# Goats Milk Lotion & Creams Question



## Guest (Feb 3, 2008)

I would like to start making a goats milk soap lotion/cream and I thought I read something here awhile back about how much goats milk to use in a batch in terms of % of the total liquid.  But I can't seem to find the link.


I know you don't use all goats milk so what is the recommended amount of goats milk to use in a lotion or cream?


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## Barb (Feb 3, 2008)

i use 10% ( as recommended by jenn at lotion crafters )

barb

coconut milk is also nice if you prefer vegan


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## Guest (Feb 3, 2008)

Thanks Barb,

I never thought of using coconut milk in lotion but I bet that would also be pretty darn awesome!!!!!   I'm gonna have to give that one a try as well !!!!  Thanks for the heads up on it !!!!


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## Soapmaker Man (Feb 3, 2008)

Yup, 10 to 15% max.  I use 12.5% in my lotions along with Germall Plus.

Paul


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## Guest (Feb 3, 2008)

Thanks Paul, 

I've been looking into what would be the best preservative for a soap with milk in it......


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## Soapmaker Man (Feb 3, 2008)

Germall Plus is great for GM lotions.  I have not had any issued with nasties using .75% in my lotions.

ETA:  I do not use any preservative in my GM soaps!  I have bars of GM soap I made 2 years ago that are in perfect condition today.  It is the lotions I make with goat's milk that I add a preservative to.  Soap does not need it.

Paul


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## busymammaof3 (Feb 7, 2008)

Deleted


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## mcleodnaturals (Apr 3, 2008)

I know this is an old post, but I'm wondering if Optiphen will work well in a coconut milk lotion??  that's all i've got here for a preservative and I'm itching to make a nice lotion.

thanks!


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## skyjet 96 (Mar 4, 2009)

*Adding Goat milk to lotion*

What is a good recipe for goat milk lotion?  what would a shelflife be for that lotion...would you have to refrigerate it?


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## LJA (Jul 20, 2009)

Jen at Lotioncrafter just told me to use Phenonip but didn't really say why - though in her defense I didnt ask.  I just asked what to use.


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## busymammaof3 (Jul 20, 2009)

I would suggest Germall Plus, as Paul uses. I've never gone wrong with it, even using goatsmilk lotion. .75% to 1% is a good amount to use.

I may be wrong...but I think Phenonip (the 1st one I used to make lotion) is not paraben free. I believe that Germall Plus is.


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## trunkbranches (Oct 15, 2013)

*Germall Plus in Goat Lotion*



Soapmaker Man said:


> Germall Plus is great for GM lotions.  I have not had any issued with nasties using .75% in my lotions.
> 
> ETA:  I do not use any preservative in my GM soaps!  I have bars of GM soap I made 2 years ago that are in perfect condition today.  It is the lotions I make with goat's milk that I add a preservative to.  Soap does not need it.
> 
> Paul



Paul, I want to begin making Goat Milk Lotion.  I've found several recipes for the lotion online.  However, I couldn't sell or give the lotion away without a preservative in it.  So ... some questions:
1) What is Germall Plus?  I assume it is not natural?  Are there any side effects to it, that you know of?  Who makes it and where is it sold?
2) How do I put it into my lotion?
3) Testing shelf life of the lotion - How do I test it?  Can I just make it and put it on my shelf in various conditions, then see what happens?  Or do I need to send it to some lab?
4) I saw that one farm makes 'spray goat milk lotion'.  Does anyone have a recipe for that?  

Thanks so much!
Peggy


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## shunt2011 (Oct 15, 2013)

Peggy, this post is from 2009, not sure some of these folks are still around.


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## trunkbranches (Oct 21, 2013)

shunt2011 said:


> Peggy, this post is from 2009, not sure some of these folks are still around.


There is no post listed in your message?

Peg


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## DeeAnna (Oct 21, 2013)

What Shunt means is this -- The last poster before you (busymama) published her message in 2009 -- look at the upper left-hand corner of her message for the posting date. She's no longer active on SMF. I don't think soapmaker man (paul) has posted here for a long time either.


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## DeeAnna (Oct 21, 2013)

1) What is Germall Plus?

It is a wide-spectrum antimicrobial preservative commonly used by many home lotion makers. As far as whether it's "natural" or not, I suppose you really mean "is it made in an industrial chemical factory" and the answer is yes, it is. There are no reliable preservatives that are not, even the "Ecocert" preservatives.

Many reputable suppliers sell it -- try LotionCrafter, Majestic Mountain Sage, etc. You'd have to get the product data sheet at their website to get specific info about dosage, limitations, etc.

2) How do I put it into my lotion?

See the product data sheet for specifics. Another reputable source for this kind of information is http://swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.ca/

I'm assuming you make lotion with a "heat and hold" method to ensure good emulsification and proper sanitizing. If so, many preservatives, including Germall Plus, must be added during the "cool down" step along with your fragrance and other heat sensitive ingredients. Susan (swift crafty monkey) has detailed info about the "heat and hold" method in her blog and tutorials.

3) Testing shelf life of the lotion - How do I test it? Can I just make it and put it on my shelf in various conditions, then see what happens? Or do I need to send it to some lab?

If you are going to sell the product, you need to have it officially "challenge tested". Just making it and putting it on a shelf is not good enough -- you need to ~challenge~ the product by introducing specific microbial contaminants and see how well they grow in the product. 

There are test kits you can purchase from some suppliers (I think LotionCrafter is one) that you can use to test your products on your own, but challenge testing by an independent lab is wise before selling to the general public.

4) I saw that one farm makes 'spray goat milk lotion'. Does anyone have a recipe for that? 

I don't have a recipe, but I would start by creating a lotion with a high percentage of water (or water-based ingredients) that would make the lotion thin enough to be sprayed -- the water phase would need to be over 80%, maybe as high as 90%. 

Maybe others can chime in with more details, but don't be surprised if you get only suggestions rather than a complete recipe.


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## judymoody (Oct 21, 2013)

There is an outfit called Sage Script or something like that which does challenge testing at a reasonable price.

Personally, I wouldn't make goat's milk lotion as it is just that much harder to preserve.  But that's just me.


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