# Goats milk powder



## mommycarlson (Feb 15, 2017)

Hi All,
Does anyone add straight goats milk powder to their oils before adding lye water?  If so, how much powder PPO?  And do you soap at a cooler temp?  I normally soap at 110-120 but I was concerned about scorching the milk.  Or is this not a concern since it's powdered?  

Thank you for your help!


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## kchaystack (Feb 15, 2017)

I have done this.  I usually use 1 tablespoon per pound of oils.  I do not soap any cooler than usual, but I masterbatch my lye so it is room temp, and my oils are melted til just clear.  Not sure what that temp is, but probably in the 110 - 120 range.  I have never had a problem with scorching discoloration or an off smell.

The only thing I do is blast my oils with my sb to make sure the powdered milk is well dispersed.


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## mommycarlson (Feb 15, 2017)

kchaystack, thank you so much, very helpful!  Looking forward to trying my first batch of GM soap tomorrow!  

Oh, almost forgot, I'm assuming you don't have to insulate or use a heating pad to get this to gel?  I have read about the GM soap heating up quite a bit on it's own.


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## redhead1226 (Feb 15, 2017)

mommycarlson - I do the split method with milks. But it does heat up as evidenced by my OM&H soap from the other day. It cracked right up the middle and I had it in the fridge. I might just use powder next time - report back if you can.


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## DeeAnna (Feb 15, 2017)

If you add the milk powder directly to the oils, be aware there is a chance that you'll could end up with white lumps of milk powder in the soap, even if you SB well.  :think:

After one memorable lesson that taught me that fact, I mix the powder with water or fluid milk, SB really well, and let it sit for awhile to hydrate. And I also strain the liquid to be absolutely certain before adding to my oils. The shortcut of adding the powder directly to the oils isn't all that much of a time savings, and the consequences of of white lumps dotting one's otherwise nice soap are really really annoying.


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## kchaystack (Feb 15, 2017)

It all depends on your lye concentration, and the ambient temp of your soaping area.  You just have to try a couple and see what works for you.  I use 33% lye, and keep my room temps in the low 70s.  So I do have trouble gelling.  I am hoping when I switch to wooden molds that helps getting to gel.


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## mommycarlson (Feb 15, 2017)

kchaystack said:


> It all depends on your lye concentration, and the ambient temp of your soaping area.  You just have to try a couple and see what works for you.  I use 33% lye, and keep my room temps in the low 70s.  So I do have trouble gelling.  I am hoping when I switch to wooden molds that helps getting to gel.



I do all my CP soap at 33% lye concentration, but my room temp is much cooler than yours, 66°.  I have to use a heating pad to coax my soaps to gel, most things I have read say to keep the heating pad on for only 20-30 minutes but I find I need to keep mine on for 60-90 just to get a gel going.



DeeAnna said:


> If you add the milk powder directly to the oils, be aware there is a chance that you'll could end up with white lumps of milk powder in the soap, even if you SB well.  :think:
> 
> After one memorable lesson that taught me that fact, I mix the powder with water or fluid milk, SB really well, and let it sit for awhile to hydrate. And I also strain the liquid to be absolutely certain before adding to my oils. The shortcut of adding the powder directly to the oils isn't all that much of a time savings, and the consequences of of white lumps dotting one's otherwise nice soap are really really annoying.



DeeAnna,
Good to know, thank you.  Hmmm, now I am thinking.  My reason for adding the powder to the oil and skipping the step of making milk with it first and doing the split method was that I thought perhaps the lye wouldn't scorch the milk. Is this true? or am I going to get that discoloration no matter what?


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## IrishLass (Feb 15, 2017)

mommycarlson said:


> My reason for adding the powder to the oil and skipping the step of making milk with it first and doing the split method was that I thought perhaps the lye wouldn't scorch the milk. Is this true? or am I going to get that discoloration no matter what?


