Wanting to make a milk soap

[CraftyRedhead]

I've been making soap for quite a while, but always with water, tea or coffee. I've been scared of milks due to burning, overheating, spoiling, or being flaky.
So in my research lately I've been seeing a couple different ways to make milk soaps:
1. Replace the water with milk completely.
2. Replace half the water with milk.
3. Use water as normal, add milk to oils.
4. Use water as normal, add milk after light/medium trace.
So is there one that's best? Do they all end up about the same? I'm guessing if you add after the lye water has been made, you don't have the issues with burning it? If I add milk after lye has been dissolved, how to I know how much to add? If I replace the water, is it an even swap? (Say a recipe says to use 15 ounces water, do I keep 15 ounces of milk?) Does it matter if I use vegan milk, like coconut or rice milk?
Sorry so many questions, I want to make a moisturizing soap for a toddler with eczema, I need to get this one right!

 

[snappyllama]

I treat all water replacements the same way (goat milk, coconut milk, aloe water, teas, etc). I don't think the end product changes regardless of the method used. I like a LOT of control so do it so any temperature spikes can be stopped easily. Other folks prefer other methods... it's just a matter of finding what works for you.

If I am doing a full replacement, I freeze the milk first and then slowly add lye to it while stirring all the time. I keep an ice bath handy in case things start to speed up too fast.

If I'm doing a 50% replacement, I add water to lye as normal. When it entirely cools down, I slowly add in slushy-frozen milk. The sugars in milk will heat it back up so I wait for it to cool back down again. I also keep an ice bath handy just in case.

I do a 1:1 weight replacement. If a recipe called for 200 grams of water, I'll sub it out for for 200 grams of milk. I do the same thing for purees, but I keep those to a 50% maximum water substitution. So if I'm adding in pumpkin puree, I'll first combine 100gm of water to lye. Wait to cool. Then add 100gm pumpkin to lye solution. Wait to cool. Add to lye solution to oils.

I replace water in just about every recipe now. My favorites are goat milk and coconut milk for regular bars. It makes such creamy, luxurious feeling lather (coconut milk makes for fluffier bubbles, goat milk makes richer bubbles). For facial-type bars, I like to use calendula tea. Once you get the hang of it, you'll probably end up with a freezer full of mysterious ziplock baggies of odd-colored cubes!

 

[shunt2011]

All my soaps have a water substitute of come kind. However, I like the 50/50 split and then make up the difference with powdered milk or I use evaporated which brings it to 100%. I really like buttermilk, goat milk and coconut milk or 1/2 & 1/2. I add my milk to my oils and then add the cooled lye mixture.

 

[lionprincess00]

I split water amount with heavy cream, add the milk after I add lye water to the oils. Cream is so high in fat, it doesn't need full milk for me.
Goats milk, I use concentrate in the can. Add to oils after I add lye water. Split 50/50 on the water. Concentrate plus water equals full GM! Works for me. Many do powdered milk also to get full milk soaps.

 

[loopyloop]

Freeze the milk . You will be fine. If anything, the the lye milk temperature will struggle to reach 80 degrees. No need to split half half and thus dilute with water.

 

[cmzaha]

All my soaps have a water substitute of come kind. However, I like the 50/50 split and then make up the difference with powdered milk or I use evaporated which brings it to 100%. I really like buttermilk, goat milk and coconut milk or 1/2 & 1/2. I add my milk to my oils and then add the cooled lye mixture.

I do it exactly the same way and it works like a charm

Freeze the milk . You will be fine. If anything, the the lye milk temperature will struggle to reach 80 degrees. No need to split half half and thus dilute with water.

Not always true and you take the chance of not all the lye dissolving. It can also still heat after the frozen milk is totally dissolved, especially if you do not pour it immediately. I find it I am going to do it this way I will have the milk at the slush point and put the container in an ice bucket. I have tried all ways and Shunt's way is the most stable.

