Goats milk powder

[mommycarlson]

Hi All,
Does anyone add straight goats milk powder to their oils before adding lye water? If so, how much powder PPO? And do you soap at a cooler temp? I normally soap at 110-120 but I was concerned about scorching the milk. Or is this not a concern since it's powdered?

Thank you for your help!

 

[kchaystack]

I have done this. I usually use 1 tablespoon per pound of oils. I do not soap any cooler than usual, but I masterbatch my lye so it is room temp, and my oils are melted til just clear. Not sure what that temp is, but probably in the 110 - 120 range. I have never had a problem with scorching discoloration or an off smell.

The only thing I do is blast my oils with my sb to make sure the powdered milk is well dispersed.

 

[mommycarlson]

kchaystack, thank you so much, very helpful! Looking forward to trying my first batch of GM soap tomorrow!

Oh, almost forgot, I'm assuming you don't have to insulate or use a heating pad to get this to gel? I have read about the GM soap heating up quite a bit on it's own.

 

[redhead1226]

mommycarlson - I do the split method with milks. But it does heat up as evidenced by my OM&H soap from the other day. It cracked right up the middle and I had it in the fridge. I might just use powder next time - report back if you can.

 

[DeeAnna]

If you add the milk powder directly to the oils, be aware there is a chance that you'll could end up with white lumps of milk powder in the soap, even if you SB well. :think:

After one memorable lesson that taught me that fact, I mix the powder with water or fluid milk, SB really well, and let it sit for awhile to hydrate. And I also strain the liquid to be absolutely certain before adding to my oils. The shortcut of adding the powder directly to the oils isn't all that much of a time savings, and the consequences of of white lumps dotting one's otherwise nice soap are really really annoying.

 

[kchaystack]

It all depends on your lye concentration, and the ambient temp of your soaping area. You just have to try a couple and see what works for you. I use 33% lye, and keep my room temps in the low 70s. So I do have trouble gelling. I am hoping when I switch to wooden molds that helps getting to gel.

 

[mommycarlson]

It all depends on your lye concentration, and the ambient temp of your soaping area. You just have to try a couple and see what works for you. I use 33% lye, and keep my room temps in the low 70s. So I do have trouble gelling. I am hoping when I switch to wooden molds that helps getting to gel.

I do all my CP soap at 33% lye concentration, but my room temp is much cooler than yours, 66°. I have to use a heating pad to coax my soaps to gel, most things I have read say to keep the heating pad on for only 20-30 minutes but I find I need to keep mine on for 60-90 just to get a gel going.

If you add the milk powder directly to the oils, be aware there is a chance that you'll could end up with white lumps of milk powder in the soap, even if you SB well. :think:

After one memorable lesson that taught me that fact, I mix the powder with water or fluid milk, SB really well, and let it sit for awhile to hydrate. And I also strain the liquid to be absolutely certain before adding to my oils. The shortcut of adding the powder directly to the oils isn't all that much of a time savings, and the consequences of of white lumps dotting one's otherwise nice soap are really really annoying.

DeeAnna,
Good to know, thank you. Hmmm, now I am thinking. My reason for adding the powder to the oil and skipping the step of making milk with it first and doing the split method was that I thought perhaps the lye wouldn't scorch the milk. Is this true? or am I going to get that discoloration no matter what?

 

[IrishLass]

My reason for adding the powder to the oil and skipping the step of making milk with it first and doing the split method was that I thought perhaps the lye wouldn't scorch the milk. Is this true? or am I going to get that discoloration no matter what?

Speaking only for myself, I do the split method and never get scorching or badly discolored soap. I add my liquid milk to my oils either before or just after I add in my lye solution (I haven't noticed that it makes any noticeable difference in my batches either way). For what its worth, I soap on the warm side and fully gel, and my goat milk soaps come out a lovely creamy off-white color......unless I also happened to have used honey, that is, in which case my soap will discolor to a medium golden tan (just like the color of my honey).


IrishLass

 

[mommycarlson]

Speaking only for myself, I do the split method and never get scorching or badly discolored soap. I add my liquid milk to my oils either before or just after I add in my lye solution (I haven't noticed that it makes any noticeable difference in my batches either way). For what its worth, I soap on the warm side and fully gel, and my goat milk soaps come out a lovely creamy off-white color......unless I also happened to have used honey, that is, in which case my soap will discolor to a medium golden tan (just like the color of my honey).


