30 replies to this topic

[heatherlux]

Hi. I have made goat’s milk soap using canned milk but want to start using fresh milk. I have been told that fresh milk can make the soap smell a little "goaty". Have you ever had that experience? If so what can I do to avoid this? Is there anything else that I need to factor in with using fresh? Thanks for your help!!

[Ela]

Yes, that can definitely happen .. goat's milk tends to make the CP solution rather warm, and to have an ammonia smell when it's initially mixed in. (Generally, this fades partially or completely as the soap saponifies).

To minimize browning, smell and potential overheating, I usually semi-freeze my goat's milk to a "slushy" texture before adding the lye. Then I avoid excessive stick blending (as this can also heat the mixture!) and do a minimum of insulation of the batch.

- Ela

[anonymoususer.cleveland]

... also consider refrigerating rather than allowing to gel.

Will

[Fallen_Seraphim]

How does that work? I've seen that a few people stick their CP soap in the fridge rather than allow it to gel. What does this do for your soap? Just wondering. Thanks!

[merryn]

I freeze my goat milk (and other milk) soaps to keep them from gelling and getting too hot which can turn them orange and cause more of an amonia smell. To me this allows me to be consistant with my goat milk soaps and they always come out a creamy color.

[anonymoususer.cleveland]

When cream soaps gel, they can become uneven colored, sort of like a darker (or lighter) colored tube in the center from heat.

When refrig'd (or freezered), they stay more even toned. I believe it's a cosmetic thing, I've not personally noticed a performance or feel issue.

Incidentally the uneven gel isn't limited to dairy soaps - I've experienced it with my beer soap, too.

Will

[mdaniel]

When cream soaps gel, they can become uneven colored, sort of like a darker (or lighter) colored tube in the center from heat.

When refrig'd (or freezered), they stay more even toned. I believe it's a cosmetic thing, I've not personally noticed a performance or feel issue.

Incidentally the uneven gel isn't limited to dairy soaps - I've experienced it with my beer soap, too.

Will

Seems to be a high sugar content thing. I refrigerate all my milk, beer, and wine soaps. Although, my GM soap that I made the other day and refrigerated still ended up a bit dark in the center, but overall it looks pretty good.

I don't know for sure, but some folks say that not letting it gel produces a milder soap . . . or is it more lather? I think milder.

[anonymoususer.cleveland]

Heatherlux, here's an example.




This is a yogurt soap I just made and cut. I posed an outside piece in front of cut pieces. You'll notice on the outside piece especially, and also on the cut pieces, the exteriors which cooled most quickly, retained more color, whereas in the center (last to cool), turned from red to pure cream.

The texture is also a big concern, and I believe refrigerating this kept it "creamy".

This soap was an unknown candidate for the deep freezer!

Hope this example helps.

Will

[heatherlux]

Heatherlux, here's an example.

PHOTO REMOVED


This is a yogurt soap I just made and cut. I posed an outside piece in front of cut pieces. You'll notice on the outside piece especially, and also on the cut pieces, the exteriors which cooled most quickly, retained more color, whereas in the center (last to cool), turned from red to pure cream.

The texture is also a big concern, and I believe refrigerating this kept it "creamy".

This soap was an unknown candidate for the deep freezer!

Hope this example helps.

Will

Thank you all for your help. As always your generosity in sharing amazes me! I'm off to the goat farm to pick up the milk and am going to give it t try tonight. Thanks again for all of the advice!!

[mdaniel]

I'm off to the goat farm to pick up the milk and am going to give it t try tonight. Thanks again for all of the advice!!

I wish I could use fresh goat milk!! How cool--let us know how it turns out!

[Roxie]

I use fresh goat milk from our farm to make CP soaps. I have learned to:
1-freeze the milk (in ice cube trays for easy of use)
2-add the lye to the water/milk mixture slowly (over a 15 minute period)
3-monitor the temp. of the lye solution so it doesn't go over 90 degrees. If the temp. starts to go up the mixture will start to turn a neon yellow. If this starts to happen put your lye container in an ice bath and continue adding the lye while monitoring the temp. I don't let the mixture go below 70 degrees.

These three things changed the outcome (quality, smell, and color) of my soaps.
Hope this helps.
Roxie

[heatherlux]

Thank you all again for your help. I have finally taken pictures of the GM soap scented with warm vanilla. It came out with a dark chocolate brown edge and lighter middle. Looks like a chocolate ganache desert. I have also included some of my other soaps.

Attached Files

•  warm_vanilla_and_goatmilk_2.JPG   370.14K   63 downloads

[Babs]

Heather, that looks yummy!

[mdaniel]

I second what Babs said!! Great job! I couldn't see any other pics, though. I do loves me some soap porn! LOL

[anonymoususer.cleveland]

Nice result!

Will the warm vanilla reliably give that dark (chocolate-brie-like) outside?

I think that could be motivational enough to get me to make some soap.

Will

[Judi]

It will turn it brown all the way thru eventually. That cool outer-dark band won't stay for long.

Judi

[moki]

I freeze my goat milk (and other milk) soaps to keep them from gelling and getting too hot which can turn them orange and cause more of an amonia smell. To me this allows me to be consistant with my goat milk soaps and they always come out a creamy color.

What do you mean by you freeze your goat's milk soap? After you put it in the mold? I am new at this so please bare with me.

[merryn]

I put my mold in the freezer for 8 hours or so, then fill the mold while it is in the freezer, and leave it there for about 12 hours, unmold the soap frozen, and let it sit for another 24 before cutting. I've never had it turn orange doing this.

[susie]

Thank you all for your help. As always your generosity in sharing amazes me! I'm off to the goat farm to pick up the milk and am going to give it t try tonight. Thanks again for all of the advice!!

Hi, Will, would you mind giving me the yogurt soap recipe? All of a sudden I want to try yogurt soap. Is it as nice as goats milk?
Susie

[anonymoususer.cleveland]

This is just my opinion. Yogurt, or other cream, soaps are nicer than non-cream soaps. Goat's milk are the best.

You don't need a special recipe for yogurt. High-fat plain yogurts seem a little better than the average plain yogurt.

When you're making a batch of soap, remove 4 to 6 ounces of water from your lye solution. Warning, you'll be working with a much stronger lye solution. Make your soap, then at trace, add the 4 to 6 ozs of yogurt (or cream, goat's milk, or soy or almond milk). Just keep your cream in line with your batch size -- I tend to replace about a quarter of the water with cream.

All the different milks result in a slightly different color based upon the sugar content within the dairy product (at least that's why I think the color is different).

I've always had the best results with goat's milk, using the method above, but I use powdered goat's milk and make a "triple strength" mixture. If working with a powdered mix, use a water bottle, mix it the night before, and every time you go in the refrig, give it a shake.

I agree with putting the soap in the refrig overnight or longer before unmolding. It tends to remain lighter colored. I've never used the freezer, although I've read positive comments about that too.

All just my opinions...

Will