 
Speaking only for myself, I do the split method and never get scorching or badly discolored soap. I add my liquid milk to my oils either before or just after I add in my lye solution (I haven't noticed that it makes any noticeable difference in my batches either way). For what its worth, I soap on the warm side and fully gel, and my goat milk soaps come out a lovely creamy off-white color......unless I also happened to have used honey, that is, in which case my soap will discolor to a medium golden tan (just like the color of my honey).


IrishLass


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## mommycarlson (Feb 15, 2017)

IrishLass said:


> Speaking only for myself, I do the split method and never get scorching or badly discolored soap. I add my liquid milk to my oils either before or just after I add in my lye solution (I haven't noticed that it makes any noticeable difference in my batches either way). For what its worth, I soap on the warm side and fully gel, and my goat milk soaps come out a lovely creamy off-white color......unless I also happened to have used honey, that is, in which case my soap will discolor to a medium golden tan (just like the color of my honey).
> 
> 
> IrishLass



Thank you IrishLass!  That is very helpful.  I am hoping to make the soap tomorrow or more likely Friday.  I'll post my results.  I have come to the conclusion that I will do my usual soaping on the warm side and do the split method of milk to oils and lye and water.  I appreciate the help!  Oh, and I thought about adding honey (we are beekeepers) but I think I'll wait until next time and just see how my first batch of GM goes


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## Susie (Feb 15, 2017)

Bee smart (lol), don't mix GM and honey together until you have made the honey by itself.  Every batch I have ever made with honey (raw, unfiltered) has tried to volcano on me, no matter how cool I soap.


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## mommycarlson (Feb 15, 2017)

Susie said:


> Bee smart (lol), don't mix GM and honey together until you have made the honey by itself.  Every batch I have ever made with honey (raw, unfiltered) has tried to volcano on me, no matter how cool I soap.



Susie, 
What do you mean by "made the honey by itself"?  You mean honey in a soap by itself? I've made several batches of soap  with honey, the only one I have trouble with accelerating is beer soap with honey.  I won't be putting those two together again


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## kchaystack (Feb 15, 2017)

mommycarlson said:


> Susie,
> What do you mean by "made the honey by itself"?  You mean honey in a soap by itself? I've made several batches of soap  with honey, the only one I have trouble with accelerating is beer soap with honey.  I won't be putting those two together again



Acceleration is different than volcanoing.  Tho fast movers can be prone to it.  Volcanoing means the center of a load of soap heats up faster than the outside of the loaf.  The center expands, usually thru the top, and the hot fluid soap flows like lava all over the place.  

Many members of the forum have reported this effect of honey to cause it.


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## mommycarlson (Feb 15, 2017)

kchaystack said:


> Acceleration is different than volcanoing.  Tho fast movers can be prone to it.  Volcanoing means the center of a load of soap heats up faster than the outside of the loaf.  The center expands, usually thru the top, and the hot fluid soap flows like lava all over the place.
> 
> Many members of the forum have reported this effect of honey to cause it.



Gotcha.  I've had a soap do that, the 100% CO laundry soap I made, wow, that one was aggressive! I actually got it in the freezer before I had a mess all over.  No honey in that one.  I haven't had a volcano issue with honey, maybe I don't use enough?  I only use maybe 1 or 2 T in a 32 oz oil batch.


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## cmzaha (Feb 15, 2017)

DeeAnna said:


> If you add the milk powder directly to the oils, be aware there is a chance that you'll could end up with white lumps of milk powder in the soap, even if you SB well.  :think:
> 
> After one memorable lesson that taught me that fact, I mix the powder with water or fluid milk, SB really well, and let it sit for awhile to hydrate. And I also strain the liquid to be absolutely certain before adding to my oils. The shortcut of adding the powder directly to the oils isn't all that much of a time savings, and the consequences of of white lumps dotting one's otherwise nice soap are really really annoying.


Interesting, I have much better luck mixing my powdered gm to my oils than in liquid, and have never had it get lumpy. In fact I started mixing it inot my oils when I could not get it to mix well in liquids. I always find it interesting how some of can do something one way and another person cannot.


