Cows milk soap first time

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Joined
Mar 19, 2020
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Hi all,
I’ve been making small batches recently. Until I get a recipe I really like and also it’s just fun to make small batches. I like the anticipation that comes with waiting for 4-6 weeks to be up (so the soap can cure awhile).

This is my first time using cows milk in soap. I like that the milk didn’t turn brown after I added the lye- though I did try harder than ever to keep the mixture cold. The soap was white for a few days but has gotten browner after a few days. No sour milk smell and it hasn’t continued to get darker. May try titanium dioxide next time to try and keep it white.
Recipe is:
1.4 oz lye
3.1 oz 2% milk
.88 oz Mango butter
2.99 oz coconut oil
2.99 oz palm oil
2.99 oz canola oil
(5% super fat)

The mold is a plastic cookie container. Fun results. Cheers!
7B722F90-8646-498D-B6CF-FC1318C3C57D.jpeg
 
Hi all,
I’ve been making small batches recently. Until I get a recipe I really like and also it’s just fun to make small batches. I like the anticipation that comes with waiting for 4-6 weeks to be up (so the soap can cure awhile).

This is my first time using cows milk in soap. I like that the milk didn’t turn brown after I added the lye- though I did try harder than ever to keep the mixture cold. The soap was white for a few days but has gotten browner after a few days. No sour milk smell and it hasn’t continued to get darker. May try titanium dioxide next time to try and keep it white.
Recipe is:
1.4 oz lye
3.1 oz 2% milk
.88 oz Mango butter
2.99 oz coconut oil
2.99 oz palm oil
2.99 oz canola oil
(5% super fat)

The mold is a plastic cookie container. Fun results. Cheers!
View attachment 45558

I love the way your design came out from the mold! It’s funny how we look at everything as a possible soap mold anymore. Lol. This one is really great! They look so pretty.
 
Thanks for the compliments you all. I’m keeping these recipes very simple and sometimes simple gives great results. I bet I can reuse this mold a few times too. It’s fine with me if we discuss almond milk or anything else here haha but you may have better luck searching the forum. Good luck!
 
Good day everyone,
Your soap does look beautiful. Like a piece of white chocolate. I am interested in using milk, but instead almond milk. Can I do that? I'm new to this, so if I shouldn't be asking this on this thread please let me know.
I suggest having a few more batches under your belt, if you haven't made a lot of soap yet. Almond milk isn't cow's milk and there are variables to consider when using it. You'd have to consider how much sugar is used and how many additives may be in that milk. These can vary from brand to brand. I have not used almond milk. My daughter is allergic to tree nuts so I avoid most of them.
 
Beautiful soap! Love the pattern from your upcycled mold! Could you show a pic of the cookie container? I am new and still trying to figure out what I can use for a mold...meaning will that seemingly flimsy plastic my cookies are packed in hold up to CP coap? Thanks!
 
Beautiful soap! Love the pattern from your upcycled mold! Could you show a pic of the cookie container? I am new and still trying to figure out what I can use for a mold...meaning will that seemingly flimsy plastic my cookies are packed in hold up to CP coap? Thanks!

The plastic was quite flimsy, the soap was quite cool due to the milk/lye being cool to avoid the milk getting too hot. A hotter mix may have warped the plastic- I’m gonna use the mold again and will probably be soaping at around 120 degrees F. I think I’ll avoid posting a pic just to keep this thread less cluttered. Cheers!
 
I love your soaps! Your upcycling of cookie packaging was very successful! Did you coat the "mold" with anything before you used it? I find that palm tends to make soap that has more of a cream color compared with using lard or a lard and tallow mix, which both make whiter soap when I use liquid oils that stay light. Mango butter may also impart some color, but you used very little for your recipe. I think getting a really white cow milk soap without TD or white mica would be tricky.
 
Thank you for showing that, Andy7891! You have just opened up my soap-making endeavors to a whole new world! Appreciate you posting the pic!
Sure thing. Originally I planned on posting the pic of the mold with the soap- anywho I may start doing that when the mold is quite unique like this one! Hope it can help you and others soap.
 
I love your soaps! Your upcycling of cookie packaging was very successful! Did you coat the "mold" with anything before you used it? I find that palm tends to make soap that has more of a cream color compared with using lard or a lard and tallow mix, which both make whiter soap when I use liquid oils that stay light. Mango butter may also impart some color, but you used very little for your recipe. I think getting a really white cow milk soap without TD or white mica would be tricky.
If I can get away with it I may try lard and or tallow and or TD/mica to whiten up this and other soaps. I did not spray or coat the “mold” with anything, I planned on destroying the mold to get to the soap if need be, but it popped right out.
 
That mold is awesome! Did you find that it stood up well to the soap? Could it be used a second time?

edit: sorry just read above! Still an awesome design.
 
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