IrishLass

Thank you IrishLass! That is very helpful. I am hoping to make the soap tomorrow or more likely Friday. I'll post my results. I have come to the conclusion that I will do my usual soaping on the warm side and do the split method of milk to oils and lye and water. I appreciate the help! Oh, and I thought about adding honey (we are beekeepers) but I think I'll wait until next time and just see how my first batch of GM goes

 

[Susie]

Bee smart (lol), don't mix GM and honey together until you have made the honey by itself. Every batch I have ever made with honey (raw, unfiltered) has tried to volcano on me, no matter how cool I soap.

 

[mommycarlson]

Bee smart (lol), don't mix GM and honey together until you have made the honey by itself. Every batch I have ever made with honey (raw, unfiltered) has tried to volcano on me, no matter how cool I soap.

Susie,
What do you mean by "made the honey by itself"? You mean honey in a soap by itself? I've made several batches of soap with honey, the only one I have trouble with accelerating is beer soap with honey. I won't be putting those two together again

 

[kchaystack]

Susie,
What do you mean by "made the honey by itself"? You mean honey in a soap by itself? I've made several batches of soap with honey, the only one I have trouble with accelerating is beer soap with honey. I won't be putting those two together again

Acceleration is different than volcanoing. Tho fast movers can be prone to it. Volcanoing means the center of a load of soap heats up faster than the outside of the loaf. The center expands, usually thru the top, and the hot fluid soap flows like lava all over the place.

Many members of the forum have reported this effect of honey to cause it.

 

[mommycarlson]

Acceleration is different than volcanoing. Tho fast movers can be prone to it. Volcanoing means the center of a load of soap heats up faster than the outside of the loaf. The center expands, usually thru the top, and the hot fluid soap flows like lava all over the place.

Many members of the forum have reported this effect of honey to cause it.

Gotcha. I've had a soap do that, the 100% CO laundry soap I made, wow, that one was aggressive! I actually got it in the freezer before I had a mess all over. No honey in that one. I haven't had a volcano issue with honey, maybe I don't use enough? I only use maybe 1 or 2 T in a 32 oz oil batch.

 

[cmzaha]

If you add the milk powder directly to the oils, be aware there is a chance that you'll could end up with white lumps of milk powder in the soap, even if you SB well. :think:

After one memorable lesson that taught me that fact, I mix the powder with water or fluid milk, SB really well, and let it sit for awhile to hydrate. And I also strain the liquid to be absolutely certain before adding to my oils. The shortcut of adding the powder directly to the oils isn't all that much of a time savings, and the consequences of of white lumps dotting one's otherwise nice soap are really really annoying.

Interesting, I have much better luck mixing my powdered gm to my oils than in liquid, and have never had it get lumpy. In fact I started mixing it inot my oils when I could not get it to mix well in liquids. I always find it interesting how some of can do something one way and another person cannot.

 

[mommycarlson]

Interesting, I have much better luck mixing my powdered gm to my oils than in liquid, and have never had it get lumpy. In fact I started mixing it inot my oils when I could not get it to mix well in liquids. I always find it interesting how some of can do something one way and another person cannot.

Thank you Carolyn. I am seeing at least two batches of GM soap in my future! I will have to try it both ways now just to see what works. Thank you for the input.

Does anyone scent their GM soap? Color it? I was thinking I'd leave it the natural color but I would like to scent it.

 

[DeeAnna]

I can't speak to why my experience is different than Carolyn's or other folks' experience. It may be the formulation of the dry milk that is slightly different than other people's.

 

[mommycarlson]

I can't speak to why my experience is different than Carolyn's or other folks' experience. It may be the formulation of the dry milk that is slightly different than other people's.

Thank you DeeAnna, it's good to know there are different outcomes for different people and methods, I appreciate all the input, helps me to make a decision, and to try more than one method.

 

[toxikon]

I used split-method with great success.

In cooled lye/50% water mixture, I added my honey.

In other 50% water, I added my GM powder.

And at trace, I added my colloidal oatmeal.

Immediately after pouring, I threw it into the freezer for 24 hours. Then fridge for 24 hours. Then room temp for the rest of curing.

I ended up with a beautiful cream-coloured ungelled GM soap!

 

[cmzaha]

I can't speak to why my experience is different than Carolyn's or other folks' experience. It may be the formulation of the dry milk that is slightly different than other people's.

Exactly what I was thinking. I use Meyenberg brand

 

[mommycarlson]

I used split-method with great success.

In cooled lye/50% water mixture, I added my honey.

In other 50% water, I added my GM powder.

And at trace, I added my colloidal oatmeal.

Immediately after pouring, I threw it into the freezer for 24 hours. Then fridge for 24 hours. Then room temp for the rest of curing.

I ended up with a beautiful cream-coloured ungelled GM soap!

Good info, thank you!