Almond milk?

[JennaMarie]

I'm looking to use almond milk in my next batch of soap... I was looking for helpful tips or maybe even a recipe? I have very sensitive skin and am looking for a more gentle recipe... Maybe a higher super fat?

Thanks!

 

[Genny]

You can just replace your water or part of your water in your regular recipe with almond milk.
What superfat are you using now?

 

[2lilboots]

Just use olive oil and then add almond milk at trace.

 

[JennaMarie]

Thanks! I had bad luck with the olive oil with my last soap. The smell was less than appealing. Any ideas on other nourishing recipes?

 

[Genny]

What kind of olive oil are you using? Mine never have a smell after they've cured (I use EVOO).

For nourishing and conditioning oils/butters, I like; avocado oil, Shea Butter, Macadamia Oil, Olive oil, Safflower oil or you can go to soapcalc & sort the oils/butters by their oleic percentage, which will give you the more conditioning oils.

But also a very big part of how conditioning your soap is, is the superfat. What superfat are you using right now?

 

[JennaMarie]

I forget the brand... but it was the good stuff that I use for cooking! I used a mixture of EVOO and pure OO.

Other things I have are:
Avocado oil
Cocoa butter
Hazelnut oil
Coconut oil
Grapeseed oil
Canola oil
Black walnut oil

Random other cooking oils

Any idea for recipes I can run through soapcalc? And how exactly to incorporate the milk?

What about whipping cream or condensed milk? Has anyone used these in soaps? Are they very nourishing?

 

[SueSoap]

I've used heavy cream added at trace. It does make the soap creamy.

 

[Trxflyer]

Almond Milk can be added fully in place of water in the lye mixture or as part of the total water used and add it to trace.

 

[Crombie]

Moisturizing Facial Bar

Jenna - this recipe makes and amazing moisturizing facial bar: 40% Olive Oil, 30% Avocado Oil, 10% Castor Oil, 10% Tallow, 10% Shea Butter. Mix water in an equal weight to your lye and then the rest of my liquid (almond milk), add at light trace. (I do mine HP).

 

[Be Love]

Do you have to freeze almond milk like you do goats milk?

 

[paillo]

Soap-Making Resource has a recipe for making your own almond milk if you want to try that and avoid the processing, cane syrup and other additives you may find in store-bought almond milk. I can't find it, but here's an equally super-easy one. http://stupideasypaleo.com/2013/06/17/homemade-almond-milk/

I have to admit I don't freeze any of my milks, beer, any other finicky liquids. If they're going to be in my lye mixture, I just use them right out of the fridge, soap cool, and pour the lye in very slowly, a little at a time, stirring down any fizzing. And with beer, I boil until it's reduced by about half, I like the extra concentration and that I know the alcohol is boiled off.

 

[KoffeeKat]

Do you have to freeze almond milk like you do goats milk?

Looks like that would be a 'yes' unless you don't mind bright yellow - at least with commercial almond milk, even if it has no added sugars.

Re-reading, I suppose there might be some in the 'natural almond essence' that could explain it.

Ah well, another bit of knowledge for the database.

 

[Mildred Dale]

I have always been a failure in my almond milk CP batches. I freeze my milk but this a store bought,unsweetened almond milk. !st batch riced, 2nd batch was weeping oil ,3rd batch was half gelled. all of these batches were put in the freezer right after pouring. Any ideas?

 

[cmzaha]

This is a really old thread with none of these members around these days. It would be better to start a new thread.

That said, I very much doubt the problems are from the almond milk. Without your recipe and soaping method we really cannot help much. Ricing is usually from a naughty fo, weeping oil from over heating, and partial gel which is only an aesthetic issue from the soap cooling off before gel can get through the entire soap batch. Gel starts in the center since this is where the most heat is generated.

Are you adding your lye to your frozen almond milk? If you are a new soaper you may not even recognize if the lye is fully dissolved. You can mix your lye with a 1:1 lye to water, stir it until all is dissolved, it will not go completely clear. Add the balance of required liquid /almond milk into your oils before adding the lye solution.