What is everyone's favourite milk soap method?

[100%Natural]

So far I have used the ice cube method, but very inconsistently. Some batches are perfection and some not so much.

I'm curious as to what method you prefer when making milk soaps. I think I need a new method!

 

[Genny]

Try milk slush instead.

 

[100%Natural]

That is on my list for sure. Does it make a big difference with dissolving lye? That is where my trouble lies - I either end up with bars that have a high ph throughout them or a high ph on the outside of the bars only. Some bars have turned out perfectly. It's very frustrating..lol.

 

[Second Impression]

I mix my lye with water then add milk at emulsion. So if my total water for a batch is let's say 12 ounces, I'll add my lye to 8 ounces of water (or whatever to get the lye dissolved), add that to my oils then add the other 4 ounces of "water" as milk at emulsion. I find it pretty easy as long as I have the milk premeasured and sitting right next to my soap pot so I can't accidentally forget to add it. Some folks like to do the same water/milk split and add their milk to their oils before adding the dissolved lye. That's another option.

 

[Wandawump]

Anne-Marie shows how to use goats milk in this video

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8-D7nGlwFk[/ame]

 

[lsg]

I use half distilled water to dissolve the lye and then add cream as the other half of the liquid at thin trace.

 

[Shannon_m]

I've decided that I like milk soaps but I don't want to mess around with freezing my milks and messing around with finicky temps and outcomes so I use powdered milks.

 

[Lindy]

Frozen milk cubes (ice cube tray).... I don't have a lot of problem with it, but in the beginning I had a couple of mess ups.

 

[melstan775]

I've decided that I like milk soaps but I don't want to mess around with freezing my milks and messing around with finicky temps and outcomes so I use powdered milks.

how is that working for you? I've heard some people say it speckles. Do you use full water with your milks or just enough to get them fully wet?

 

[retmcp]

I have best results with any liquid other than water being at the just slushy stage, like Genny. I add the caustic soda a big spoonful at a time until all mixed.

 

[MaitriBB]

OP - how are you adding the lye to your frozen milk? If you're adding it all at once, that might be the problem. I usually let my ice sit out for 20-30 minutes while I get my oils melting and such, so that it gets a little less solid. Then when I'm adding my lye, I sprinkle a light layer over the cubes, let sit for a minute or so, then stir/scrape off the top layer of the milk that's dissolved from the lye. Then I sprinkle another layer down, wait a minute, stir/scrape. Repeat as necessary until all of the ice is melted. It helps to have a TV show going that I can watch so that I'm not too impatient

 

[jcandleattic]

My GM is frozen fresh from the goat milk, that at time of soaping I keep frozen and add my lye slowly into the milk to get it at a slush stage.
I should add, most of my gm soaps I know what size batch I'm going to make and before freezing my gm I weigh it out in those increments.

 

[DWinMadison]

I like using condensed goat's milk. I substitute 50% of the required liquid with the condensed milk mixing it with the oils and fragrance. Then I use water for the remaining 50% of liquid and use it to dissolve my lye. I mix the lye solution with the oils/goat's milk at slightly above room temp...probably 85 degrees. Then I rest the newly molded soap in the freezer for the first 12 or so hours.

 

[cliff]

I have only tried the milk-in-oil method. The soap came out fine although I was scared when I was making it that it got too hot. I soaped at 85. I stuck it in the freezer right after pouring.

 

[hlee]

I freeze my coconut milk, plunk it in my water, slowly add my lye, stir, stir, stir.

 

[melstan775]

Has anyone tried Amanda's OMH? Seems like a lot of liquid.

http://www.lovinsoap.com/2013/02/th...d-honey-cold-process-soap-milk-in-oil-method/

 

[Shannon_m]

how is that working for you? I've heard some people say it speckles. Do you use full water with your milks or just enough to get them fully wet?

I don't use full water, depending on the size batch I'm making I add about an ounce of coconut milk to wet the powder if I have it... sometimes I just add the powder to my oils and emulsify. I haven't had a problem with it speckling.

 

[Lindy]

I don't generally use full water either. If I'm working with a tricky FO I will just to give me a little more leeway or if I am doing HP.