Help with goat milk, honey, oat recipe

[Phisch]

My first try—hasn’t happened yet—will be a 100% coconut oil soap for laundry purposes (we need it badly).

My second will be goats milk, oat and honey soap. I found this recipe and it seems to be very straightforward so the only change I might make is to freeze the milk to help keep things cooler:

https://practicalselfreliance.com/goats-milk-honey-soap-recipe-beginners/

It’s missing the colloidal oatmeal. How much do you think should go in? Is that a “personal preference” thing or does there need to be a certain amount to keep the integrity of the soap/recipe? Can I leave out the fragrance and still end up with soap (I’m assuming yes since it’s added at the end)?

If anyone has a recipe they recommend that already accounts for the oatmeal, that would be lovely

Often, in this forum and elsewhere, I see posts about the goats milk soap turning dark instead of staying creamy and light in color. What causes that color change?

 

[Kcryss]

It’s missing the colloidal oatmeal. How much do you think should go in? Is that a “personal preference” thing or does there need to be a certain amount to keep the integrity of the soap/recipe? Can I leave out the fragrance and still end up with soap (I’m assuming yes since it’s added at the end)?

I use oatmeal at 1 TBS per pound of oils. I don't buy the colloidal, I just ground regular oats really fine. I think too much oatmeal would be too exfoliating.

The soap will be fine if you don't add the fragrance.

 

[Obsidian]

For the oatmeal, use 1 teaspoon per pound of oil in the recipe.
Milk soaps go dark when it gets too hot and the sugars in the milk burn.
It can happen when adding lye to the milk or if the soap goes through a very hot gel.

That recipe is going to get hot with the honey, milk and beeswax. I would definitely put it in the freezer.
It will probably trace fast due to the beeswax, go easy with the blending.

 

[Kcryss]

For the oatmeal, use 1 teaspoon per pound of oil in the recipe.

Have I been using too much oatmeal?

 

[Obsidian]

Have I been using too much oatmeal?

If it works for you then its fine. I use 1 tsp ppo for almost all additives.

 

[Phisch]

Thanks! I’ll prep a space in the freezer. Does it stay in until it’s time to unmold?

Maybe I’ll start at 1 1/2 tsp for the oats and see. I’m hoping starting with ice cubes and going super slow will help prefent the color change.

 

[cmzaha]

I use 1.5 tsp of oatmeal flour ppo. Do you really want to make 3 lbs of soap if you do not like it? You can resize it in a soap calculator which you should run this through anyway. It is not good to use a recipe without running it through a calculator, people make errors. soapcalc, soapmakersfriend.com or soapee.com are all good calculators. A 1 lb batch would be advisable.

Also, I would replace the honey with sugar dissolving it in your water first to avoid most of the overheating problems honey causes. With the amount of gm the recipe calls if you nix the honey you can avoid the freezer if you choose to gel your soap if no go for the freezer. You can freeze your soap overnight if you choose to or not but be aware the soap will most like be zappy for 72 hrs while it finishes saponifying. Sugar will still add to the lather without the overheating issues of honey.

 

[Obsidian]

Thanks! I’ll prep a space in the freezer. Does it stay in until it’s time to unmold?

Its been a long time since I used a freezer but I remember leaving it in there for 12 hours or so.
You can unmold while froze, sit on paper towel to catch any condensation. Cut once its thawed out.

 

[cmzaha]

Its been a long time since I used a freezer but I remember leaving it in there for 12 hours or so.
You can unmold while froze, sit on paper towel to catch any condensation. Cut once its thawed out.

Just remember to put on gloves when you cut if you freeze your soap. If you read my edited post above, I explained why.

 

[lucycat]

I use 1 tbsp per pound of oil as well. It gives a scrubby feel to the soap but I don't consider it scratchy. I get asked to add more.

 

[Phisch]

Just remember to put on gloves when you cut if you freeze your soap. If you read my edited post above, I explained why.

