Soaped with Cows milk?

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I've used powdered buttermilk, added to oils. It was really nice. And less expensive than GM although that's on my wish list. I've heard cream is nice too.
 
I don't have access to goats milk, but have a dairy farmer friend and can get fresh cow's milk. It is great. I have used storebought too and it comes out well also. I've tried yogurt, sour cream, buttermilk and heavy cream and they all work, but I decided yogurt and sourcream are more pain than they are worth for me. Have fun!
 
I've used powdered CM added at light trace. I mix lye and oils at room temp, and no insulation, it results in white bar of soap and it feel really nice on the skin
 
I've used whole milk with coconut milk, half and half, heavy cream, by itself and one batch split between heavy cream and whole milk. I haven't tried evaporated milk, but I don't see why it wouldn't work. I usually add my milks at trace. I like the luxuriousness (sp?) that milk adds to the bar, it also seems to make the bars harden quicker.
 
I tried this and I am very disapointed I hope we can still use the batch. I started out with the cows milk and when we added the lye the liquid mixture (milk and lye) turned a rusty orange color. I still added the oils and all but the whole batc looks orange. I was hoping for a nice white ceramy looking soap.

What happened? WHat did I do wrong? I would like to do better next time.
 
jeffsangie said:
I tried this and I am very disapointed I hope we can still use the batch. I started out with the cows milk and when we added the lye the liquid mixture (milk and lye) turned a rusty orange color. I still added the oils and all but the whole batc looks orange. I was hoping for a nice white ceramy looking soap.

What happened? WHat did I do wrong? I would like to do better next time.
\
Milk has natural sugars. The orange you saw was the sugar caramelizing.
If you want a cream color soap, mix your lye with minimum water required. Then as soon as your lye water and oils are mixed, add the rest (of the water) as milk. If you don't gel, the soap will be light, but not white.
 
jeffsangie said:
So I should add the milk last after the oils?

Would the orange soap still be ok to use?
Yes. Add the milk after you mix your oils and lye water, but before trace. The orange soap should be fine to use. It will most likely mellow out to some sort of beige.
 
You can freeze the milk and then add the lye, add the oils. I use heavy whipping cream for my Milk and Roses soap. It's of course rose scented, pink and has fresh dried(from my garden)roses on top.

I think the cream is almost as good as goat's milk but I also add lanolin to my goat's milk soap. LOVE!!!!! milk soaps.

Haven't tried CM yet but that's going to be my next batch as soon as I can start lifting- Had my bicept tendon reattached and can't lift for 6 weeks.
 
I made the mistake of putting cling wrap over the top of the milk carton (my mould) & I have soft dark gel coming out the top. It is now unwrapped & in the fridge.

The remainder is in heart spaced moulds not insulated, no gel that I can see.
 
i love using soymilk in my soaps. always add it to the mix before trace and it usually speeds things up, but it makes the soaps very creamy! i also love buttermilk soaps.
 
Sorry, should have mentioned that I usually half the liquid, mix my lye with half the water and then add the milk half at trace. It keeps it from turning orange, but, sometimes, does turn tan or beige. I don't wrap these soaps up, in the summer I usually put them in the freezer or fridge, since then can heat up pretty fast, I take them out after a couple of hours. I don't think I've made milk soap in the winter, you might have to cover it until it starts with gel and then I unwrap it so it doesn't overheat. Good luck.
 
the orange colour is not likely to go away, but if there is an ammonia smell just wait it out; it will go away. Eventually. Wait. Wait. And then use it for Hallowe'en soaps next year :wink:

One way to keep the lye solution paler in colour is to have it in an ice bath, add the water amount first, then when the lye has cooled quite a bit add a frozen cube of goats' milk at a time (I freeze my GM in an ice-cube tray then plop it all in a ziplock baggie in the freezer until I weigh out what I need) and stir until it has melted, then add the next etc.

Milk soaps are creamy loveliness.
HTH
 

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