I did it, I made my first batch

campbellsoap · Nov 21, 2007

I made my first batch of soap last night. I used my kit from Sun Feather so everything was measured out. I'm not particular happy with the scent. It was suppose to be Lavender, mmm doesn't smell like it much and my house smells like it. I had 2 - 2 oz bottles of Lavender oil. It did take a while for it to trace.

I plan to make another batch tonight but want to try it with goats milk. I will use the oils from my kits but run everything through a calculator to make sure. I want to try some of my oils as superfatting.

My girls enjoyed it but was disappointed there wasn't a big reaction with the water and lye. I guess they were wanting it to blow up or something :lol:

My oldest daughter is studying chemicals in earth science so she was interested.

The one thing I didn't plan for was to where I am going to put the soap to cure. Hubby might have to build me a shelf. I had taken one DD's room over for incubation. I have 1 incubator to go with eggs in it and I promised her no more incubating until spring.

jackie

sarahjane · Nov 21, 2007

Congratulations!!

kooldad · Nov 21, 2007

Be careful when working with the goats milk. If you add the lye to room temperature goats milk it is going to cook the goats milk and caramelize the sugars in it. You'll end up with a brown liquid that doesn't make a very nice looking soap. I know, I've done it before.

If using regular goats milk, I freeze my goats milk first. I also chill my mixing bowl and when I'm ready to mix, I place the mixing bowl in the sink surrounded by ice water. I then add the frozen goats milk and then add the lye very very slowly - maybe 1/2 ounce at a time and let it slowly melt the goats milk while I stir. The idea is to do it slowly so that the goats milk never gets too warm.

If you are using concentrated goats milk, you can measure out the water you need to reconstitute the goats milk. Add the lye to that water and once it has cooled back down to room temperature you can then add your concentrated goats milk to the mixture.

Good luck and have fun.

campbellsoap · Nov 21, 2007

Thanks for the advice! Tonight I'm going to use the evaporated goats milk but hopefully Friday I am going to a farm to buy some fresh goats milk.

I would have never known that if it had been for this forum. I've been reading all the past post on GM and on other websites. Paul has had a lot of good info. I have read so much on soap making.

Maybe I can talk DH into buying me a milk goat! I've been wanting a nubain goat anyway. DD wants one to show in the fair next year. I do have a goat that will be having a baby in January so I might have to wait for her. DD says if the goat has a billy than she wants to sell it and we have found out that if you really want a goat to be a big pet it's best to get it and bottle feed it.

Guest · Nov 21, 2007

Congrats! And many more to come!

Soapmaker Man · Nov 21, 2007

Like CoolDad said you might want to freeze your goat milk until you get more experience I room temp. everything, oils, lye solution and use refrigerated GM, have not used frozen GM for 1-1/2 years now, as I have the system down for using GM in my soaps and coming out with a slightly off-white soap. It took a while, but my system works really well. I've been asked to do a demo at the May, 2008 Tennessee Soap Gathering showing how I RTCP W/GM and my RT 50% premixed lye solution.

Congratulations on your first batch of many, many more!

Paul....

A GM Soapier!
TOG Soapmaking Tools!