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Goats Milk Soap Cold Process
Hello all
I want to elaborate a small batch of goats milk soap. The oils are Olive Oil (35%), Palm Olein (40%) and Coconut Oil (25%). Goats Milk (38% of weight of total oils). NaOH weight according to a soap calculator for the oils.The sugested process call for freezing the goats milk soap then add the NaOH in order to make the lye solution. Then add it to the oils mix at around 30°C.
I recently was advised to add half the milk for making the lye solution, then mix the rest of the milk directly to the oils. Others prefer to add the rest after trace so that half of milk’s fat won’t react with the NaOH.
Considering the number of operations, it is easier for me to make the lye solution with the whole milk, however, I want my soap to get the best possible from the milk’s properties for skin. In your opinion, does this change in the process make a better quality soap for skin?
I apologize in advance for my English, this is not my first language.
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13 Replies
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Direct experience and experimentation are the best teachers. Why can’t you try it different ways and see for yourself which is better?
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Thank you Bob for the quick comment.
Yes I can. My first batch was made 3 weeks ago by adding the whole milk to the lye solution. I will try the 2nd batch half milk to the lye, then half milk after trace.
Didn’t realise before posting that by preparing the lye solution with half milk, it makes a 43% concentration of NaOH in the solution. Now I am wondering if that concentration will be too high then I would have trouble with the correct ionization of the lye, and, as the disociation is exotermic, I would scorch the milk even if it is freezed. Mmmhh. What do you think? -
I recently was advised to add half the milk for making the lye solution, then mix the rest of the milk directly to the oils.
Sounds like a bad idea. The high concentration of the NaOH will probably oxidise the milk. And the rest of the milk won’t mix with the oils without blending any more than the water will.
Others prefer to add the rest after trace so that half of milk’s fat won’t react with the NaOH.
Also doesn’t sound great. The reaction is only just beginning; it’s nonsense to assume “half won’t react”.
Goats milk soap is nice to use but making it is not easy. I suggest you freeze the milk into cubes then use a kitchen blender to turn it rapidly into slush. Mix this with the NaOH and keep the mixing vessel in a water bath to absorb excess heat. Take care to keep the batter cool, try not to let it go through gell. Of course the cure period will be longer as a result. -
I love experimenting, my background is chemical engineering, but I am a novice in the chemistry & technology of cosmetics. So better for me to hear from heavy experienced folks, that way my future mistakes won’t be catastrophic
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Will try 2 thirds of milk for NaOH solution, 1 third extremely mixed into the oils. Maybe I will notice some difference in soap quality. Otherwise, I will stick to whole milk lye solution. I will post the results.
I very much appreciate your comments. Many thanks. -
Are you saponifying the milk fat, or using it to superfat the soap? Or both?
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Well, in my first batch I added the whole milk to the lye solution, so, I beleive it was all saponified. Yesterday I made the “two thirds to lye - one third to oils”. As my formulation is 5% supperfatting, I guess some milk fat won’t react.
In both ways the batter temperature raised as soon as it was poured in the mold (wooden mold):a) Whole milk in lye solution: didn’t gel
b) Two thirds in lye solution: Gelled (no volcano effect… phew)I was expecting the gelling in b) because of the pending exotermic disociation of the one third milk in the oil mix.
Now let’s wait for the soap quality comparison.
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Thinking about this from a bacterial safety point of view, I’d be much more likely to make the lye solution/100% milk process, letting the heat go as high as it likes without boiling, and then cooling - raising the temp and pH of the milk that high will almost certainly kill all the microbes in it.
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Bob, absolutely agree with you. Preferable to avoid bacterial issues in the milk soap.
From this point of view, it would be better for the milk soap if it gelled.
Thank you very much 🙂 -
If it gells it will likely be a tan colour and not as desired.
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Yep, almost similar to those milk soaps made with hot process. My main objective is to develop a great quality, reasonable long lasting goat’s milk soap, suited even for sensitive skins; so, colour should not be an issue for me.
For that reason I don’t want to add any additive that does not contribute to the goal of the soap.The first batch I made 3 weeks ago looks a creamy light color, wich is great (did not gell, though temperature on the surface raised to around 65°C during the first 12 hrs. after molding).
The second batch gelled, and yes, it is a bit darker than the first one.
I live in a tropical city of Mexico. Hot & humid summers, a bit cold winters. I need the soap to survive this conditions, I know it is possible, that’s why I am embarking on this project.
Once more I appreciate your help and knowledge
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Aha one of my competitors I see. Cold Process Soap and those climate conditions are opposites. Especially, high humidity causes the soap to sweat. We keep ours under refrigeration.
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Hello Belassi, I am honored to be considered as your competitor, however I have a long way to go
Would you provide a link for your website?
I am afraid it won’t be possible for me now to keep soap under refrigeration, but the curing rack is located in the freshest spot, under ventilation, so far the soaps are doing great.
My next goal is adding some herbal infused oils to the mix. -
The new site is pearandpeach.com
It’s nearly complete but we still need all the product photos which in turn depends on the completion of the redesign and printing of all the labels and packages.
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