Milk soap involves replacing all, or part, of the water in a cold process recipe with milk. Milk options include (but are not limited to) cow milk, goat milk, almond milk, soy milk and milk powders. Soap made with milk is known for its luxurious feel and creamy lather. In particular, people with sensitive skin love milk soap due to its gentle nature.
The only downfall of milk soap? It’s trickier to make than soap made with water. When adding lye to any soap making liquid, the temperature of the liquid can reach up to 200°F. Milks contain natural sugars, and when these sugars reach high temperatures, the milk will scorch. Scorched milk does not smell pleasant, and the milk turns from a creamy white to a golden yellow. Making soap with a scorched lye/milk mixture will not ruin your soap. But, the dark color of the milk may alter the colors in your soap. The smell of the scorched milk may also give your soap an unpleasant, ammonia-like smell for up to 10 days after the soap is made. To see an example of scorched milk, check out the Goat Milk Soap Tutorial on Soap Queen TV.
There are a few different ways to deal with this (everything from water discounting and adding the milk at the end, doing half milk and half water and more). But my favorite method has to do with temperature. The key to making soap with milk is to keep temperatures low by freezing the milk beforehand. To do this, measure out the amount of milk that you’ll need for your recipe. If using a milk powder, measure out your distilled water and add the appropriate amount of powder and stir until fully incorporated. If you are using Bramble Berry’s goat milk or coconut milk powder, we recommend 1 oz. of powder per 8 oz. of distilled water.
Pour the measured milk into ice cube trays, and place in the freezer. Allow the milk to fully freeze. Once you’re ready to make your soap, measure the amount of lye needed for your recipe. Place a mixing container that is large enough to comfortably fit the milk ice cubes into an ice bath. Place the milk ice cubes into the container resting in the ice bath.
Add one spoonful of the measured lye onto the milk ice cubes. Stir the lye flakes with the ice cubes. Continue to slowly add the lye into the frozen milk, and continue to stir.
Keep stirring! The process of adding the lye flakes into the frozen milk will take about 10 minutes. Adding the lye slowly and stirring in between each addition will help keep the temperatures low. If you were to add the lye all at once, the temperature of the milk would rise very quickly.
You will begin to notice the milk slowly melting. Continue to add the lye in small amounts, and stir, stir stir!
Once all the lye has been added, continue to stir until you are 120% sure that all the lye flakes have dissolved. Because the frozen milk keeps the mixture cold, the lye takes a while t dissolve. Patience is key! Any undissolved lye in your soap could cause skin irritation, or even lye burns.
Once lye has completely dissolved, the milk should be around 50-65° F. If you’d like, add sodium lactate to the lye mixture at a rate of 1 tsp. per pound of oils. It helps the soap pop out of the mold faster, and creates a harder, longer-lasting bar of soap. Stir thoroughly to mix in the sodium lactate.
Your milk is now ready to use! Ideally, your lye and milk mixture should be around 70° F. Much hotter than this, and your milk may begin to scorch. Add the milk to your hot oils and butters like normal, and proceed with your recipe as usual. Soap made with milk should not go through gel phase, as this will scorch the milk. To prevent gel phase, many soapers like to place their soap immediately into the freezer or fridge for 24 hours after pouring into the mold.
Have you ever made soap with milk before? What was your experience like? If you have any milk soap tips, I’d love to hear them!
I have made cold process soap for many yeas and just tried goat milk soap using fresh goat milk. I used my go-to recipe and replaced the water with 100% goat milk. I froze the goat milk, added lye slowly and was able to keep the temp down and retain a nice milk white color. When combining the oils and milk/lye I blended a bit too long (it got too thick to pour) so I spooned it into silicone molds and into the freezer it went for 24 hours. When thawed I took it out of molds but it was very soft and that didn’t go too well. I just read another comment that mentioned leaving it the mold for another 3-5 days – is that where I went wrong? Thank you !
Soap made with milk is softer because of the extra fat added. That means it does take a bit longer to unmold! We recommend waiting at least 3-5 days. If it’s still soft then, give it a few more days and try again. 🙂
Adding 1 teaspoon of sodium lactate per pound of oils to your cooled lye water helps it unmold more quickly: http://www.soapqueen.com/bramble-berry-news/sunday-night-spotlight-sodium-lactate/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I have a question if I am not comfortable with using milk can I add powdered milk as an additive with my powdered clays? I have seen this done and feel this might be better for me rather than chance the milk scorching going through a gel phase.