Thank you! I see gloves on people unmolding so I planned to do the same.

Do you reallywant to make 3 lbs of soap if you do not like it?

I’m open to trying a recipe that has honey, goats milk and oats and would love recommendations I know I would have to run it through a calculator regardless because my mold holds 42 ounces so I can’t go any bigger than that. I don’t see why I can’t calculate a test batch to fit just half the mold so there isn’t much waste if it goes wrong.

 

[AliOop]

What oils do you have around? 100% lard is a classic with GMO&H. I also love 70% lard, 20% CO, 10% castor. I just tried goat's milk powder, which I added to the oils with the oatmeal and honey. SO much simpler than frozen GM cubes.

 

[TheGecko]

Often, in this forum and elsewhere, I see posts about the goats milk soap turning dark instead of staying creamy and light in color. What causes that color change?

It turns dark because it overheats and burns the milk.

I freeze my goat milk and then mix the lye, a little bit at a time, in an ice bath (ice, salt and water). Watch you temperature as you stir the lye in, don’t let it get above 75F. I usually add about a teaspoon at a time (I make 2lb batches) and if it starts to get a little warm, I just let it sit for a bit and do something else until it cools down again.

During the Spring and Summer, I put my GMS in the refrigerator so I don’t have to worry about it overheating. During the Fall and Winter, I can just put it in the garage.

 

[Jennifer Horne]

One TEASPOON ppo

Ok this is how i do it but first let me say if you use can goat milk dont worry about the heat as the canned milk has already been through a high heat process. But either way its a good idea to freeze the milk until its slushy ( that reminds me i need to make some milk soap) and add a little lit of lye at a time, the reason i like the milk slushy and not frozen solid is bc i feel like it mixes better. Sometimes i freeze the milk lye mix in between the times when i add more lye so its like this add lye,put in freezer add lye and freezer more, this helps with the temp. The only issue i seem to ever have is when u mix the lye with the oils sometimes it looks like the mix is trying to curdle, just keep blending it smooths out. Honey and oats i usually put in my oils.

 

[Curtis]

I have been using powdered goats milk. I add a small amount of water to the powder to make a goats milk sludge, subtracting the water I use from the amount of water I use with lye. I mix well and then add the goats milk sludge after I add the lye water to my oils and they have emulsified. I prefer this because there is no freezing, scorching, slowly adding lye, etc. I have not made a soap with fresh goats milk so I can't compare the two methods.

 

[TheGecko]

but first let me say if you use can goat milk dont worry about the heat as the canned milk has already been through a high heat process.

I completely disagree. Just because the milk (fresh or canned or even powdered) has been pasteurized doesn't NOT mean that you can't still burn it.

 

[cmzaha]

I completely disagree. Just because the milk (fresh or canned or even powdered) has been pasteurized doesn't NOT mean that you can't still burn it.

That is very true. It is Not necessarily advisable to freeze your lye solution either.

 

[TheGecko]

That is very true. It is Not necessarily advisable to freeze your lye solution either.

I agree. My goat milk lye solution is generally around 70F when I add to my oils/butters which is around 90F.

 

[Jennifer Horne]

I have been using powdered goats milk. I add a small amount of water to the powder to make a goats milk sludge, subtracting the water I use from the amount of water I use with lye. I mix well and then add the goats milk sludge after I add the lye water to my oils and they have emulsified. I prefer this because there is no freezing, scorching, slowly adding lye, etc. I have not made a soap with fresh goats milk so I can't compare the two methods.

using power you can add it directly to your oils

I didnt say freeze the lye solution completely put it in to bring the temp down, next time you dont understand please ask first

 

[cmzaha]

I didnt say freeze the lye solution completely put it in to bring the temp down, next time you dont understand please ask first

Sometimes i freeze the milk lye mix in between the times when i add more lye so its like this add lye,put in freezer add lye and freezer more, this helps with the temp.

This is what you posted. So I did not misunderstand what you posted. I understood just perfectly....