Hmm Lesson Learned - again (I think)

[ChrissyB]

Ok, so i was making a batch of soap yesterday and planned to stir some coconut milk powder in a trace, blended with some of my reserved liquid.
Anyway I was feeling adventurous, so I used ordinary milk powder instead. I bought it especially to try in soaping so thought i'd give it a go.
Made sure it was all mixed through, but today the soap smells a little sour milkish. Sort of the like gm soap smells the next day. I'm hoping it mellows a little as it cures, to that nutty kind of smell you get with gm.
OH well, another mark on the chalk board. :cry:

 

[IrishLass]

I've always gotten a sour note when I've used ordinary milk in my soap, too. I quit using it after my second sour smelling batch and stick exclusively with either goatmilk or coconut milk, although I've made one batch with buttermilk and so far that one is fine to my nose.

IrishLass

 

[ChrissyB]

I don't think I'll bother with it again, like you said irishlass, i'll stick with the coconut and goat milk also.
Maybe it's the actual milk fats that make that sour smell, remember someone said they soaped with butter and it gave off the cheesy smell? It's sort of like that.
GM is definitely far superior as far as soaping goes.
I do so love the sound of butter milk though. Did you use the actual milk and freeze it? Sub out some of the water? Or use the powder?
Sorry for all the ??'s.

 

[topcat]

Hey Chrissy! I use buttermilk powder in my soap - it was in the Full Moon Rising one in our last swap. I blend the powder (1T per 500gm oils) into some aloe juice and SB that into my oils before adding the lye water. I discount the amount of the aloe juice from the liquid I add the caustic soda to. HTH!

Tanya

 

[Guest]

Sorry that happened to your soap Chrissy .I have some soy milk powder I was going to try in soap , I think I will use it in bread instead. I sure hope the sour milk smell goes away.

 

[ChrissyB]

Kitn' yep save it for the bread, I wouldn't recommend it in soap. I have such good results with coconut milk powder I think I'll stick with that. And TC, your soap is lovely, buttermilk powder must be different to regular milk powder? Mind you, I don't know how people can drink that milk powder stuff, it smells like baby milk vomit to me! :twisted:

 

[topcat]

Thanks Chrissy! Here I go with a total guess....buttermilk as far as I know is the liquid that separates out when churning butter from cream :? If that is so, then it is way more processed than ordinary milk and may incorporate better in soap as a result....like I said - total guess! :wink:

Tanya

 

[One_Shining_Star]

Thanks Chrissy! Here I go with a total guess....buttermilk as far as I know is the liquid that separates out when churning butter from cream :? If that is so, then it is way more processed than ordinary milk and may incorporate better in soap as a result....like I said - total guess! :wink:

Tanya

You are right. Buttermilk is the leftover liquid from churning cream into butter. It's like 1% milkfat, and tastes a little sour. It's isn't really more processed, maybe pasteurized again after it's drained off the butter. I work in a farmstead diary plant, and we just dump our buttermilk down the drain, because we make really small batches of butter.

 

[topcat]

Thanks for the insight! Maybe you can try a batch of soap with it added to see how completely fresh buttermilk works for you? Of course, that is if you make soap :wink:

Tanya