Goat Milk vs Water with Floral FO

[LaurensSoapShop]

Here is something I found interesting and wanted to share.

For a friend's wedding I am making soaps as favors. Her father makes fragrances for cosmetics as a living, so he is providing me with a lavender fragrance oil for my soaps. My friend had requested yellow bars with blue accents, so I went with annatto seed infused oil for the yellow, blueberry seeds mixed in and cornflower petals on top. My original plan was to use goat milk but after a few test batches I realized that was going to be impossible if I wanted a nice yellow color. This fragrance was really tricky to work with, but I was determined to get it right. For info: I use frozen goat milk and soap at ~100F or lower. The goat milk is still white when I add it to the oils.

Batch one (all the way to the right in the picture): Goat milk, annatto seed coloring, 1oz fragrance oil per pound. I mixed to medium trace with coloring, added fragrance and mixed just enough to combine. The mixture immediately started to accelerate and rice as I was pouring it, I wasn't able to get a textured top at all since it was lumpy, and it began to gel about 5 min after pouring. Also began to rise up in the mold a little. End result was very dark tan soap.

Batch two (next one over from the right): Goat milk, I omitted the annatto seed coloring, 0.7oz fragrance per pound. Mixed just to combine, added fragrance and was able to get everything into the mold before it started to get lumpy. Still couldn't get any texture on top and began to gel quickly again. Final result still dark tan, but lighter than batch one (most likely due to the omission of the coloring). At this point I realized the heat being generated by the FO was most likely burning the milk. I decided to try a water batch next (first time soaping with water ever).

(Ignore the pink/purple batch in the pic, this is another project for a wedding shower)

Batch three (all the way to the left in the picture): Water, 1.5 Tbsp annatto seed infused oil, 0.35 oz FO per pound (all I had left from my sample). Mixed to light trace, and I reserved ~1 cup of the batter to leave unscented so I could make a nice texture on top without lumping. Added the fragrance to the remaining oil, mixed by hand till combined, poured, topped with unscented oil and made it look pretty . I was very pleased with the way the color came out, although you could see a slight line separating the fragranced portion from the top. And it seems the FO portion melted the blueberry seeds a bit. This is some potent FO for sure!!

My only question is when I was cutting batch three there seemed to be extra oil on the bottom of the loaf, and in between the bars when I cut them (I did cut them early though, after about 24hrs, I'm too impatient). Could this "seeping" oil be from the fragrance not being fully incorporated, or from the extra annatto seed oil I added for coloring? I am thinking FO, but wanted to see if anyone has experienced this before. I am worried if I stick blend the fragrance it will get lumpy before I can pour.

I found this very interesting because I've never had the goat milk cause such a discoloration when using FO. I am glad I was able to figure out a way to get her soaps to look pretty though




Oh and I forgot to ask if anyone had any tips for working with a difficult FO like this? Thanks

 

[OliveOil2]

Your batch on the left is beautiful. I just recently have been fighting with a very difficult FO. and Goat Milk. I can always keep the bars nice and light if I use water or aloe for the lye, and use 50% goat milk at trace. I think that this has worked for me with over 50 fragrances. I had always added the milk after the FO since the Goat Milk makes things heat up. No luck with this FO I had a seizure, so I went back to try again, I added the milk to the oils, and was able to get it in the mold. But this FO was just plain scary, within a few minutes of getting it in the mold it was gelled, and super hot. The wooden log mold is too large for the fridge, so I just uncovered and waited to see what would happen. It worked out, but I think that I will save this for melt & pour projects.

 

[judymoody]

Your experience demonstrates why it is best to use fragrances that have been formulated specifically for use in CP soap. I'm hoping that as these fragrances are safe for cosmetics then they are also skin safe for use in soap. The safety standards for cosmetic use are generally higher.

As for the oil seepage, given that this FO caused your soap to gel almost immediately, it's probably a result of overheating. I don't see evidence of lye crystals or oozing pockets so it's probably safe enough although a zap test wouldn't hurt.

 

[seven]

i have a few FOs like this. i've tried putting it first with the oils before the lye, but it just made it worse! nowadays, i have no choice but to ditch my SB, just working with a whisk, bring it to a stable emulsification or very light trace, and put the FO last just before i dump it in the mold.

 

[grayceworks]

I think the tan ones are just as pretty. Might not be the color you were going for in the wedding soaps, but still very pretty soaps. If I was selling or gifting, I'd put them on display all in the same basket, alternating the light and dark ones, and I think the effect would be a nice contrast.

I have an oatmeal soap that I HP and I do two versions, one with water, one with goatsmilk, and the milk one turns dark brown.