Goats Milk SOap HELP!
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Ruthie
Well-Known Member
I use the fridge and leave it 48 hours. I've never used the freezer but have read about leaving it there 24 hours then the fridge another 24.
You'll want to wait at least another 24 to cut, to avoid crumbling.
You'll want to wait at least another 24 to cut, to avoid crumbling.
Aunt Polly
Well-Known Member
I freeze for 24, but 48 wouldn't hurt. Let it thaw for 24 hrs---check to see how soft it is--if it is still soft, just let it sit for some days to harden up before cutting. If you cut too soon, it will be too soft and mess up your cut. (Been there).
I must just be the odd-ball here. I don't put my milk soaps in the fridge or freezer because I don't like how they do when you bring them out. I keep a pretty cool house though and use a good fan, but if I did use a freezer I'd let it thaw before trying to cut...
Candybee
Well-Known Member
No you're not an odd ball. I don't freeze or chill my gm soap either. I just cover my mold and set it in a cool dark place. I don't force gel either, just let it do its sap thing and after 24 hrs unmold. If its still soft I may place in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour before unmolding.
But then I use a slab mold and that may be the difference.
But then I use a slab mold and that may be the difference.
SueSoap
Well-Known Member
I chill mine, but have never put them in the freezer. No room in there.
I have placed my mold in the freezer for 30mins before soaping the goats milk but never put the soap itself into the freezer I keep mine in the fridge for 12hrs then umold but I guess that depends on peoples individual recipes
Ginka
Member
Very interesting. I made my first goat soap last week. Didn't put in the fridge initially, but it started to jell. I remember from watching soaping101 that heat will caramelize sugars in the goat milk, so I put it in the fridge. After an hour it kept jelling and I moved it to freezer. Took out after 24 h and cut after another 24h. It has darker circle in the centre from partial jelling, which hopefully will fade with curing.
Now my question is should I left it jell compleatly? Would jell destroy soap with sugar? Beer soaps ussually put in the fridge too.
I apologize in anvance for any spelling mistakes, I am not a native English speaker.
Now my question is should I left it jell compleatly? Would jell destroy soap with sugar? Beer soaps ussually put in the fridge too.
I apologize in anvance for any spelling mistakes, I am not a native English speaker.
Yooper
Well-Known Member
I freeze my goat milk before using, and mix the lye with the frozen goat's milk. I soap at a cool temperature, but let it gel at cool room temperatures. The soap comes out ivory colored, instead of white, but it's pretty and it doesn't have any partial gel issues.
@Ginka-If I knew my soap was gelling, I would not try to stop it because a full gel is much better than a partial one. The gel phase will not destroy your soap, it will only make it darker (and other things) but many force gel...it's not a bad thing. And sometimes it's pretty much inevitable so you just have to go with it. 
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Just use your usual recipe, soap cool, use all GM and don't let it gel, put it in the frig that will give you a light colour. Mine come out an ivory colour but I'm not willing to give you my recipe.
jean1C
Well-Known Member
I agree with the above poster. I've done some searching on line and found a few nice recipes. One I had was a bunch of what I consider to be "exotic" oils. But the bottom line is to use your regular recipe and substitute GM for the water. Mine also comes out a nice creamy ivory. But I add the lye SLOWLY and keep a watch on the temp. Add the lye to the GM while it is in an ice bath. This can take time, so have something else to do. (laundry works for me...lol). After I pour into the mold, I put it in the freezer for a few hours, then in the fridge for 24. I absolutely love how it looks/feels.
Yooper
Well-Known Member
As the others mentioned, any soap recipe can be used. You can just substitute goat's milk in place of the water.
For an ivory soap using goat's milk, I freeze my goat's milk. Then I add the lye to the frozen goat's milk, stirring well. It will be slushy until it tries to warm up. I do this in a bowl that is in a larger bowl of ice water. If you keep this solution cool, the goat's milk won't turn brown (or worse, orange!).
Using white oils also helps keep the color white- I use tallow and olive oil primarily but castor oil (up to 8%) helps with lather/bubbles.
One very very nice goat's milk recipe (I've posted this in the forum before, with other goat's milk recipes):
10% shea butter
20% coconut oil
12% tallow
50% olive oil, pomace
8% castor oil
Frozen goat's milk for water
Superfat 8%
Don't gel.
This is an ivory soap, that is rich and wonderful.
For an ivory soap using goat's milk, I freeze my goat's milk. Then I add the lye to the frozen goat's milk, stirring well. It will be slushy until it tries to warm up. I do this in a bowl that is in a larger bowl of ice water. If you keep this solution cool, the goat's milk won't turn brown (or worse, orange!).
Using white oils also helps keep the color white- I use tallow and olive oil primarily but castor oil (up to 8%) helps with lather/bubbles.
One very very nice goat's milk recipe (I've posted this in the forum before, with other goat's milk recipes):
10% shea butter
20% coconut oil
12% tallow
50% olive oil, pomace
8% castor oil
Frozen goat's milk for water
Superfat 8%
Don't gel.
This is an ivory soap, that is rich and wonderful.
thegriffiths
Heather
I just came across this post because we were looking in to why our GM soap is starting to darken during curing.
It was a really while ivory color for the first two weeks. We went out of town and came back to it turning a light tan. Its still very nice. But we would like it to stay the light ivory.
Anyone else have this issue?
It was a really while ivory color for the first two weeks. We went out of town and came back to it turning a light tan. Its still very nice. But we would like it to stay the light ivory.
Anyone else have this issue?
Ginka
Member
I find if you let it jell, it will turn tan/ yellowish color, if it doesn't jell, the chances it to stay white much better.
And also depends on oils that you used. Lard/ coconut/ palm kernel will help you to preserve white color.
And also depends on oils that you used. Lard/ coconut/ palm kernel will help you to preserve white color.
I think the problem with goat milk turning orange is not the heat but how fast you add the lye and the quick change in PH. After all when you boil milk on the stove it doesn't go orange and that's a lot hotter than my lye gets. When you add lye to frozen milk its getting into solution at a little bit at a time so the PH is changing slowly.
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Ginka
Member
Well. All I know, I had a batch that I split in half. Part jelled in loaf and part not jelled in individual forms. Non jelled one almost white, jelled one looks like crem br?l?e color.
