Goats milk and soap making for beginner.

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So this is the recipe I am going to use. I am going to use water and milk 50/50. Now how long do I need to let it cure?

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At least 6 weeks. I strongly suggest that you wash your hands with a piece at one week, at 2 weeks, etc so you can observe the progression.

I made some felted soap this weekend with some old soaps. They were 2 years old. And OMG the lather was so rich and gentle. Amazing.
 
So I have been reading on the forum about how the water as precept of oil weight will add extra water to the recipe and affect hardness. But using the water to lye ratio is better for more accurate weights.
 
Islamic customers avoid lard not beef tallow. Our son-in-law has no problem with beef tallow but won't touch lard.

I stand corrected regarding the lard. However, have read that if the tallow comes from improperly slaughtered cattle (or tallow tainted with lard) that it is assumed to be impure and not to be used. Reference.

Anyway, thank you for your clarification.
 
So my first batch is curing. I learned at lot! Like don't start measuring your oils out at 10:30 at night. Little batches use little amounts and it's hard to be dead on lol took me a while but I figured it out. I only took one picture so far. And I had way to many molds in my box. And I filled some a little to full. But hey its my first time and I am pretty darn proud of it. :)

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Lovely soaps. There isn't anything exciting as your first batch!
 
I don't know what the chemical name of saponified fish oil would be, but I doubt I'd be running across that very often.

My guess would be sodium salmonate, sodium mackerelate, sodium herringate, etc. But you're right, I seriously doubt we'd be running across any of that very often. How on earth do you cover up the smell?? I used to give the dogs salmon oil and had to stop because it stunk up the house.
 
My guess would be sodium salmonate, sodium mackerelate, sodium herringate, etc. But you're right, I seriously doubt we'd be running across any of that very often. How on earth do you cover up the smell?? I used to give the dogs salmon oil and had to stop because it stunk up the house.

Some some pets, it's worth it. I used to give some salmon oil for my cat before I had to re-home her. She HATED it but it helped with the hairballs. Sure, I could have given her a chicken wing tip but I can't fry to save my life.
 
So I tried my soap and I love it. It stays hard and lathers really well. But it seems to dry my hands out some. What can I add to my recipe to prevent my hands from getting so dry.
 
So I tried my soap and I love it. It stays hard and lathers really well. But it seems to dry my hands out some. What can I add to my recipe to prevent my hands from getting so dry.

Hi there : )
First, did you end up with the recipe you posted a picture of on page 3? The one with 20% coconutoil? Or did you go for the first one in page 1?

I tried to read the recipe on page 3, but it is almost impossible for me to see what your SF is, but it either looks like 1% or 3%? If that is correct it is to low in my book, at least if it is 1% only. But some may disagree. It may be that the SF is to low for 20% CO.

Also, you had a lot of Sheabutter in there, did you add 30% or am I seing it wrong? That is a huge ammount. And unless it adds something you can not be without, you can safely drop it to 5 or 8%. Some use 10%, but for many it ends there. Of course if you reallly like it that high no one can say you shouldn`t add that much, so no worries! That is the beauty of personal recipes.

But if you get dry from the soap it seems all that sheabutter aren`t combatting the issue of you being dry, so either the SF is to lo low for a cleansing value of 14, or you may be sensitive to CO.

Or I am way off on all accounts and someone will correct me : P

ETA: The soap looks so clean and lovely, a tempting piece of soap for shure : )
 
You posted a pic of the soap on the 7th, so I'm assuming it was made on that day, or maybe a day or two earlier. If so...GIVE IT TIME. Make a final decision about that recipe NO SOONER than 6 weeks. 8 is even better.

But of course no reason not to go ahead and try a different recipe. Just in case. :)
 
I stand corrected regarding the lard. However, have read that if the tallow comes from improperly slaughtered cattle (or tallow tainted with lard) that it is assumed to be impure and not to be used. Reference.

Anyway, thank you for your clarification.
that's right , but the way they slather their animals is so cruel is better not to know. I make two no lard or tallow soaps for my Muslim customers, I have a lot of woman to come pick up my creams:)
 
I made it three days prior. And I used a tiny amount the third day. Now a week later I used it in the shower and it only makes my hands dry. The rest of me is fine. So I don't know if my hands are sensitive or what it is.
I forgot the say what I used....
Avocado oil 5%
Caster oil 5%
Coconut oil 20%
Olive oil pumice 20%
Rice bran oil 20%
Shear butter 30%
Sf was 3%
 
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If that is the case I stand by my initial thoughts, but will add this: If it only "cured" 3 days before you used it the first time, the soap is so fresh it is in no shape or form ready to be used. The poor piece of soap had barely enough time to saponify before you used it. That may be the reason why your hands feel dry.

I like to think of a piece of soap as a piece of fruit, like an apple.

Btw, this is what I say to those who drool over my soaps that only had been curing for two weeks, and don`t understand why they cant just take one home with them, then and there[/I];

When you first make the soap it is like a tiny unripened piece of apple. It may look like an apple, but it is very bitter, hard, taste absolutely terrible, leaves your mouth feel dry and sore, and it is very small in size. You don`t pluck them to use in an apple pie, you will get a stomach ache. You absolutely have to wait.

After you have given the apples time to ripen, they have turned into juicy, delishious, moist pieces of fruit that makes the tastebuds dance of joy, while the juice runs down your chin. Now you can use them in an apple pie with confidence.

It is totally worth the wait, because until the transformation is complete - the soap - or apple - will never be able to show you from its best side.[

We have all been new at one point, so understandably it is difficult to wait for it to get ready. But I guess that is why farmers have more than one tree. They have many. So the only way to endure the waiting period is to make more soap, and practie putting together recipes.

Best of luck.
 
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