27#'s in soap and it's getting easier!

[drunkonlife]

So I'm 27 pounds in now and have learned a wealth of knowledge from you guys (thanks!) as well a few minor mishaps as well (both learning experiences).

This batch I decided to go with a goat's milk soap. I soaped cool (kept it at around 90 degrees) and put this in the freezer overnight. And even after that, I wound up with an off color oval in the center where it got a wee bit too hot. Are there any other suggestions as to what I can do to prevent this?

How do soapers who work with goat's milk get that creamy white look without the oval in the center?

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

You have to try to prevent gel - soap cool and keep the moulds cool. It will take longer to saponify, and it will heat up more due to the sugars in the milks.

 

[kchaystack]

Also soaping with higher lye concentration will help prevent gel

 

[drunkonlife]

Also soaping with higher lye concentration will help prevent gel

When you say soap with a higher lye concentration, are you talking working with a water reduction? And should I try make my lye concentration even cooler (say 75-80 degrees)?

 

[kchaystack]

Yes use less liquid to make your lye.

I would try and control gel via concentration and just soap with room temp lye and oils just hot enough to keep your oils liquid.

Are you making your lye with goats milk or using the split method?

 

[drunkonlife]

This batch, I mixed the goats milk with the lye (ice cubes). It's the powdered version. I was unaware of the "split method". Will have to look it up.

 

[kchaystack]

Yeah you make your lye at 50% concentration. So equal parts water and NaOH. then you mix the rest of the water with the powdered GM and add that to your oils. I would soap at a 33% concentration so that would just be water equal to your lye weight again. (For example if your lye calculator called for 60 grams of NaOH, you would mix it with 60 grams of water. Then in a separate container mix your GM powder with another 60 grams of water.) Blend the milk well into the oils and then add the lye and soap as normal. the Lye can be made the day before and stored in a covered plastic container (recycle code 2 or 5) so it is room temp.

 

[drunkonlife]

Awesome! Thanks so much for this. I have a cucumber mint recipe that is next up to try and I am going to follow this exactly.

 

[IrishLass]

I actually embrace gel with my batches of goat milk soap and always get creamy off-white soaps regardless, via the 'split method' of milk soaping (provided that I don't add honey or a discoloring FO, that is):

I mix my lye with an equal amount of water in weight, then I use fresh goat milk for the rest of my water amount (added to the oils). That will make about a 30% goat milk soap. If I want to make a 100% goat milk soap, I simply add enough powdered goat milk to my fresh goat milk in order to increase the milk concentration up to 100% for my batch (and add it to my oils). I always gel and my soap always comes out a creamy off-white.


IrishLass

 

[shunt2011]

I too encourage gel on all my soaps (they all contain some kind of milk). I like the look plus don't like waiting to unmold. I do the split method as well.

 

[Primrose]

It can also depend on the oils you use. So far I've only got partial gel in my 100% CO (with goats milk). All my others I don't gel and they are mostly nice and white without TD. Individual moulds help as well

 

[penelopejane]

Like Irish Lass and Shunt (wonder where I learnt it!) I encourage gel and use the split method and get white soap with all my GM recipes. I do use masterbatch lye so it is cold when I soap with it.

 

[shunt2011]

Individual molds will generally not gel. However I seem to get way more ash when they don't gel.