First time milk soap

[Sunaelurus]

I will be doing my first milk soap tomorrow. I'm freezing the milk, at which temperature should I soap the lye/milk and oils at? I will be putting in freezer afterward. Any other tips or tricks?

 

[lpstephy85]

I would suggest room temperature for your lye and oils. I think I have seen some people soap at higher temps and though they said they put it in the freezer they still had some overheating.

 

[lsg]

Make sure that you add the lye to the frozen milk a little at a time, stirring constantly. Keep stirring even after you think the lye may be dissolved. When using frozen milk, I alway strain the lye/milk solution before adding it to my oils. That way any undissolved lye will go into the strainer and not you soap. Good luck with your soap. Please post a picture after you cut it.

 

[Sunaelurus]

Thanks, ISG, I will. By the way, I'm using camel milk.

 

[Dorymae]

Freeze your mold - take it out right before you pour.

 

[nebetmiw]

I do not freeze my milk I just refrigerated. I put the container that I mix it in , into ice water. It keeps temperature down on the lye milk

 

[bhelen]

All my soaps are milk soaps, and though I have only been soaping since September, I think I can already say that the temperature of your lye and oils depends on what oils you are using. I started off with a high percentage of olive oil plus a bit of coconut and palm, and soaping at room temperature was just fine. When I changed my recipe because I still found it slimy and drying, I upped the palm oil content and added a bit of castor. Suddenly room temperature didn't work for me any more. The cool lye was re-solidifying the palm oil as soon as it hit it.

I don't claim to have the answers because my results are still very hit and miss. Just wanted to say that any small change in any variable can produce a dramatically different result. Good luck! I love my milk soaps and have no desire currently to make soap with water!