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## mommycarlson (Feb 16, 2017)

cmzaha said:


> Interesting, I have much better luck mixing my powdered gm to my oils than in liquid, and have never had it get lumpy. In fact I started mixing it inot my oils when I could not get it to mix well in liquids. I always find it interesting how some of can do something one way and another person cannot.



Thank you Carolyn.  I am seeing at least two batches of GM soap in my future!  I will have to try it both ways now just to see what works.  Thank you for the input.  

Does anyone scent their GM soap?  Color it?  I was thinking I'd leave it the natural color but I would like to scent it.


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## DeeAnna (Feb 16, 2017)

I can't speak to why my experience is different than Carolyn's or other folks' experience. It may be the formulation of the dry milk that is slightly different than other people's.


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## mommycarlson (Feb 16, 2017)

DeeAnna said:


> I can't speak to why my experience is different than Carolyn's or other folks' experience. It may be the formulation of the dry milk that is slightly different than other people's.



Thank you DeeAnna, it's good to know there are different outcomes for different people and methods, I appreciate all the input, helps me to make a decision, and to try more than one method.


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## toxikon (Feb 16, 2017)

I used split-method with great success.

In cooled lye/50% water mixture, I added my honey.

In other 50% water, I added my GM powder. 

And at trace, I added my colloidal oatmeal.

Immediately after pouring, I threw it into the freezer for 24 hours. Then fridge for 24 hours. Then room temp for the rest of curing. 

I ended up with a beautiful cream-coloured ungelled GM soap!


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## cmzaha (Feb 16, 2017)

DeeAnna said:


> I can't speak to why my experience is different than Carolyn's or other folks' experience. It may be the formulation of the dry milk that is slightly different than other people's.


Exactly what I was thinking. I use Meyenberg brand


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## mommycarlson (Feb 16, 2017)

toxikon said:


> I used split-method with great success.
> 
> In cooled lye/50% water mixture, I added my honey.
> 
> ...



Good info, thank you!


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## penelopejane (Feb 16, 2017)

yes the split method is as toxicon described. 1/2 of the water to mix the lye and 1/2 the water to mix the milk. Look on the milk box for the amount of powder you need. If total water is 1 litre use enough milk powder to make 1 litre of milk. 

I use CPOP but turn the oven off before putting soap in and haven't had a problem. 

I'm with DeeAnna and even mix my milk powder in warmed water (from the recipe amount) to ensure it dissolves completely before adding to oils then I SB it thoroughly before adding the cool lye solution. 

So many posts about spots in soap and they are either GM or inadequately heated hard oils.


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## mommycarlson (Feb 18, 2017)

I made both batches of GM soap yesterday.  I cut them this morning.  The first soap was done with the split method, 1/2 water, 1/2 reconstituted powdered GM.  I soaped at room temp (in the 80's so technically not room temp but much cooler than my norm)  It seemed to soap well, as with all my soaps I had to put it on a heating pad on medium to coax a gel.  I did not have any overheating problems at all.  I checked it every 10 minutes and could see it gelling to the edges.  I tried to overcome the color with white on the bottom and purple on the top, this didn't work out so well for me.  I should have just left it natural but I wanted to at least try.  It's scented with lavender FO.

The second soap is GM powder added to the oils and blended well with the SB, soaped at around 105 and I actually did leave the GM powder to soak up oil while the lye and oils cooled off.  This also soaped very well, no issues, did not try to color and is scented with coconut FO and peppermint FO.  I saw this combination somewhere on the forum and decided to give it a whirl.  Both batches have 1 oz of colloidal oatmeal.
No overheating issues with this one either, still had to do the heating pad on medium for 90 minutes.  

Now for the cutting.  Is it normal for there to be an odor when cutting the soap?  That seems to be gone now, but it was not real pleasant at first.  The one with the purple top smelled like a perm at a beauty shop to me.  After a few hours that seemed to be gone and I can smell the FO's in both, although not very strong.  

