New to forum want to make goat milk soap

[Reeny]

.....Using my own beeswax, and honey.
I am a hobby beekeeper in miami and have 5 TBH which is a horizontal way of beekeeping. I love using the honey and wax to make different things. I have been wanting to make soap for awhile. I recently made mead (honey wine) using my honey and last year tried to make lip balm.

Would love some guidance for your expertise for a basic recipe that would incorporate goats milk , honey, beeswax. Suggestions of books, or any other help that you could offer!

Thanks I advance.

 

[roseb]

I just started soaping so don't have any advice for you...just wanted to say hi from one Miamian to another. I thought I was the only one in Miami making soap!

 

[roseb]

I found this recipe online http://www.soapmakingfun.com/cold-process-soap-making/beeswax-soap.shtml

Run it through Soapcalc just to be sure.

 

[ashleyrobertson]

Milk

I don't know a good recipe off hand, but I can give you a bit of advice about adding milk to soap...

Milk burns easy in soap (lye burns it), and it turns an icky color and smells burnt. To avoid this, divide your liquid requirement in two (if you need 30 ounces of liquid, use 1/2 water (15oz) and 1/2 milk (15oz), mix all of the required lye for 30 ounces with the water - so it never directly touches the milk, and then pour your pure milk and water/lye mixture into your oils at the same time. This will lessen the discoloring of your soap, and will help to not make your soap smell burnt.

 

[Reeny]

I just started soaping so don't have any advice for you...just wanted to say hi from one Miamian to another. I thought I was the only one in Miami making soap!

Hi to you too fellow Floridian!

 

[Reeny]

I found this recipe online http://www.soapmakingfun.com/cold-process-soap-making/beeswax-soap.shtml

Run it through Soapcalc just to be sure.

Thank you will bookmark for future reference.

 

[Ruthie]

Reeny, I am curious. Have you had any experience making soap? The ingredients you want to use are wonderful in soap, but are a bit problematic to learn to use. If you have not made soap before, it would be advisable to get a little experience first making "plain" soap before starting with these additives. JMO.

I freeze my goat's milk, then use it to make my lye solution. I add 1 Tbs. of lye at a time and stir after adding. I used to let my GM ice cubes soften first, but have decided it works just as well to start when they are fully frozen. They finish melting just about the time I add the last bit of lye.

 

[MooreThanBags]

I add my lye to frozen cubes of goat milk just like Ruthie does and it doesn't burn my milk at all. I want to use all milk rather than water for the wonderful qualities of the milk. I add honey to my oatmeal & honey bar though only a couple of ounces and it does cause the soap to heat up & darken briefly. After cooling the bar is a pretty color.

 

[Myava]

I just started to make goat milk soap and I've learned to add my lye to the frozen milk , it's does help with the dis coloring if you add it a little at a time and stir, stir, stir. It takes a little time..also I am rebatching a couple batches of my first soaps that are too soft. Do I need to add any liquid to the crock pot with the grated soap?

 

[Myava]

Hi Reeny from Alabama! Do you still need a recipe for goat milk soap?

 

[tomatotim]

I do. how does it work. How much milk do you use and how

 

[Ginka]

Since we are talking about GM soap, I decided to show you, guys, something. This is my second batch of GM soap, that I made yesterday. There are two pieces from the same batch, round is from cupcake mold, not jelled, square from loaf mold, went through full jell (it was awesome to observe!!!). Scented with Bergamot EO. They are totally different in texture, colour, and even scent is stronger in the jelled one. Can't tell you right now, which one I like better. I kinda like the authentic look of jelled one, but cupcake is more elegant, smoother colour/texture. Will cure and try.

 

[OliveOil2]

I think that if you use the method described by Ashley mixing your lye with half the amount of water or water and aloe vera juice you will be OK. Just don't forget to add the goat milk (don't ask why I say that) Soap on the very cool side, or room temp and have your goat milk cold or even slushy. What you need to know is that once you add the goat milk you need to stir it in, don't stick blend too much at this point, you just want to incorporate everything,then pour without delaying. I used this method on my third batch of soap, so I know that you can do it. I think the beeswax could be a little more difficult, but can't offer any advice since I haven't used it in soap.

