficial compounds cross this protective barrier?

There's no wrong choice. Face Cream is excellent for daily moisture and gentle skin support. Colostrum Cream is excellent for intensive treatment and anti-aging concerns. The right choice is the one that matches your current skin needs and concerns.

There's a yellow flowering plant that's been used for thousands of years to address exactly these concerns. It grows in the mountainous regions of Europe and Siberia, and today you'll find it in North America too. It's called Arnica Montana, and if you haven't heard of it yet, you're about to discover why professional athletes and weekend warriors alike have made it a staple in their gym bags.

When you use arnica, particularly arnica formulated thoughtfully with complementary ingredients like fresh goat milk and MSM, you're giving your body natural support for the recovery process. You're working with your physiology, not against it. And over time, that makes all the difference.

Studies explored arnica's effects on inflammatory pathways, examining how its compounds interact with cellular processes involved in healing and recovery. Germany's Commission E conducted formal evaluations and approved arnica for external use on bruises, sprains, and rheumatic complaints—a significant validation in a country known for rigorous herbal medicine standards.

Here on our Washington State farm, we've raised two Division I NCAA track and field athletes and watched them navigate the constant tension between training hard and staying healthy. What we've learned is that injury prevention isn't just about stretching and strength work. It's about treating your whole body—including your skin—as part of a connected system.