[bettie32]

I do agree that you cannot target where estrogen will go to an extent.  I do think that it works like most creams/ointments/salves that people buy for various reasons:  "apply directly to the affected area".  If you have chest congestion, you don't put vicks on your legs   .  Yes, anything that you put on the skin is going to be absorbed and distributed through your bloodstream, although it will be in smaller amounts.  Kind of like if you put a garlic clove in your sock to fight infection and go about your day.  Eventually, you will taste garlic in your mouth because it has circulated throughout your body, but your foot will have a strong spicy smell!    Plus, estrogen stores in fat i.e. boobs, belly, and butt which is why I would not apply any phytoestrogen topical to my stomach.  I think what it comes down to is the individual themselves and their active estrogen receptors, which is why some people gain butt from taking phytoestrogen supplements or gain breasts from a "booty pill".  I like to think estrogen receptors in the body like passengers at train stations.  Maybe station #1(breasts) has a handful of passengers but station #2(butt) has a lot of passengers.  The train(phytoestrogen supplement) says there aren't enough passengers at station #1 to make this trip worth it, I'm going to skip it and go straight to station #2.  So with topicals, you're basically forcing the train to go to station #1 and hope that in time, more and more passengers show up until you have an equal distribution of traffic between both stations.  I hope that made some type of sense, I'm in the middle of cooking.

Thank you for your thorough reply, RubyM!  Yes, you're right, vicks won't help you breathe better if you put it on your legs lol 
It doesn't contain phytoestrogens though....phytoestrogens are quite powerful. So yeah, it depends on the substance being applied on the skin. Something like cocoa butter or shea butter obviously will just make the skin softer wherever you apply it but phytoestrogens....their work is much "deeper". I actually got scared the other month when I tried out essential oils (some of them can affect your hormones, I recently discovered this by the way). I applied some on my wrist (forgot to dilute it too  ) and it gave me palpitations. Some women have claimed that they got their periods with certain essential oils. Proves how certain substances go through your skin, through your blood, enter your system and.....that's why one needs to be very cautious with certain topicals.

Wow, I didn't know that garlic could do that?? Incredible....one should never underestimate things. Even a vegetable. Actually it's a bulb/plant, but still...

Exactly, it depends on the individual. Some get bigger boobs, some get bigger butts or both by ingesting phytoestrogens. As for topicals, I like your train metaphor! Come to think of it, I've never heard of anyone growing a bigger butt from using a breast cream (on their breast). You might be able to grow a bigger butt from using a breast cream on it though   Though to be honest, I dunno if those butt creams work...