Milk soap

[FrayGrants]

Hey all I recently tried out some goats milk soap that a friend bought for me and I thought to myself, wow this is better than the soap I make. With that being said I decided that I should try my hand at making some. So I did some light research on the subject and there appears to be several techniques and various milks used in soap and was curious what method you all use.

I know that you can freeze the milk and slowly add the lye to prevent scorching. I also know that you can use half the water in your lye solution and add the other half as milk to your oils. I was curious if you can make your lye solution with full water, let it cool, and add powdered milk to the solution without it scorching?

Finally, are there any other methods that you use or are aware of that are simple and easy, preferably use all milk and no water, and don't require freezing the milk? Can you point me in the right direction? Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[Relle]

I use full milk, freeze it, then add lye, never had any problems.You probably just need to decide if you want to use all milk, part water part milk or powdered milk. I haven't used powdered milk as it's too expensive here.If you type into the search bar - goats milk soap there are tons of threads about it where others have shared their experience making it.

 

[TheGecko]

Yes, there are several ways you can make GMS. There is fresh from the goat milk, there is goat milk from the heath food section at the grocery store, there is canned evaporated goat milk from the baking aisle and there is powdered goat milk. It should be noted that the evaporated goat milk will produce a slightly darker bar...a very light tan as opposed to cream, it's just the nature of using evaporated GM.

Powdered GM is still GM with all the sugars and fats so the sugars will still react with even cooled Lye Solution and potentially scorch. You can of course experiment by making some test Solutions...seeing how cold the Lye Solution must be, how much GMP you can add at a time, and how well it mixes up. If you are concerned about it clumping when adding it to your oils, you can take some of the water designated for your Lye Solution and add it to the GM and make a bit of a paste and then add it.

I started out using Evaporated Goat Milk, 100% water replacement. My first batch was...disgusting to say the least. I had frozen the GM, but didn't use an Ice Bath and then I treated it like it was regular soap...wrapped it up and put it in the garage...in July. It overheated, it separated and even after letting it set for a week, when I cut it is just oozed oil and man did it smell! Right now I'm back to using GM from the store until I find another local goat person.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

I was curious if you can make your lye solution with full water, let it cool, and add powdered milk to the solution without it scorching?

I made GM soap for 10 years for a wholesale customer. I used full water for the lye solution and added GM powder to the warmed oils. SB'd for one full minute, before adding the chilled lye solution, straight from the fridge.

NOTE: Customers couldn't tell the difference befween the fresh GM my wholesale customer used and the soaps I made with GM powder.

ETA: NOTES:
Lye solution made the night before and chilled until ready to soap.
Powdered GM plus fragrance, color and any other additives were added to the warmed oils the night before soaping and allow to cool to room temp.

The next morning, the oils got a full one-minute blast from the SB before adding the lye solution.

EASY PEASY!

 

[FrayGrants]

Hey thanks, I just picked up some powdered GM and will try your method before I use the fresh stuff.

Sounds super easy and gives great results. Any recipes that you would suggest to use it with?

 

[AAShillito]

I love using powdered GM. I use 3 Tbsp per 5 pound batch. I use Zany's method of whisking into warmed oils. Be sure all your oils are heated and combined before adding GM. I added prematurely in my 1st batch and had to reheat- makes the GM burn and go bright orange. Not pretty!

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Any recipes that you would suggest to use it with?

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/basic-trinity-of-oils-starter-formula.74850/
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/zanys-palm-olive.80206/

 

[TheGecko]

Sounds super easy and gives great results. Any recipes that you would suggest to use it with?

You can use your standard recipe if you would like.

 

[FrayGrants]

Maybe I was just fishing for more good recipes

 

[Relle]

My skills, whether they be soap, cooking, crafting, etc. have taken many hours, days, weeks, months, years to get to where I want, not to mention the cost, to get there. I do have skills I share and others I do not. I know a lot of my skills are better than the next, I'm definitely not insecure, just not giving out all my knowledge to every man and his dog. I've learnt the hard way, when someone takes and uses your idea and gets recognition for it.

Looks like the above post I replied to, has part of it deleted.

 

[FrayGrants]

How much powdered GM do you use PPO?

 

[FrayGrants]

Looks like the above post I replied to has part of it deleted.

Well you seemed quite offended and I didn't want to potentially upset anyone else as well.