 

[lsg]

The easiest way I have found is to use cream as half the liquid. Dissolve the lye in water and add the cream at thin trace. I have also used frozen milk, but you have to add the lye a little at a time, stirring constantly. I always strain this mixture to make sure there is no undissolved lye in my soap.

 

[navigator9]

It's been my experience that the 50/50 method avoids a lot of problems.

 

[CraftyRedhead]

I'm sorry, I'm still confused! Many of you use 50/50, but then I'm seeing to add milk into oils or trace. Does that mean that if the recipe calls for 10 ounces of water, you dissolve lye into 5 ounces of water, then add oils and 5 ounces milk?

 

[Obsidian]

I too use 50% milk added to the oils, never have any issues.

I'm sorry, I'm still confused! Many of you use 50/50, but then I'm seeing to add milk into oils or trace. Does that mean that if the recipe calls for 10 ounces of water, you dissolve lye into 5 ounces of water, then add oils and 5 ounces milk?

Yep, I use just enough water to dissolve the lye then the rest is milk added to oils.

 

[CraftyRedhead]

Thank you! I feel like such a newbie!!!

 

[seven]

Freeze the milk . You will be fine. If anything, the the lye milk temperature will struggle to reach 80 degrees. No need to split half half and thus dilute with water.

I do it exactly the same way and it works like a charm


Not always true and you take the chance of not all the lye dissolving. It can also still heat after the frozen milk is totally dissolved, especially if you do not pour it immediately. I find it I am going to do it this way I will have the milk at the slush point and put the container in an ice bucket. I have tried all ways and Shunt's way is the most stable.

i agree with Carolyn. in fact, just yesterday, i was making a batch with the full substitute method. frozen goat milk. i was being impatient, dump all the lye at once, then i went to prepare my oils. when i came back, the mixture was getting pretty warm, bright yellow in color (almost burnt!). lucky i strained my lye coz there they were, at the bottom of the pitcher, some undissolved ones. i quickly put some water to take care of the problem.

so yeah, the full sub method does requires patience. you add the lye bit by bit, and put the pitcher in an ice bath. milk has fat in it, so the lye will start to saponify the fat once it's in. gotta use it immediately.

 

[lsg]

With the 50/50 method you can add the milk/cream to the oils or to the soap mixture at thin trace.

 

[JayBird]

I use cream, and I put it in at trace, because it seems to stink up the house a lot less. When I added it the lye, my house reeked. Just my experience.

 

[AMyers]

I use frozen milk, with an ice bath to control temp. I tried the add milk to oils method once And my soap traced super fast! I had no time fo colors or scents!
For me, the extra time involved for frozen is absolutely worth it.

 

[lionprincess00]

I'm sorry, I'm still confused! Many of you use 50/50, but then I'm seeing to add milk into oils or trace. Does that mean that if the recipe calls for 10 ounces of water, you dissolve lye into 5 ounces of water, then add oils and 5 ounces milk?

Yes, this is exactly what I do.10 oz water, 4.85 ounces lye, I use a 1:1 ratio at the very least and would do 5 oz water to 4.85 oz lye, mix well and be careful! It's super concentrated lye water and gets very hot! I've added sugar to boost bubbles to the water before adding lye, and dissolved, and this super concentrated amount turn golden yellow from heating the sugar so much. Full water won't do this, so remember it's hot!

I pour lye water into oils, stick blend a tad, and add my refrigerated cold milk to the pot. This is the 5 oz I left out of my total water amount.

I don't dump the milk at trace, though, I do it after I dump the lye water and stick blend a couple times. I keep a big bowl of ice mixed with a little water to put my bowl of soapy mix into to keep it cooler so it doesn't turn orange, stink and over heat too fast. It slows it down enough to work colors and designs, otherwise I panic it's getting too hot lol. It probably isn't that fast, but this method works for me

 

[HerbalEarthling]

Once you get the hang of it, you'll probably end up with a freezer full of mysterious ziplock baggies of odd-colored cubes!

I don't know I haven't thought to just do a bunch of things ahead of time. Thank you for the inspiration! Now I know what I'm doing with my Sunday off.