You can! I would recommend mixing the powdered milk with water so it’s easier to incorporate. You’ll want to do a couple ounces of water to help it dissolve. You can start with an ounce of powdered milk per pound and add more from there if you like. Remember to account for the extra water used to mix the milk and discount that from your main water amount so the soap doesn’t get too wet. Also, make sure to store your soap in the fridge or freezer for 5-24 hours. Even though it’s added at trace, the milk can still heat up if the soap does. Keeping it cool will prevent that. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I HAVE ALWAYS USED MILK INSTEAD OF WATER. WE USE ALMOND MILK AND NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH IT. WE USE THE MILK RIGHT OUT OF THE FRIDGE. IT DOES NOT GET HIGHER THAN 150 DEGREES. WE ALSO FREEZE IT AND WHEN FINISHED I COVER IT THE SAME WAS AS USING MILK AND LET IT SET OVER NIGHT. DO NOT US HALF AND HALF CREAM. THAT SOURS AND YOUR SOAP WILL NEVER HARDEN. I TRIED THAT AND I HAD TO REBATCH IT. I NEVER TRIED ANY POWDER MILK. WE JUST POUR THE LYE OVER THE MILK TO MIX. JUST THE WAY I HAVE BEEN DOING IT FOR ABOUT 40 YEARS. I USED TO USE REGULAR MILK THEN WENT TO GOATS MILK BUT DIDN’T LIKE IT AS MUCH. NOW ALL I USE IS ALMOND MILK AND MY CUSTOMERS GOES WILD. ON THING ABOUT ALMOND MILK IS THAT IT MAKES A SMOOTH FOAMY SOAP WITH THE COCONUT OIL I USE. I HAVE NEVER HAD PROBLEMS. JUST TAKE YOUR TIME AND DON’T OVER WHIP IT OR STIR IT. I TRY NOT TO MAKE A TRACE WITH FLORAL SCENTS. USE IT MORE LIQUIDIFIED SO I DON’T HAVE SEIZE. I MADE LYE SOAP WITH MY GRANDMOTHER GROWING UP. ALSO IF YOUR SOAP GOES TO SEIZE HAVE A BIT OF YOUR OIL NEXT TO YOU AND IF YOU CATCH IT FAST ENOUGH POUR SOME OIL IN IT. I HAVE SAVED MANY BATCHES OF SOAP LIKE THIS.
Thanks for the great tips Barbara! Almond milk feels amazing in soap. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I mix my oils & lye liq. when they are within 5 degrees of each other, usually around 95 to 98 degrees. not sure, if this would work if the milk for down to 70 degrees …can it ???
Temperatures for milk soap will be a bit different. I would recommend having your oils closer to 120-130F. That will help keep them melted when they come in contact with the cold lye. If your recipe has a lot of hard oils and butters, you can even leave the milk at room temperature for a bit until it gets closer to 80-85F. That will help prevent false trace. 🙂
Learn more about false trace here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/spot-prevent-false-trace/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi there,
Loving your posts! I am also new to soaping. What else is a dairy goat farmer to do with all of this milk? Lol. I have made several batches and I keep getting white crystals protruding from my soap. The last two batches seem to not have but one or two but what can I do to correct this? I was told that I took too long to process the lye and milk. At the beginning I watched videos of how others did it and they processed the lye and milk for an hour or so. Is that too long? I wish I knew how to upload a picture so I could show you the spots on the soap. Thank you.
