almond milk soap is sticky? day 3!

[penelopejane]

Interesting! But if you only gel the midddle (accidentally) then the middle looks different than the rest of the soap which I don't find appealing in a goats milk soap... (had this happen once already).
Would you mind clarifying what you mean by "split methothod"?

Split method: mix the lye required for the recipe in the equal weight of water is: 100g lye + 100g water and set aside. (You can masterbatch this to make soap making easy).
Use goats milk for the rest of the water required for the recipe. Mix your additives into this liquid or into oil that is part of the recipe. Mix all this together THEN add the lye mix.
That's it.

If you want 100% GM mix GM powder into the goats milk as required to make the water component used in the lye mix into milk. So say 100g water needs 1tbls of milk powder add this milk powder to the goats milk. Mix oil, GM etc and then add cool or cold lye mix. Use about 30% lye concentration on your soap calculator no more than 32.

Wrap finished soap in mold in a blanket. Preheat oven to only 100*F (hand warm) turn it off. Put wrapped soap in oven and leave for 24 hours without opening the oven. It will gel all the way through in a solid white very pale cream colour not brown.

This works for me. YMMV.

 

[deebop]

(Totally get wanting to use your own! Congratulations on a new life in your life!)

I wasn't able to find lard locally, but a lot of times it can be found at a grocery store or Walmart. If might be in the cold section, with the Crisco, or in the ethnic aisle with the Hispanic foods. Someone commented in my thread about lard that they have trouble with DOS with Armour, which is what I've mostly used. My oldest soap is only about 10 weeks old, so I can't really judge. I ordered my Armour online to be delivered to my local Walmart, though, so that may be an option for you. I found the Snow Cap I'm using now at Christmas, it isn't something the store normally stocks.

Thanks for the congrats!! Can't wait to meet my little girl! Without her I would not ever have begun soaping! I am going to be using the soaps as baby shower favors! "From my shower to yours!" So it's imperative that I get these right!!! Haha! Thanks for the tips\info on the lard! Here's a pic of the first soap we actually labeled and wrapped for the shower. It's coming out cute! (This is a vanilla mint goats milk!!! Managed to keep it nice and light so far!! It's 2 weeks old...

 

[deebop]

Split method: mix the lye required for the recipe in the equal weight of water is: 100g lye + 100g water and set aside. (You can masterbatch this to make soap making easy).
Use goats milk for the rest of the water required for the recipe. Mix your additives into this liquid or into oil that is part of the recipe. Mix all this together THEN add the lye mix.
That's it.

If you want 100% GM mix GM powder into the goats milk as required to make the water component used in the lye mix into milk. So say 100g water needs 1tbls of milk powder add this milk powder to the goats milk. Mix oil, GM etc and then add cool or cold lye mix. Use about 30% lye concentration on your soap calculator no more than 32.

Wrap finished soap in mold in a blanket. Preheat oven to only 100*F (hand warm) turn it off. Put wrapped soap in oven and leave for 24 hours without opening the oven. It will gel all the way through in a solid white very pale cream colour not brown.

This works for me. YMMV.

OH MY GOD IM GOING TO COPY THIS DOWN IN MY IPHONE NOTES AND USE IT FOREVERMORE!!! THIS IS THE EXACT INFO I HAVE NEEDED AND NOT READ ABOUT YET!!!!?? Sorry for yelling lol but I'm so excited to try this!! Granted I'm only a month old soaper but I can't believe I haven't seen this anywhere!? I've been devouring info and slightly obsessed with this new hobby!! I am so happy that you have pointed this out to me as I LOVE the idea of milk soaps
(I live in a town with farms all around and even work at a farm co-op! So goats everywhere!!!!!) Anyway, you are some kind of genius Miss Penelope Jane!

 

[deebop]

By the way, almost forgot to update on the almond-milk soap! Cmzaha called it. It's curing just fine! It's gorgeous and happy, smells great! Looks white! No longer tacky to the touch! I'll cut the rest of the log when I get my wire cheese cutter from Amazon on Monday. Super thrilled and happy!! Thank you All!! I've learned so much from all of you and I am here to stay!! :bunny:

 

[Susie]

(Totally get wanting to use your own! Congratulations on a new life in your life!)

