Few have seen how Tibetan yak milk soap is made. Here’s a rare look

Tibet has one of the harshest climates in the world. The air is cold and dry, while the high elevation leaves people exposed to strong sunlight.

To cope, Tibetans have for generations been using yak milk and butter to protect their skin.

The hearty yak has been indispensable to people living on the Tibetan Plateau, where inhospitable conditions mean few animals can survive.

Yak wool is used to make clothes, blankets, and tents, while the milk and butter are part of people’s daily diets.

They’re also used for skin protection. Traditionally, Tibetans would take dollops of yak butter, which is the soft layer of protein that forms when milk is boiled, and apply it directly on dry and sunburnt skin.

The milk’s high fat content works as a natural moisturiser, helping to soothe sunburns and skin dryness, according to Dolma Lhamo. She runs Kadhak Organics, a soap-making social enterprise in Garzê, a Tibetan region in southwestern China.