Hi Tammi! If you have Facebook, you can send it to me there! A picture would be really helpful. 🙂
Bramble Berry Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BrambleBerry/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Tammi (January 29, 2017 at 6:48 pm) you can upload a photo to Bramble Berry via Facebook by first having the photo on your computer’s hard drive. If you don’t know how to do this I can walk you thru it. Log into Facebook, type Bramble Berry into the search bar at the top left of your facebook page (you should see a magnifying glass along the box). You will see the maroon and green sign with their name on it and Bellingham, Washingtom below their name . Once on the Bramble Berry page, click on the blue button that says “Send Message” and it is below their Cover Photo and to the right. Once you do that a box will open so look at the bottom left and find icon with the square that has the mountains and round sun. Click on that icon and a box will open which will allow you to navigate to the folder that has the photo(s) you want to send. Looking to the far right of that box you should be able to locate your Photos folder by scrolling down until you see it. Click on it and then find the particular picture(s) you wish to send them. Just DOUBLE click on the photo you want to send and it will automatically be sent into the message box. If there are more than one picture then click once again on the icon with the mountains and go to the next photo you want to send and, once again, DOUBLE click. There is a short cut that would allow you to choose multiple photos but I don’t want to confuse you. Hope this helps. If you need more help I give this site permission to share my email address with you via your email.
Hi,
I just made some Lavender Goat Milk Soap yesterday. I put it in the freezer for 24 hours right after molding (just a regular loaf mold) and just took it out to cut into bars. My first cut ruined the first bar because it won’t slice nicely, but instead chipped away into a million pieces! 🙁 so sad.
I guess this may be an amateur question, but do I just need to let this thaw completely before attempting cutting again? I thought being totally frozen would actually make it easier to slice – not harder. Should I thaw at room temperature, or place in the fridge? Any idea how long this will take before I can slice?
Thank you!! I am fairly new to soap making and this website always ends up giving me lots of great articles and recipes to pin to my Pinterest and refer to constantly!
When you remove soap from the freezer, we recommend waiting another 3-5 days before cutting. The soap still needs time to set up and harden so it cuts smoothly. The waiting is hard to do, but it’s definitely worth it! For your bars now, are they completely crumbled, or were you able to get some full bars? Let me know and I can recommend some ways to help save that soap. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi Kelsey,
Well I think it may be beyond salvageable now….I didn’t read your response until after I cut into it again tonight (24 hours in freezer after soaping + 24 hours sitting out uncovered at room temperature), but here’s what happened: I was able to cut a little better but it mostly still crumbled apart. On the outside it was still a beautiful creamy white but on the inside it was turning pale orange-ish and smelled rancid. What happened here?? I’m a little discouraged about my first milk soap experience!
Hmm, I’m wondering if the soap may have gone through a partial gel phase. That can happen even in the freezer! Do you have a photo of the soap you can send me? That would be really helpful. You can message that to me on our Bramble Berry Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BrambleBerry/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Dangit I already trashed it – sorry!
But I don’t know that it was partial gel phase because wouldn’t that just leave a circle in the center? This was all over the inside of the bar. My oils and milk were not rancid to begin with. I was careful to freeze my milk before adding the lye. I think I actually let the milk/lye mix get up to around 80 degrees F before I added it to the oils. Would that have been the problem? Nothing smelled funny to me before bringing it to trace. BUT I do remember now that it barely blended up. As soon as I added it to the oils it got extremely thick. The oils were still sitting on top so I had to stir them in with a spoon because it was such a thick thick trace I could barely doing anything with it.
I think I may know what it is! Sounds like you may have gotten false trace. That happens when the cool lye water is added and starts to solidify the hard oils in your batch. It makes it looks like the soap traced when it hasn’t yet. So, that means your bars were likely separated, causing the crumbling.
If that happens again, keep stick blending! The soap will get very thick, but stick blending will ensure everything is mixed together and your bars are smooth. 🙂
Read more about false trace here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/spot-prevent-false-trace/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Awesome thank you! The false trace does sound like the correct diagnosis.
So…I know my milk/lye mix was up to at least 70-80 degrees. But you’re saying the problem was with my oils? I needed them hotter? (I think I did try to get them at like 100 degrees F to be closer to the lye mix). And maybe also add more soft oils to my recipe so this doesn’t happen as rapidly?
I may (hesitantly) give this another try soon…..