 

[user 56151]

I freeze my gm. I used to add it slowly and stir continuously, this was quite tedious. I tried just dumping all of the lye into the gm and giving it an occasional stir. I found this worked just as well with no scorching. There are other advantages to freezing the gm, no waiting for it to cool and no vapours which was a huge plus for me. I have used powdered cow’s milk. I use frozen water, for the reasons I’ve given above with the lye and blend the powder with the oils and all other additives before I add the lye. I’ve also used frozen coconut milk, beer and my favourite oat milk.

 

[FrayGrants]

I freeze my gm. I used to add it slowly and stir continuously, this was quite tedious. I tried just dumping all of the lye into the gm and giving it an occasional stir. I found this worked just as well with no scorching. There are other advantages to freezing the gm, no waiting for it to cool and no vapours which was a huge plus for me. I have used powdered cow’s milk. I use frozen water, for the reasons I’ve given above with the lye and blend the powder with the oils and all other additives before I add the lye. I’ve also used frozen coconut milk, beer and my favourite oat milk.

How much powdered GM did you use PPO?

 

[melinda48]

I made GM soap for 10 years for a wholesale customer. I used full water for the lye solution and added GM powder to the warmed oils. SB'd for one full minute, before adding the chilled lye solution, straight from the fridge.

NOTE: Customers couldn't tell the difference befween the fresh GM my wholesale customer used and the soaps I made with GM powder.

ETA: NOTES:
Lye solution made the night before and chilled until ready to soap.
Powdered GM plus fragrance, color and any other additives were added to the warmed oils the night before soaping and allow to cool to room temp.

The next morning, the oils got a full one-minute blast from the SB before adding the lye solution.

EASY PEASY!

I also use powdered goat milk added to my oils - works terrifically Well!

 

[Jersey Girl]

How much powdered GM did you use PPO?

A lot of people use 1T PPO while I have seen other use 2T PPO. Experiment and see what you like.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

How much powdered GM do you use PPO?

I follow the directions on the can for reconstituting the powder, i.e., sufficient GM powder for the water amount used to make the lye solution. I do not discount the water when formulating.

Looks like the above post I replied to has part of it deleted

Yes. Here is the original post. I think the OP deleted it for a good reason -- so as not to offend anyone.

Maybe I was just fishing for more good recipes

My mother always said that cooks who had secret recipes were just insecure and didn't believe that their skills were enough be better than the next cook.

 

[TheGecko]

Maybe I was just fishing for more good recipes

21% Palm Oil
21% Coconut Oil
12% Shea Butter
41% Olive Oil
5% Castor Oil

1 tea PPO Sodium Lactate
1 tea PPO Kaolin Clay
1 oz PPO FO (follow safe usage rates)

35% Lye Concentration
5% Super Fat

I use a 100% Goat Milk full water replacement. I freeze my GM into cubes. I make up an ice batch with water, ice and salt (keeps the water colder). After weighing out the GM, I let it sit in the ice bath to lower the temp of the bowl. I then add small amounts of Sodium Hydroxide at a time and make sure the temp doesn't get above 70F and will let it rest until it drops back down and add more. I then let it sit in the ice bath while I weigh/melt my oils***.

Oils are generally around 100F and GM Lye Solution is around 65F. GM Lye Solution is also a bit on the thick side...like a slurry. I give it a good stir and then add to my Oils and give it a good whiz, stir, whiz. Since I don't add any colorants, I generally mix to a medium trace and then I pour. During the Spring/Summer (70F+), the mold goes in the frig, during the Fall/Winter(70F-) it goes into the garage. 24-48 hours later, I bring the soap out and let it sit to room temp and then unmold. I then cover and let sit for another 24 hours and then cut and cure for 8 weeks (my preference).

*** - I melt my PO and CO to a max of 120F and then cut the Shea Butter into small bits and let it melt in the residual heat. I then add in my Oils, Sodium Lactate and FO/Kaolin Clay.

 

[user 56151]

How much powdered GM did you use PPO?

I haven’t used powdered goat’s milk. I’ve used powdered cow’s milk. I use whatever the dilution rate is on the tin to make it full strength.

 

[FrayGrants]

Hey Thanks to TheGecko for the recipe and all the great replies and recommendations. I went ahead and made a small test batch before I saw the posted recipe using 75% lard, 20% CO, and 5% castor.

I went with powdered GM and used Zany’s and others suggestions of adding the amount on the packages instructions into my oils and using a refrigerated lye solution with fresh ocean water.

It seemed to go very smoothly and it’s in the freezer right now. I’ll pull it out tomorrow and rest it a couple of days and cut and post pics. Thanks for all the help!!!