It started in 1971 in the mountains of Spain.

I was a young girl living in England, spending summers exploring the Spanish countryside with my grandparents. They took me there at least once a year.  Barcelona, Benadorm, Madrid. That's where I first fell in love with donkeys — sturdy, soulful, magnificent creatures navigating mountain terrain with grace. I even competed in the Spanish Donkey Derby that year — and I have the diploma to prove it.

I had no idea that fifty years later, the donkey would come full circle and change my life in the most unexpected way.

Thirty Years of Suffering

For three decades, I battled severe skin allergies — particularly on my shoulders. As someone with long hair, every shampoo and conditioner I tried triggered reactions that no dermatologist could solve. I tried the strongest cortisone prescriptions available. Nothing worked. I learned to manage, to cope, to accept that this was simply my life.

Then, three months ago, my son walked into a little artisan shop on Granville Island in Vancouver called Provence en Couleur. He saw donkey milk soap on the shelf and thought of me — his mum who had talked about donkeys and her love of them his entire life. He mentioned my skin allergies to the owner, a Frenchman with a deep passion for what he sells. And that conversation changed everything.

The owner knew exactly what donkey milk could do. My son brought it for his mother in Calgary as a gift. I went to Vancouver for a business meeting, Brandon presented me with the beautiful gift bag. The Donkey soap was so cute I didn't want to use it. I took it home. I decided I would use the soap and cream, And within 20 minutes, my skin was healed-  not in seconds but literally 20 minutes. 20 minutes and no itch. Life changing.  I can count on if there is an itch - 20 minutes and extreme relief.  No itch at all

After thirty years — it was gone.

I want to be clear — Provence en Couleur has no idea I’m writing this. They owe me nothing and I owe them everything. This is simply a mother’s gratitude, and an honest recommendation from my heart. If you’re ever on Granville Island, go. Just go.

Please know that DK Beauty and Deborah Jacklin are not affiliated with Provence en Couleur. This is purely a personal recommendation, from my heart.

Why Donkey Milk Works — The Science Behind the Magic

This isn't folklore. There is real science behind why donkey milk is exceptional for allergy-prone and reactive skin:

• Natural Antihistamine — Donkey milk has natural antihistamine properties, helping to calm allergic skin reactions. For those who suffer from contact allergies and sensitivities, this is a game changer.
• Naturally Hypoallergenic — Its molecular structure closely mirrors human breast milk, making it extraordinarily well-tolerated by sensitive skin.
• Low in Casein — Casein is the protein in dairy that triggers most milk-based allergies. Donkey milk contains significantly less casein than cow's or goat's milk, dramatically reducing the risk of flare-ups.
• Skin-Matching pH — Its pH level is almost identical to human skin, allowing it to cleanse without stripping natural oils or disrupting the skin's protective acid mantle.
• Nutrient-Dense — Packed with vitamins A, B, C, D, and E, ceramides, and proteins that actively repair and strengthen a damaged skin barrier.
• Natural Antimicrobial Properties — Contains lysozyme and lactoferrin, which calm inflammation and protect skin from infection.

For thirty years, no prescription touched what nature had already solved.

Full Circle — In Every Sense

I am now hand-pouring and moulding Donkey Milk Soap Bars from my own home on our acreage — in a donkey mould, naturally. 🫏

My husband and I moved to our acreage with a purpose — so I could finally have a donkey of my own. After falling in love with them in the mountains of Spain as a child, after riding them countless times on those summer trips, I never stopped loving them. Now one will call our land home.

And the milk of this magnificent, misunderstood animal — the most expensive milk in the world — healed thirty years of skin allergies that no doctor could touch.

I am also a wildlife artist, and as I turn 60 this year, I am embracing a new chapter — slowing down into the things that truly light me up. Art. Nature. Donkeys. And the quiet, healing ritual of hand-crafting something beautiful from scratch.

This is Deborah J Creations. Deborah, born in England.  Love of the Donkey Born in Spain. Business Built in Canada. And, in the end .... Healed by a Donkey. 🫏

Deborah (Bailey) Jacklin is the founder of DK Beauty, Canada's premier professional nail and beauty supplier since 1999, a wildlife artist, and the creator of Deborah J Creations artisan donkey milk soap — hand-poured on her Alberta acreage.