Having your oils a bit warmer may help! You can bump that up to around 120F or so. That will help keep the hard oils melted. You can also let your milk sit after stirring to it gets to around 85-90F. That should be cool enough not to scorch while also being warm enough not to solidify the oils. More soft oils help as well! And, if it still happens, just stick blend until it’s all emulsified. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
ALLOW IT TO THAW. SORRY ABOUT CAPS I AM PARTIALLY BLIND. I HAVE FOUND IF I MAKE MY SOAP AROUND 110 TO 115 DEGREES FOR BOTH MY OILS AND MY LYE MIXTURE. THIS GIVES ME A HARDER SOAP. I DO NOT STICK BLEND A LONG TIME. I STIR JUST ENOUGH TO MIX EVERYTHING WELL. THEN I ADD THE SCENTS AT THE LAST MINUTE BEFORE USING MY MIXTURE. ONLY STIRRING ENOUGH TO BLEND. I DO NOT BRING INTO A MED TO HARD TRACE. THEN YOUR SOAP WILL SEIZE. IF YOUR SOAP MIX IS THEN STILL TO MUCH A LIQUID THEN USE THE STICK BLENDER. NOT MUCH FOR YOU MAY SEIZE. I RATHER USE MY SPOONS AND WHISP. I HAVE MORE CONTROL.
Hello,
I’m new in soap making, question when using fresh goats milk do I need to bring to a broil before freezing it?
You don’t need to boil the milk! That can make it scorch and discolor. Instead, you can pour the milk right into ice cube trays and freeze it for your soap. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Thanks for the tips! I’m relativity new to soap making, and this is going to be my first attempt at goat milk soap. If my milk/lye solution is going to be around 70 degrees, what temp should my oils be around? I thought the plan was to normally have them around the same temp.
Thanks so much for the great articles! This website has been hugely helpful getting started!
Also, forgot to ask….can I just use salt instead of sodium lactate? Wanted to try this today and cant figure out where to get SL local.
Thanks!
Hi Meghan!
We recommend having your oils around 110-115F. That way everything will stay nice and melted, and the milk won’t get too hot. 🙂
Also, you can use a salt water solution to harden up your bars! To make the solution, mix 1 teaspoon of regular table salt into 1 ounce (by weight) of warm distilled water. Stir until the salt is fully dissolved. We recommend 1 teaspoon of salt in 1 ounce of water per pound of soap. Make sure to discount the salt water solution from your liquid amount. Then, add the solution at trace. We used that solution in this Palm Free Vertical Twist recipe: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/palm-free-vertical-twist-tutorial/
Unlike sodium lactate, the salt solution does accelerate trace. That means your soap will thicken more quickly. It may be best to do a more simple design so the soap doesn’t get too thick on you. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Thank you so much!
You’re welcome! 🙂
if I substitute the sodium lactate with stearic acid, is the dosage 1 tsp. per pound of oils too? and is the step the same, put the stearic acid once lye has completely dissolved too, when around 50-65° F? btw, your website and tutorial are so inspiring for me! <3
Hi Vania!
Using stearic acid in your recipe is a bit different, and may also be tricky to do. Stearic acid is used at .5% of the oil weight in your recipe. It is added in with your oils. If it gets too cool, it can start to harden in the batch. That means you need to soap at 170-180F. Also, it will accelerate your trace. If you’re working with milk, those high temperatures also means the milk will scorch and discolor.
Stearic acid: https://www.brambleberry.com/Stearic-Acid-by-weight-P4210.aspx
If you’re fairly new to soaping, working with milk or doing a more in-depth design, I would definitely recommend sodium lactate. It hardens the soap and is a lot easier to work with. You can soap at regular temperatures and it doesn’t cause acceleration. 🙂
Read more about sodium lactate here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bramble-berry-news/sunday-night-spotlight-sodium-lactate/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
What happens if I decide to allow my milk soap to gel? I saw the picture of your honey soap after making it and not placing it in the freezer and I loved the way it looked.
Gelled milk soap does get a tannish/brown discoloration. If you’re not worried about keeping the soap white that is just fine! It also has a fairly strong ammonia smell, but that goes away after 4-6 weeks of curing. You can see what a gelled milk soap looks like in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8-D7nGlwFk
If you like the sort of bubbly look from the honey soap, you can add honey to the soap! We generally recommend 1 teaspoon per pound of soap, but if you want that caramelized look you can add more. That will heat the soap up quite a bit, which creates the discoloration. 🙂
Adding Honey to Cold Process Soap: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/adding-honey-to-cold-process-soap-tips-tricks-recipe/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Well, I’ve been screwing up goats milk soap for years now, LOL, I loved the article and was really concerned I could soap at such a low temperature. To make matters even worse I add honey to the mix! My soap turns out great, but looks terrible!!! I do put it in the freezer once done (although I forgot yesterday to do that right away and will have brown soap this time). Next time I will try adding the lye much slower and soaping at a much lower temp and see if I can get that lovely creamy color!