I wasn't able to find lard locally, but a lot of times it can be found at a grocery store or Walmart. If might be in the cold section, with the Crisco, or in the ethnic aisle with the Hispanic foods. Someone commented in my thread about lard that they have trouble with DOS with Armour, which is what I've mostly used. My oldest soap is only about 10 weeks old, so I can't really judge. I ordered my Armour online to be delivered to my local Walmart, though, so that may be an option for you. I found the Snow Cap I'm using now at Christmas, it isn't something the store normally stocks.

I have used Armour lard since my first batch three years ago with one batch out of hundreds that have developed DOS. The one batch that developed DOS was made with old sweet almond oil or avocado oil, I forget which one. The batches also made with the same lard, but without the sweet almond oil were fine.

I currently have a 25 lb pail of Armour lard sitting on my soaping cart. I love the stuff!

I will suggest the OP try this recipe:

Superfat 5%

Lard or lard/shortening combined 65%
Olive Oil 15%
Coconut Oil 15%
Castor Oil 5%

Sugar 1 Tablespoon/PPO

 

[penelopejane]

OH MY GOD IM GOING TO COPY THIS DOWN IN MY IPHONE NOTES AND USE IT FOREVERMORE!!! THIS IS THE EXACT INFO I HAVE NEEDED AND NOT READ ABOUT YET!!!!?? Sorry for yelling lol but I'm so excited to try this!! Granted I'm only a month old soaper but I can't believe I haven't seen this anywhere!? I've been devouring info and slightly obsessed with this new hobby!! I am so happy that you have pointed this out to me as I LOVE the idea of milk soaps
(I live in a town with farms all around and even work at a farm co-op! So goats everywhere!!!!!) Anyway, you are some kind of genius Miss Penelope Jane!

I love it that a new method for making soap makes you excited. We all understand that here. I can't take credit for the split method though. I learnt it from this forum along with everything else I know about soaping.

The people on this forum are very knowledgable and very kindly share as well. You have found a great place to share your craft.

 

[CTAnton]

split method refers to the fact that lye only needs an equal amount of liquid to dissolve in....for example, a recipe calls for 20 grams of lye and 60 grams of liquid. 20 grams from a liquid, water or aloe juice for example is all thats needed to dissolve the lye. Do be careful...this is now a much more concentrated solution so wear your protective gloves, glasses,etc.This now leaves you with 40 grams of liquid that can now be a milk for instance that you add into the oils at some point; some prefer before the lye , others afterwards...hope this helps!

 

[deebop]

I love it that a new method for making soap makes you excited. We all understand that here. I can't take credit for the split method though. I learnt it from this forum along with everything else I know about soaping.

The people on this forum are very knowledgable and very kindly share as well. You have found a great place to share your craft.

Yes, I Understand that you were just sharing the knowledge that's probably common (to the people around here!!) I guess I just cant help commend you for knowing just because like I said I've been reading a lot (everwhere!) about milk soaps and hadn't seen that yet... or maybe I just haven't seen it explained so well before .. so I really appreciate you pointing it out! I assume the temp of the lye water has to come down quite a bit before you add your milk, or like another forum member just posted... add to the oils (or was it soap at trace...?) not sure what the best way is but I assume either way prevents the scorch!! Cant wait to experiment!!!! =D
Thanks again for your reply.... much appreciated!!

 

[deebop]

I have soaped many time with almond milk and it acts no different than many of the other milks. As for veggie shortening I used to use it quite often before changing to lard and tallow and it made a very decent soap. Give it a few days and it should be fine

THANK YOU!!! you were exactly right. its turning out AWESOME! yay !!!
;-)

 

[penelopejane]

Yes, I Understand that you were just sharing the knowledge that's probably common (to the people around here!!) I guess I just cant help commend you for knowing just because like I said I've been reading a lot (everwhere!) about milk soaps and hadn't seen that yet... or maybe I just haven't seen it explained so well before .. so I really appreciate you pointing it out! I assume the temp of the lye water has to come down quite a bit before you add your milk, or like another forum member just posted... add to the oils (or was it soap at trace...?) not sure what the best way is but I assume either way prevents the scorch!! Cant wait to experiment!!!! =D
Thanks again for your reply.... much appreciated!!

I think that it is the hot lye that burns the milk. Especially if you use it as your "water" component to dissolve the lye.

Have cool or cold (mix the lye the day before) lye and mix all your ingredients (except lye and equal amount of water) first with a stickblender. Then add the lye/water mix and stir by hand or carefully SB until it reaches the trace you want.

Think of it as the milk being diluted and protected from the lye monster.

I find this method easiest. Everyone uses a different method. When you find one that suits you, stick to it.