I am taking the plunge...very soon

[sarahjane]

So I've decided that it's time to make my first batch of CP. I still have to gather some supplies and I am poor right now so it will be a couple of weeks. I wanted to start with a really small batch but can't seem to find a recipe. I have been reading up on my info at miller soap and I think I can do this! I really love GM soap so I thought I would start with that. Here is a recipe I found. Do you think it is suitable for a beginner? I don't mind starting with a plain old vegetable base recipe, should I so that instead do you think? Why am I so nervous? I feel like it's a first date or something!


Cold Process Goats Milk Soap

Makes 4 lbs. Weigh all ingredients,
following basic cold process method.

8 oz. distilled water (cold)
8 oz. goat milk (cold)


6.5 oz. lye (sodium hydroxide)
8 oz. palm oil
17 oz. coconut 76 oil
17 oz. olive oil
1 oz grapefruit seed extract
2-3 ozs. essential oil

Mix the distilled water and goat milk together in a container. Add the lye to the water/goat milk mixture and watch as it turns a tan color. Stir in all the lye. Let sit about 10 minutes. Don't be concerned about the temperature of the lye mixture or oils mixture. Prepare your oils, add lye/water/goat milk mixture to the oils. The lye/water/goat milk mixture will look curdled, stir and add it to the pot of oils. Using a stick blender mix well and continue through to trace. Add grapefruit seed extract as a preservative and any scent you like. We've chosen Ginger Essential Oil for a wonderful "Zen" scent. Pour into your mold, cover and let set 20-24 hrs. Cure cut soap for 4 weeks.

Goats milk soap has a creamy smooth texture and is very nourishing for your skin.

 

[NEASoapWorks]

Me too!

Hey, sarahjane!

I just purchased the last of my supplies (today online) to get me started. I plan to make my first batch, next week! I'm excited for you!

 

[Soapmaker Man]

That's an awful lot of GSE to use in your batch. Are you sure you don't mean just Grape Seed Oil? GSE is a antioxidant, and really very little is needed to aid in preventing DOS! A 4 pound batch is a fairly large batch for the first time out. Can you try a few 1 pound batches until you get the process worked out and making sure the GM does not burn on you. I RT everything, including pouring my cold GM in the just emulsified batter and stirring with a whisk a few minutes to start trace. I then SB until light to medium trace. Good luck to you on your maiden GM voyage! I'll be hoping and wishing well for you! Be sure to post some pictures ASAP!

Paul.... :wink:

 

[CPSoaper]

I would recommend starting with a 2lb batch. A 1lb batch leaves no room for errors on your calculations but I do agree that a 4lb batch is a bit much to start out with too. but my first batch of CP ever was a 4lb pound batch as well.

 

[Soapmaker Man]

I would recommend starting with a 2lb batch. A 1lb batch leaves no room for errors on your calculations but I do agree that a 4lb batch is a bit much to start out with too. but my first batch of CP ever was a 4lb pound batch as well.

I agree with you CPS! :wink: I started out with 2 pound batches and still make 2 pound batches, albeit, several logs at a time! I like a 10" log to work with. 8)

Paul.... :wink:

 

[sarahjane]

I was thinking it was too large a batch too but I can't find a recipe for anything smaller. Can I just cut the recipe in half? I heard it wasn't a good idea.

Paul,
Concerning the GSE, that is the amount the recipe says to add. But just to be on the safe side I think I will find another recipe to use. Thank you so much for all of your input. I will take pictures, even if it turns out to be a dud!

 

[sarahjane]

Oh! And good luck NEA!

 

[Soapmaker Man]

I was thinking it was too large a batch too but I can't find a recipe for anything smaller. Can I just cut the recipe in half?

Sure you can! SAP values do not change or lye % strength does not change or oils do not change just because you cut everything by 50%. The smaller the batch, the more you need to emphasize accuracy in weighing your oils, and especially your lye. When I do 1 pound test batches, I weigh everything in grams on my digital scale. It is just as safe to make a 1 pound batch as it is a 10 pound batch IF you watch very carefully what you are doing and weigh accurately in grams! Go for it! 8)

Paul.... :wink:

 

[sarahjane]

Oh, thanks Paul! Maybe that is why they said it wasn't a good idea! I will just cut everything in half then!

 

[Guest]

I make 1 pound batches all the time without a problem.

I do weigh in grams, and i also put all my oils in one container, so my total weight in the end is correct.

PM me and i'll even share my recipe with you. It's basic and easy, and it's even a goats milk recipe!!!! Plus I'll even give you tips on the things that i've learned from making it.

I love making 1 pound batches, and i've never had a flop so far from miss measuring. But I do use a digital scale, and place my container on my scale and off again letting it zero out each time I add to the container, to make sure i'm on the button for weight.


~kris

 

[Mothi]

My first batch of soap was about 10 oz of oils. Most of my batches are between 4-16 oz of oil, but it helps having a grams scale. Some measurements are so small that a little too much makes a whole lot of difference. I now have both a grams and ounce scale.

What I did when I first used goat's milk (on second batch I think), I used aloe juice (or you can use water) to mix the lye solution up. Then added the goat's milk at light trace. This decreased chances to burn the goat's milk. I did once try to use goat's milk with mixing the lye and the temperature went much higher than I liked. I forgot at what temperate goat's milk suddenly turned orange. The soap wasn't orange, but had a light orange hue to it.

As far as the grapefruit seed extract, sure sounds like a lot. The Soapmaker's Companion by Susan Miller Cavitch (page 191 if you have book) says to use as little as .5 percent of total soap making ingredients of grapefruit seed extract.

 

[sarahjane]

Yeah, I am pretty uneasy about the GSE now. I am going to use another recipe. I still have to buy a scale!! I am dirt poor at the moment so it will be a little while. In the mean time I am going to continue researching. I am so horrible when it comes to math and percentages that I am pretty sure I will screw it up somehow! You guys have been such great help! Thank you!

Faithy, I am going to PM you right now! Thanks