Keeping the milk nice and cool helps the soap stay a nice creamy color! Popping it in the freezer helps too. Have fun making more milk soap Betsy. It feels so nice and silky on the skin, I love it. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Thank you for this post. Very interesting. So, I tried to do that method. Everything was ok. I freeze 30 hours and put in the fridge 8 hours . In the middle I can see a round more dark that the rest of soap. ?? Is it possible to get a gel phase ? I’m confused. Thank to help me.
(sorry for my english, I’m french). I tried to put a picture of my soap, but I can’t.
Hi Gisele!
The soap can gel slightly, even in the fridge! To prevent that, I would recommend soaping at lower temperatures (around 100-110F for the oils and 70-80F for the milk). Then, you can put the soap in the freezer for a full 24 hours. The freezer should keep the soap a bit cooler and prevent that gel phase. The good news is the soap is still fine to use and will feel great on the skin! Gel phase is purely aesthetic and doesn’t affect the final bars. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Perfect post and really thank you for your tips!
I have a question, i put some cow milk on ice cubs yesterday but i forgot to measure them before…
Now i can i measure them on ice condition?
You’re welcome Nick, glad you like the post! To measure the frozen cubes out, put a container on your scale and hit “Tare” to zero it out. Then, pop the frozen milk in until you get the amount you need. If one cube will be a bit too much, you can add just a touch of distilled water to get an accurate measurement. 🙂
Scales: https://www.brambleberry.com/Scales-Thermometers-C207.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Thanks for your response!
I finally made it, but as i put slowly the soda to the ice milk cubes the temperature climbed up to 85 deg F… Its colour after the mixing was a little bit yellow, but sure not orange…
After i mold the soap i put it on the fridge for about 20 hours. Then i let it on room temperature and unmold it after 3-4 days….
Looks great so far and really hard as i use a 20% amount of palm oil.
Its colour is a tone of white now…
That’s awesome, sounds like that soap turned out nicely! As you add the lye the temperature will increase. It can also turn slightly yellow as the fats react with the milk. That’s normal! You can see that in our Buttermilk Baby Bastille Bars video: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/buttermilk-bastille-baby-bar-on-soap-queen-tv/
Enjoy your bars! They’re going to feel really nice and creamy with that milk in there. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
hi, my goats milk soap tends to be really soft. The bars never get very hard. What could be the issue?
Hi Rachel!
In general, milk soaps tend to be a bit softer. That’s because of the extra fat from the milk. The good news is that softness makes your skin feel really great afterward! 🙂
You can add some more firm oil to help make your bars a bit harder. Coconut oil and palm oil help make your recipe harder. You can add both of those oils up to 33%. You can also add a firm butter, like cocoa butter, up to 15%. Read more about common oils and how much to add in this post: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/free-beginners-guide-to-soapmaking-common-soapmaking-oils/
Sodium lactate helps as well! Adding 1 tsp. per pound of oils to your cooled lye water helps make the bars firmer. Read more about sodium lactate here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bramble-berry-news/sunday-night-spotlight-sodium-lactate/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi, I was wondering if the powderes milk could be added to the lye after it is mixed with the distilled water and cooled to room temperature? Thanks 😉
Hi Mandy!
As the powder is added to the lye water, my worry is that the fats will start to rehydrate and reheat that lye. If you do add the powder, I would recommend cooling the lye water in the fridge, then adding the powder. A small test batch would be really helpful to see if that results in any scorching!