 

[Ginka]

I freeze my GM and mix it with lye, using 100% GM. Also melt your hard oils, and then add liquid oils, it will bring oils temp down. Soap room temp. I made couple batches only, but carefully following instructions, didn't have any problems. Beside that I couldn't decide first time to jell or not to jell.

 

[jean1C]

I agree with all of the above posters.
I especially agree with Ruthie( Ithink) that stated to work with regular recipes first. I started with some from books and also watched TONS of videos on Youtube. Then start working with your additives.

I really think it helps to "know" or "sense" how your soap is working out or when to do what. For example, when to stop stick blending and add fragrance. I find it similar to when a baker knows that his bread is going to be a good batch.

I also freeze my GM and add the lye a little at a time. I keep checking the temp of the lye/GM solution and don't add more until it gets below 80 degrees. This process can be time consuming dependent on the amount of soap you are making.

 

[jean1C]

Since we are talking about GM soap, I decided to show you, guys, something. This is my second batch of GM soap, that I made yesterday. There are two pieces from the same batch, round is from cupcake mold, not jelled, square from loaf mold, went through full jell (it was awesome to observe!!!). Scented with Bergamot EO. They are totally different in texture, colour, and even scent is stronger in the jelled one. Can't tell you right now, which one I like better. I kinda like the authentic look of jelled one, but cupcake is more elegant, smoother colour/texture. Will cure and try.

I like them both for the same reasons that you stated. I thought you were not suppose to jell the GM soap because of the heat issue. I would be interested to know what happens after you try them when they cure.

 

[karenbeth]

Hi Reeny, I am also a part time beekeeper. My partner and I have about 70 hives and planning to double that come springtime. We have enough honey to sell at farmers' markets and this is where the soap addiction started. So many people would pick up our blocks of beeswax and say "wow, honey soap." So I read and read for a couple of months, mainly on the internet. My first batch had both honey and beeswax in it. I read all the instructions so carefully, and beautiful creamy soap went into the mold. Ugly brown soap came out of the mold. The final instruction was on another page - don't insulate. Oh well it's how you learn and it is very satisfying using ingredients you have produced yourself. I am yet to try milk, but I have two weeks holiday coming up so maybe soon. Good luck and read, read, and read some more.

 

[cmzaha]

Hi Reeny, Goat's Milk, beeswax and honey will all contribute to overheating. You really do need to get some experience with basic soapmaking before tackling the harder ones, so you will be better prepared to handle it if it goes wrong. I make a batch a few months ago using all the above ingredients with the addition of propolis. I used a chilled mold and room temp oils & lye and just let me tell you it was heating up on the way to the freezer. I barely saved it from overheating out of the mold by getting it in the freezer. I made this on 2/26/2013 and just took it to market last Friday. Because of the overheating it was very soft in the middle and has taken this long to harden up. Pesky Pesky..

 

[Ginka]

I like them both for the same reasons that you stated. I thought you were not suppose to jell the GM soap because of the heat issue. I would be interested to know what happens after you try them when they cure.

Like everyone else here, I read a lot and watched a lot of videos on youtube. So I discovered, that you can do GM soap both way. But if you decide to jell it, you have to watch it carefully, as it either can jell very quick and distort the soap, or if you don't insulate, it will have partial jell. It's very complicated soap. I bought 2L of goat milk recently, froze it in ziplock bags and made few different batches 2lb each just to see what happens. Firs batch I left on the table in the loaf mold, it started to gel, I moved it to freezer and now it has ugly brown middle. Second batch I used shallow plastic mold, chilled it in the freezer, then put soap in the mold back in the freezer. Did't like that one, because it looks and feels like butter or margarine. It worked well though, just not my style. The third one, on the picture, I liked the most.
Conclusion: to prevent jelling I can leave soap on the table in individual molds. Or shallow molds. Non jelling loaf has to go to freezer, jelling mold has to be watched for overheating.

 

[OliveOil2]

Even though I have posted above that I think you could be successful with the 50% goat milk method, I completely agree with what everyone is saying. I think you will have the best results if you add one of your desired ingredients one batch at a time, since they all can cause overheating. Doing a plain batch or two will give you a feel for the process. As Ginka posted there are different methods of treating goat milk once it is in the mold, I just pour into individual containers, and leave on the counter. I haven't ever had an issue with soda ask, so I just cover with parchment paper after an hour or so.