I am new to making soap. Haven't made a single bar yet. I want to use goats milk in it. Can I substitute half the water for milk? Using a basic recipe from a book that didn't need palm oil cause I don't have that yet. Thank you.
Goats milk
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houseofwool
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Yes, you can substitute milk for the water.
I use powdered goats milk in every batch.
I use powdered goats milk in every batch.
I use GM in some of my soaps as well and use 1/2 the required water amount. Welcome to the forum. there is a lot of awesome information and people here to help.
When using a recipe from a book or anywhere for that matter just be sure to run it through a soap calc to be sure the measurements are accurate.
When using a recipe from a book or anywhere for that matter just be sure to run it through a soap calc to be sure the measurements are accurate.
gemsupthepoley
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Still a noob myself but it 'might be an idea' to get the hang of it without milk for your first batch.
I'm quite sure your first won't be your last. You'll soon have 3 or 4 batches all waiting to cure!!!!!!!
I'm quite sure your first won't be your last. You'll soon have 3 or 4 batches all waiting to cure!!!!!!!
Welcome, Gardenguy! :wave:
Ditto what the others have said.
IrishLass
Ditto what the others have said.
IrishLass
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Hello Gardenguy
Just noticed you are new, would you like to go to the Intro section and tell us a little about yourself - nothing too personal, just things like why you want to start soaping etc.
Just noticed you are new, would you like to go to the Intro section and tell us a little about yourself - nothing too personal, just things like why you want to start soaping etc.
dillsandwitch
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one thing they others didn't mention is GM soap can sometimes overheat. I would suggest putting it straight into the fridge or freezer after pouring to prevent overheating. I have used GM about a half dozen times and i think out of that I have had only 2 not overheat. I use coconut milk or regular cow milk now and no overheating issues
spenny92
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I'm a new soaper but have made around 8 batches of goat's milk soap, you'll be hooked in no time! I substitute all of the water for goat's milk. The easiest method I've found is to freeze the goat's milk in ice cube trays. The lye can scorch the milk if you use it unfrozen. Sprinkle the lye slowly over the cubes and stir continuously, the heat slowly melts the milk and leaves it a lovely cream colour, rather than scorched yellow/orange. I also second the freezer idea. I put my silicone mould in the freezer before I start soaping, take it out just before pouring and then pop it straight back into the freezer for 6-8 hours, but longer if I can help it! Then it's normally ready to unmould, but I let it get back to room temperature before cutting or it crumbles like crazy.
Good luck!!
Good luck!!
Dorymae
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What is the base of the soap? Lard and tallow are hard oils, and should be okay with unmolding after 12 hours or so. If your base is olive or another soft oil, you may have to leave the mold in the fridge or freezer longer before trying to unmold. I've had recipes with a lot of olive oil I could not unmold for 2 days. It will all depend upon your recipe.
Judiraz
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I use goat's milk in most of my soaps. When I use 100% GM I freeze it and sprinkle the lye over it and slowly stir until all the lye has been incorporated. If you go too fast you run the risk of burning your milk and it smells BAD!!
I have started to use silk and the best way to add it is into hot lye water. So now I dissolve my lye into water, using 1/2 the liquid called for. This is a strong mixture so, safety first! I add my silk to this hot mix. The other half of the liquid is my goat's milk. I use room temp or slightly cool milk and add it to my oils. This helps cool the oils and I can usually start mixing quicker.
I really haven't been able to tell much difference between my "full milk" and my "half milk & silk" bars after they have cured.
I have started to use silk and the best way to add it is into hot lye water. So now I dissolve my lye into water, using 1/2 the liquid called for. This is a strong mixture so, safety first! I add my silk to this hot mix. The other half of the liquid is my goat's milk. I use room temp or slightly cool milk and add it to my oils. This helps cool the oils and I can usually start mixing quicker.
I really haven't been able to tell much difference between my "full milk" and my "half milk & silk" bars after they have cured.
I would recommend checking out this thread to find out the split method of soaping milks. It is SO much easier, no mess, no burning the milk w/lye, you want to maybe keep an eye on the batch for overheating, but you'd have to to that with milks anyway. A lot of the mavens on the board use it. Thank God I found it, I don't think I would make milk soaps otherwise.
Look for Irish Lass' post and ask away ...
http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=19596&highlight=milk+split+method+irish+lass
ETA: I am kind of w/Gems, though, it is kind of a good idea to make some basic soap batches first, just to figure out how the soap will behave, what you need to look out for in a recipe that you like. And then start adding stuff. And learn from my example, take good notes from the beginning! I donated all my soaps save a few samples at the 3 mo. mark - @ 40 batches - b/c I had millions of scraps of paper and no idea what went with which soap, hence no idea of what went into those I liked and those I didn't when I used them.
I use Evernote, I run soapcalc, cut and post the soapcalc print/view recipe page into a new Evernote "note" for each soap, write down everything I add/do in the "additives/notes" section at the bottom, attach a pic, and print it out two copies so that I have one with me when I make the soap, and one to put with the soap batch as it is curing/when stored.
It doesn't take long, and you will probably want to send me chocolates in about six months
Look for Irish Lass' post and ask away ...
http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=19596&highlight=milk+split+method+irish+lass
ETA: I am kind of w/Gems, though, it is kind of a good idea to make some basic soap batches first, just to figure out how the soap will behave, what you need to look out for in a recipe that you like. And then start adding stuff. And learn from my example, take good notes from the beginning! I donated all my soaps save a few samples at the 3 mo. mark - @ 40 batches - b/c I had millions of scraps of paper and no idea what went with which soap, hence no idea of what went into those I liked and those I didn't when I used them.
I use Evernote, I run soapcalc, cut and post the soapcalc print/view recipe page into a new Evernote "note" for each soap, write down everything I add/do in the "additives/notes" section at the bottom, attach a pic, and print it out two copies so that I have one with me when I make the soap, and one to put with the soap batch as it is curing/when stored.
It doesn't take long, and you will probably want to send me chocolates in about six months
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