You can also mix the powder with a bit of distilled water and add it at trace. That will add a nice creamy feeling to the soap. You can start with about 1 ounce of the milk mixed into 1 ounce of distilled water per pound of soap. Just remember to subtract that liquid amount from your main batch so the soap doesn’t get too wet. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Powdered goat milk: https://www.brambleberry.com/Powdered-Goat-Milk-P4933.aspx
Hi, this is not a milk soap based question but rather a using frozen liquid question. Despite reading negative posts on using lime/lemon juice in soap, I have a strong hankering to try a small batch myself. My question is can I use frozen lime juice with the lye the same way you would use it with milk? Would I need to keep the soap mixture cool after pouring in the mold or can I insulate? I plan to superfat at 3% hoping it helps with the lye neutralizing the juice.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Thanks
Hi Ariane!
We actually have a lemon juice soap in Anne-Marie’s new book, Pure Soap Making! That will be coming out soon. 🙂
Pure Soap Making: https://www.brambleberry.com/Pure-Soap-Making-How-to-Create-Nourishing-Organic-Skin-Care-Soaps-P6298.aspx
What we did for that recipe is add room temperature lemon juice at trace. We found that was the best way to incorporate the lemon juice without too many odd things happening. For a 5 pound batch, we added about 4 ounces of lemon juice. Remember to take that out of your distilled water so the soap doesn’t get too wet! Then, add the 4 ounces of lemon juice at trace. Room temperature is best, because cold lemon juice can start to solidify the oils in the batch. I would recommend using the same method for lime juice.
Also, a small test batch is really helpful! 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
If its the lactose in the milk that causes the problems, Soy Milk and all the other non-dairy milks does not contain the lactose, so would there be any problem with it getting to hot? being vegan my self I’ve taken my company vegan also that’s why I’m asking. I’m going to try making a small batch.
BTW, I love your website and all the detailed help you give to everyone 🙂
Hi there! I had the same theory and tried a small batch with soy milk without taking temperature in to consideration. The bar turned brown and the milk did burn, leaving a funky burned soy milk scent. Never again!
Good luck!
Hi Angel!
We recommend this method for all milks, including soy milk! Like Erica, we have found any milk can turn brown and have an unpleasant burnt/ammonia smell. To help prevent that, we recommend freezing the milk beforehand, then popping the soap in the freezer or fridge afterward. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I was planning on adding colloidal oats and goat milk powder at trace. Would that produce a quality bar with similar properties as freezing and mixing?
Hi Melissa!
It should give you a similar consistency to milk that has been frozen and added to the lye! However, because the goat milk powder added at trace isn’t reconstituted in water, it may feel a bit different. I would recommend making a small test batch with oatmeal and goat milk powder added at trace and see what you think.
Also, I would still recommend freezing the soap after it’s in the mold. That will keep it cool and help prevent any discoloration. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hello Bramble Berry!
What would the shelf-life be for soaps that contain milk? Would it depend on which type of milk that is being used? Thank you for your help!
Hi Kaitlyn!
The shelf life of milk soaps will be the same as soaps made with distilled water! This is because the milk in the recipe goes through the saponification process. During that process, the milk is turned into soap, making that shelf life the same as with water.
The shelf life will depend on the oils added. For instance, hazelnut oil has a shelf life of about 3 months, so the soap will last about 3 months. Read more about oil shelf lives in this post: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/free-beginners-guide-to-soapmaking-common-soapmaking-oils/
However, if you add other fresh ingredients, it can decrease the shelf life. For instance, the Strawberries and Cream Soap has cream and strawberry puree, making the shelf life about 6 months or so: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/strawberries-cream-soap-a-cold-process-tutorial/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Thank you very much for the help!
Have a great day 🙂
You’re welcome Kaitlyn! Have a great day as well. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I made this soap this morning and made a ice bath and froze the buttermilk into small marble size bits. I added the lye and after 20 minutes it still had a curdling effect to it. I used it in my solution anyway. Thoughts. It was about 70 degrees. A bit too hot I think. Do you think this was lye undisolved or curdled milk. When I blended it, it seemed not to show..
Hi John!
