coconut milk question

[retropants]

Just wondering if I need to add scent to soap made with coconut milk, or will the milk be fragrance enough? I'm not sure if I'll do it CP or CPHP yet, depends on how much time I have!

 

[Guest]

Hi!

Unfortunately, you will get little to no fragrance from the milk. The only time I get any fragrance from coconut milk is if a batch overheats and then it's not a fragrance you want in the soap. :shock:

Having said that - I get little to no scent from GM in my recipes unless I add honey or oats. They seem to enhance the milk fragrance. There may be other additives that work the same - I have only used honey and oats. I haven't tried it with the coconut milk though.

 

[mcleodnaturals]

great question! i'm planning on making a coconut milk soap soon too, and i was wondering the same thing!

do you need to freeze coconut milk like you would regular milks to prevent it from scorching?

thx

 

[Missjulesdid]

I use powdered coconut milk in almost all my recipies. What I do is add it with the fragrance after trace. I make a slurry with the FO or EO with the coconut powder. Using the powder is great because you don't have to sacrafice another fluid such as aloe juice in order to also have coconut milk.

 

[retropants]

Ah, two very good points! I almost forgot I'd have to chill or part freeze it, to stop it going all burnt and nasty! AND, I did not know about coconut milk powder, I'll have to investigate, many thanks!

 

[Soapmaker Man]

I like mixing goats milk with coconut milk, 2:1. I use aloe vera juice to mix my lye solution 50% strength. I add more powdered GM to the GM/CM mixture to make up for the difference using the aloe vera juice.

Paul

 

[Kat]

I thought that coconut milk add to the later of a bar, rather than a scent. That was my understanding.

 

[retropants]

If I were to make this batch HP, in a crock pot, could I add the coconut milk after it's cooked do you think? I would assume I'd have to deduct from the initial water weight.... :?

 

[Krickett]

Ok now I have a question about coconut milk. My son bought a can of it and was intending on drinking it as he likes the milk/water straight out of a fresh coconut. However when he opened the can it was thick like crisco. The question(s) is that normal and how do I get it liquid again to use in soap since he decided he didnt want any part of trying to drink that? LOL Many Thx for the answers!!


Krickett

 

[Guest]

I don't think it's the same thing. I've drank coconut milk from a cocconut and it's essentially clear. I use canned coconut milk all the time in my cooking (makes great Thai BBQ chicken) and you're right, it's a milky looking liquid with a large part of Crisco like stuff on the top. I don't see how the CM in the can can be the same CM that comes out of the middle of a coconut.

 

[coolrain]

I believe the canned CM is actually made from the coconut meat.
So far I have only used it in my OMH soap, but I love it! Unfortunately the coconut smell doesn't come through
I use it for half my liquid, and add it after the lye and oils have just reached trace. It does have an odor for a minute or so, but then dissappears.

 

[Guest]

Now that you said it CR, I think you're right. It comes from the coconut meat and is not the liquid you find in the center of coconuts.

It doesn't smell of coconut at all except faintly.

I'm wondering if using the CM might be contributing to those "unsaponifiables" we hear about in terms of being beneficial to the final product.


And as a (hopefully) related question, what about soy milk? Has anybody tried that in their soap and does it have any benefits?

I've been thinking about cow milk and GM soap, and also considering sticking to all vegetable ingredients, and was idly wondering if there would be any sense in trying SM soy milk instead of the cow/GM.

 

[kwahlne]

I order coconut OIL for my last recipe. Not sure if this is the same as what you all have been talking about, but mine came in a plastic bottle...but it was solid! So I made sure the cap was on tight and I stuck the whole bottle in a tub of hot water. It liquified perfectly.

Kristin

 

[jadiebugs1]

Coconut OIL is that.....an OIL. NOT milk or water or juice. Coconut Oil is used as a base oil for making soap (a lot of soapers us coconut oil). Coconut milk, which I've only used once, is added to a soap mix pretty much that same as cow/goat's milk. Anywho....HTH.

 

[Guest]

Just supporting what Sharon said, coconut oil and coconut milk are two different things. Coconut butter is even a third thing.

You can buy coconut oil for $15/gal and it's a basic important part of all soap making.

Coconut milk is aimed to the food market and is ground coconut pulp.

Coconut butter is yet a different thing and far more expensive.

 

[Krickett]

Many Thx for all the different posts. I have both the coconut oil and the coconut (milk) glob. When my son opened it it had sort of a tuna fishy smell mixed with a faint coconutty smell to it.


Krickett