GM soaps don't have to end up tan. I used to suck at milk soaping until I started using the 'split method', which allows me to make GM soaps that are only slightly off-white (ivory), even when fully gelled.
With the split method, my lye and milk never come into contact with each other until after I pour the lye solution into my oils. Basically, I use a 50% lye/water solution (the lye amount for my batch is mixed with an equal amount of water), and then I use fresh, refrigerated Meyenberg GM (i.e., not the canned stuff) as the rest of the water amount for my batch. I stick-blend the milk into my oils either right before or just after adding in the 50% lye solution. This will make about a 30% milk soap or so, depending on the overall lye concentration for my batch.
In order to make a 100% GM soap via the split method, I fortify my fresh milk quotient with enough GM powder to bring it to the proper concentration for a 100% milk soap. Then I stick-blend it into my oils as above- either before or just after I've added in my lye solution.
It's so easy and it works like a charm. I'll no longer do it any other way.
IrishLass
With the split method, my lye and milk never come into contact with each other until after I pour the lye solution into my oils. Basically, I use a 50% lye/water solution (the lye amount for my batch is mixed with an equal amount of water), and then I use fresh, refrigerated Meyenberg GM (i.e., not the canned stuff) as the rest of the water amount for my batch. I stick-blend the milk into my oils either right before or just after adding in the 50% lye solution. This will make about a 30% milk soap or so, depending on the overall lye concentration for my batch.
In order to make a 100% GM soap via the split method, I fortify my fresh milk quotient with enough GM powder to bring it to the proper concentration for a 100% milk soap. Then I stick-blend it into my oils as above- either before or just after I've added in my lye solution.
It's so easy and it works like a charm. I'll no longer do it any other way.
IrishLass