Milk Mahem

[Becky_Gadmer]

I'm stuck! My non-dairy soaps have been trucking along without tooooo many hitches (just normal learn as you go stuff), but milk seems to be my demon :evil:

I have tried buttermilk, goat's milk, and cow's milk...and with each attempt, the dairy demons are cackling and poking me with their forks, chanting "Fail! Fail! Fail!" I am not sure what I am doing wrong, as I never make it past the Milk/Lye mixture.
Buttermilk gave me an outcome that looked like yellow seedy baby poop; goats milk became thick and brown; and the cow milk was a mixture of both.

Each attempt was with either cold or frozen milk...PLUS an ice bath...with a slow addition of lye. I have watched the videos out there and followed the steps/suggestions of what I have seen with milk product usage.

Any suggestions on technique on my future attempts (because I can't let the dairy demons win, right!?)? Appreciate any feedback!

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Make a 50% lye solution. Add the rest of the water amount as milk in to your oils and mix well, then pour in the lye solution.

It's the split method - you make the lye solution with water (the least amount possible, too) and add in the rest as milk

 

[Becky_Gadmer]

Thanks! I'll try splitting it next time

 

[shunt2011]

I agree with TEG. I mix my lye with an equal or just a bit more water and then add the remainder in milk to my oils and stickblend well before adding my lye/water mixture. I have found this to be so much easier.

 

[mazimazi]

Has anyone tried making soap mixture as per usual and then after the emulsion, adding powdered milk?

 

[Obsidian]

Yep, the powder didn't dissolve and I ended up with little brown spots of burned milk.

 

[kchaystack]

If you use powdered milk, add it to your oils before the lye and stick blend to mix it really well

 

[shunt2011]

I too tried adding the powder at trace. What a mess. I dissolve it in a bit off my water and then add it to my oils. Or, just add it to your oils and mix well.

 

[mazimazi]

OK, good to know. I havent tried milk soap yet, still working the courage up to do it Thank you for the advice

 

[lsg]

When adding powdered milk, I first dissolve it in a little hot water. Very fine instant milk is the only product that I have added without first mixing with water. I added it to rebatched soap to get a smoother pour.

 

[cinnamaldehyde]

I freeze my raw goat milk in one large chunk (I use a 750mL yogurt container to freeze 880g of goat milk). Then I add NaOH (crystals) extremely slowly... Like a teaspoon at a time. I pour the NaOH directly on the milk chunk, and then stir, stir, stir to prevent any burning (yellowing). It takes forever, I'm not going to lie, but I get a full goat milk soap batter without scorching or burning.

I've found that freezing the milk in cubes or in a flat sheet lets the temp get too high compared to one large chunk. I've never tried a lye solution, but it also sounds like a good idea.

 

[dixiedragon]

Mine is very similar, except I use canned milk. I use one half of my liquid as water to dissolve the lye, and I use the other half as canned milk. BTW, make sure you read the label. I've stumbled across "filled milk" at discount stores and it had soybean oil added. I heat my oils and let my lye water cool. Once my lye water has reached 100 or less, and my oils are 90-100, I add the canned milk to the oils. Oils and milk don't stay mixed, so I have my stick blender running in the pot of oils + milk to keep them well mixed while I pour my lye water.

 

[cmzaha]

I always soap with a 50/50 lye solution. When making a milk soap if I want more milk I use liquid as the balance of my liquid and stick blend in powdered milk into my oils. I find I get my goat's milk powder dissolved easier in the oils than if I use water. If I am pureeing avocado or papaya I just add the powdered in my Magic Bullet and puree it all together.

 

[Becky_Gadmer]

Thanks for the feedback! I didn't realize you could use powdered milk...I haven't outgrown my box yet ;-)

Cinnamaldehyde- when mixing teaspoon by teaspoon onto the frozen block, how much are you getting dissolved before the next teaspoon, and how do you see around the block? I want to do the split method and then advance to this, but also want to know when I am being too impatient.

 

[mymy]

I wouldn't say it's the best, but the fastest way to make milk soap is by using 50:50 water and milk ratio. I made a batch by using this method and the result is satisfying. The color is creamy and it didn't scorch at all.

 

[Arimara]

If you use powdered milk, add it to your oils before the lye and stick blend to mix it really well

I agree. Powdered milks don't mix well with oil but a good blending before adding lye solution will help tremendously.

Becky, have you tried putting the molded soaps in the fridge or freezer even? I've only used powdered buttermilk and coconut milk so far but color is not a major factor for me.

 

[ngian]

I agree. Powdered milks don't mix well with oil but a good blending before adding lye solution will help tremendously.

I'm planning to make a goat milk soap in the near future and make it with the 50 -50 split method, wouldn't mixing the powdered milk with the liquid milk help it dissolve better? And then insert all the milks at the oils and lastly the 50% lye solution.

 

[Arimara]

I'm planning to make a goat milk soap in the near future and make it with the 50 -50 split method, wouldn't mixing the powdered milk with the liquid milk help it dissolve better? And then insert all the milks at the oils and lastly the 50% lye solution.

Not unless you're going to heat the liquid milk up and do some vigorous whisking. You may still need to stick blend it a touch. If you want to use a powder and a liquid milk, stick blend the powder into the oils first, then add the liquid milk.

Why does tres leches soap sound strangely appealing? :mrgreen:

 

[cinnamaldehyde]

Cinnamaldehyde- when mixing teaspoon by teaspoon onto the frozen block, how much are you getting dissolved before the next teaspoon, and how do you see around the block? I want to do the split method and then advance to this, but also want to know when I am being too impatient.

I'd say a couple tbsp melts every time I add NaOH. I scrape it around on the frozen milk for a bit, and let some melt, then I roll the whole chunk around in the bowl for a bit. I found that keeping the ice chunk rotating prevents any lye NaOH from settling undissolved at the bottom and burning.

The downside to this is that I have to let my oils cool significantly before mixing, as the lye/milk mixture doesn't get that hot. A subsequent problem is that I need to insulate them really well on a heat blanket, or do CPOP to get them to gel. Actually my last batch of lime goat milk didn't gel all the way, leaving me with a "nice" aka frustrating halo.

 

[shunt2011]

I'm planning to make a goat milk soap in the near future and make it with the 50 -50 split method, wouldn't mixing the powdered milk with the liquid milk help it dissolve better? And then insert all the milks at the oils and lastly the 50% lye solution.

When I do the 50/50 split, that's exactly what I do. I add enough powdered milk to make it full milk (generally cold). I mix the powdered into the other milk to dissolve. Then stickblend into my oils and then add my lye solution.

I don't have the time or inclination to slowly add lye to frozen milk. I can get the same result easier.