I would say I liked both methods of soaping with the GM, I want to thank everyone for their input and advice


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## penelopejane (Feb 19, 2017)

So the second method left some small spots on the soap is that right? 

I don't go hotter than 100* when CPOPing and I turn the oven off immediately I put the wrapped soap in. I have avoided the sour milk smell and dark colour that others have reported doing it this way.


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## mommycarlson (Feb 19, 2017)

penelopejane, no I don't have spots in the soap.  I have oatmeal in the soap, maybe that's what you are seeing.  They both smell quite nice this morning.  I think I'll make one today and put it in the freezer to avoid gel and see how that turns out.


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## penelopejane (Feb 19, 2017)

mommycarlson said:


> penelopejane, no I don't have spots in the soap.  I have oatmeal in the soap, maybe that's what you are seeing.  They both smell quite nice this morning.  I think I'll make one today and put it in the freezer to avoid gel and see how that turns out.



Oatmeal! Got it.  

I think a heat pad on medium is too high. You only need to start the soap at 100* and let it cool, wrapped, by itself.  If you overheat soap it gets a musty chemically smell that never goes away.


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## mommycarlson (Feb 19, 2017)

penelopejane said:


> Oatmeal! Got it.
> 
> I think a heat pad on medium is too high. You only need to start the soap at 100* and let it cool, wrapped, by itself.  If you overheat soap it gets a musty chemically smell that never goes away.




That's good to know.  I have never been able to tell is most of my soaps gel, if they are textured on top with glitter it's hard for me to see so I just keep warming them.  I don't like the partial gel.  I have never had that musty smell that you mention, do you think that's just GM soap or all soaps in general?


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## Pepsi Girl (Feb 19, 2017)

I dint notice that any one answered about fragrance in your gm soap.  I use fragrance most of the time.  My  one friend loves for me to part a lot of peppermint in her!  It smells wonderful!

Your soaps look really nice, good job!


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## mommycarlson (Feb 19, 2017)

Pepsi Girl said:


> I dint notice that any one answered about fragrance in your gm soap.  I use fragrance most of the time.  My  one friend loves for me to part a lot of peppermint in her!  It smells wonderful!
> 
> Your soaps look really nice, good job!



Thank you Pepsi Girl!  One of the soaps, the one with no color has a combination of coconut and peppermint. I can't really smell the coconut but I can really smell the peppermint.  They smell pretty good now, at first not so much.


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## penelopejane (Feb 20, 2017)

mommycarlson said:


> That's good to know.  I have never been able to tell is most of my soaps gel, if they are textured on top with glitter it's hard for me to see so I just keep warming them.  I don't like the partial gel.  I have never had that musty smell that you mention, do you think that's just GM soap or all soaps in general?



All soap.


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## winusuren (May 15, 2022)

DeeAnna said:


> If you add the milk powder directly to the oils, be aware there is a chance that you'll could end up with white lumps of milk powder in the soap, even if you SB well.  :think:
> 
> After one memorable lesson that taught me that fact, I mix the powder with water or fluid milk, SB really well, and let it sit for awhile to hydrate. And I also strain the liquid to be absolutely certain before adding to my oils. The shortcut of adding the powder directly to the oils isn't all that much of a time savings, and the consequences of of white lumps dotting one's otherwise nice soap are really really annoying.


Hello ma'am,
I'm gonna make a baby bastille soap this week. I would like to replace the water portion with cow's milk and add goat milk powder too. Before freezing the milk, can I add the powder to the milk, mix well and then freeze?? If so, how much powder should be added per pound of oils?? Should I strain the lye solution before pouring it into the oils?? 

A month back, I made the same soap without goat milk powder. While adding the lye to the frozen milk, the fats in the milk started to saponify. While I strained the solution, most of the fat particles just got strained out.


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## bwtapestry (May 15, 2022)

toxikon said:


> I used split-method with great success.
> 
> In cooled lye/50% water mixture, I added my honey.
> 
> ...


Thank you for sharing. Am going to try this method


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