So I guess I totally blew it on this soap with coconut milk added?

[Saltynuts]

Tried to add some coconut milk to my soap (several different oil). I tried to wait until trace and after it had cooled down some. But see below for the results. The smell is not bad, but a definite "cooked" smell. So I'm pretty sure the coconut oil cooked and turned brown. I'm assuming the soap is bad and no way to save it? What is best way to prevent this from happening? Just wait until the soap has cooled even further, and has gelled and is getting very thick, to add it?

Thanks for any help!

 

[not_ally]

You seem to be making this unnecessarily hard, at least from your other thread. Why did you add the milk at trace? I would take the good advice you received on the prior thread and do some searches if things still aren't clear to you. In general, it seems as if you would be better off if you did more research, followed the conventional wisdom on whatever your question is, and waited until you had working techniques down before you tried experimenting.

In short, for milks, substitute the amount of milk you are using for the water in the lye-water mix (to be on the safe side, freeze the milk into ice cubes first to avoid overheating). Add the lye to the milk cubes/water and mix. Add this to oils, mix to emulsion/trace and proceed. If you are having troubles with overheating - as seems to be the case from the picture above - put the poured mold into the fridge.

For a stress free milk soap, just use milk powder mixed into the oils (I use 2TB ppo) rather than liquid milk and add water/lye amounts as produced by the calculator. If you are worried about the superfat being too high, just eyeball it and reduce the SF percentage. That is what I do and I have never had a milk soap overheat, even when CPOPing.

 

[Saltynuts]

I do leap before I look quite often not_ally.

Thanks! The problem is I wasn't quite following it. I follow just substitute the water our for the milk in. Then add the lye to that. Which is what I did. But where I get lost is the "(to be on the safe side, freeze the milk into ice cubes first to avoid overheating)". Wait a second. If I freeze the milk, so that it is now milk cubes, how do I add the lye to it!?! That's adding a solid to a solid! I don't see how they would mix! I must be missing something here, let me know what you think.

And even if I get past that, won't it burn during the hot processing? Or maybe adding real (non-powdered) milk only works on cold processing.

I do like the powered milk option, I'll try that after I run out of the coconut/goat/evaporated milk I bought yesterday haha.

Thanks so much!!!

 

[artemis]

I do leap before I look quite often not_ally.

If I freeze the milk, so that it is now milk cubes, how do I add the lye to it!?! That's adding a solid to a solid! I don't see how they would mix! I must be missing something here, let me know what you think.

Frozen liquid is not dry. The moisture on the cubes interacts with the NaOH, which causes it to heat up and melt more of the frozen liquid, which interacts with more of the NaOH, which generates more heat, etc etc. it slows the process down so that the milks won't scorch.

I prefer to use powdered milk. I make a slurry and blend that into my oils and then just make a normal water-based lye solution.

 

[Saltynuts]

Oh I see artemis, thanks!

Then I guess if I use real milk (rather than powdered) I guess I really need to do cold process soap rather than hot process?

Thanks!

 

[AliOop]

Then I guess if I use real milk (rather than powdered) I guess I really need to do cold process soap rather than hot process?

This is a great example for why folks are asked to share their entire recipe and process if they want help with trouble-shooting. It probably didn't occur to anyone here that you would hot process a milk soap.

Although a bit of yogurt is often used in hot processed soap (helps with fluidity), I don't know of anyone who adds liquid milks to their hot-processed soaps for exactly the reason shown in your picture: the milk sugars carmelize and scorch due to the heat.

 

[Saltynuts]

Thank you AliOop, next time around I'll post the who recipe/process!

Thanks all!!!

 

[KiwiMoose]

There's an old saying for carpenters: "Measure Twice, Cut Once".
Maybe we need similar for soap makers? You freely admit to being a bit of a 'bull at a gate' (ref - the CHEW CHEW comment when SUI - or maybe just posting under the influence at that stage) with your soap making, but you really do need to ensure that your research/preparation/recipe are all good to go before you attempt your soap. Everyone has a few failed batches when starting out, but you can minimise that by preparing carefully and being as knowledgeable as possible. It's too expensive of a hobby to be wasting precious ingredients simply by rushing in too quickly.

 

[Zuleika]

I make my lye water with partial ice to reduce the fumes. It melts the ice and even heats up a bit. I once did a 90% ice lye water and it barely heated up. Was only warm to the touch. So yes, you can add Lye to frozen liquids. Not too much though, due to the lowered temperature, the lye tends to clump together quickly if you don't mix fast enough. Then it takes forever stirring to melt that lye crystal.

 

[DaChul]

I'll BE attempting my 1st cold process coconut soap tomorrow and I'm definitely "soaking" all of your collective knowledge in prep for my maiden voyage!!