I think your soap should be just fine! Even with all the precautions you took, including the frozen lye and the ice bath, that milk can sometimes get tiny lumps. That is actually the lye mixing with the milk proteins, and is normal. That happened to us in the Buttermilk Baby Bastile Bar video, and the soap turned out just fine: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/buttermilk-bastille-baby-bar-on-soap-queen-tv/
To be on the extra super careful side, I would recommend pH testing the soap after about 5 days. That way you can make sure the small bits were just milk and not undissolved lye. Learn how to pH test your soap here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/test-ph-red-cabbage/
If it is lye heavy, don’t throw it out! You can use it as laundry soap: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/home-crafts/three-diy-laundry-soap-recipes/
If the pH is around 9-10, that soap is just fine to use and will feel amazing on your skin. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I make Oatmeal Milk and Honey Soap…can I just add the goats milk powder directly to soap batter at trace and still achieve the same results as freezing and adding it to the lye?
Is there a expiration to the soaps with goats milk? ( I also add pure honey at trace)
Thanks,
Priya
Hi Priya!
You can definitely add powdered goat milk at trace! Some soapers prefer that because they don’t have to go through the process of freezing the milk and adding lye slowly. I would still recommend popping the soap in the fridge or freezer after it’s in the mold. That way the milk powder won’t get too hot and scorch. 🙂
The powdered goat milk will still add creaminess to the soap! Because we didn’t try the Goat Milk and Oatmeal Cold Process Soap with powdered milk at trace, I can’t say for sure that they will feel exactly the same. You may want to make a small test batch to see what you think!
It may also help to disperse the powder with a bit of distilled water (2 ounces or so) before adding it to prevent clumping. If you do mix with distilled water, make sure to subtract that amount from your total water so that batch won’t be too wet.
Also, the shelf life of the soap will be about a year or so, depending on the oils used. For instance, if you use hazelnut oil which has a shelf life of 3 months, the soap shelf life will be about 3 months. Read more about oil shelf lives here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/free-beginners-guide-to-soapmaking-common-soapmaking-oils/
When milk is used in cold process, it turns into soap, rather than raw milk. That means the shelf life will be about the same as cold process soap made with distilled water. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Goat Milk and Oatmeal Cold Process Soap: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/goat-milk-oatmeal-cold-process-soap-tutorial/
Hi there! I just made a goat milk cold process soap a few days ago. I’m just now realizing that when I doubled the recipe, I didn’t double the milk. :-O I haven’t sliced it yet. Is there anyway to fix it? Thanks so much for your help.
Hi Kanika!
When using milk, people often do milk discounts. Milk has extra fat in it that can make it soft, so adding less milk means the soap hardens and cures faster. Typically, discounts start at 10% and go from there.
Because your soap has half as much milk, it may mean the soap will just harden and cure a lot faster! However, because it has a higher discount than usual, it may be on the dry side.
I would recommend cutting those bars and seeing how they feel. If they’re firm but still soft on skin, they’re totally fine to use. They will probably only need to cure 2-3 weeks, rather than 4-6. 🙂
If those bars are a bit more dry than you planned, you can rebatch it and add some distilled water. That should help hydrate those bars a bit, and make up for the discount. Learn how to rebatch soap here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/soap-queen-tv-presents-how-to-make-rebatch-soap-2/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Thank you for your help!
One question. Do I rebatch now or after 2-3 weeks of curing? The bars feel soft and not dry.
You’re welcome! I would let those bars cure for about 1 week. Then, test one in the sink. If you like the way it feels, you don’t need to rebatch! If it’s a bit too dry, you can rebatch that soap and add some distilled water to help hydrate them. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I am new at soap making and I can’t figure out what I am doing wrong. I am making goat milk soap using frozen milk. I follow all of the steps listed above. My oils and milk/lye solution are usually about 85 F. My problem comes when I am mixing everything. I add the milk and scents to the oils and start to mix. Usually within a minute or 2 my mixture thickens. It starts out where I can pour it, but within no time I am forced to spoon it into the molds. What am I doing wrong? It it the scents that are causing it to thicken?
Hi Andrea!
It sounds like your soap is getting to thick trace! Depending on your recipe, your soap may only need about 30 seconds of stick blending. To get thin trace, you just need to blend until the soap is just emulsified. That should give you more time to work. 🙂
Learn more in the All About the Trace post: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/trace/
Fragrance can definitely play a role as well! Some fragrance oils can accelerate trace, causing your soap to thicken up. Learn about those fragrances and how to work with them here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/soap-behaving-badly/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
You incorporate your scents to your milk-lye solution before your base oils go to trace, so you accelerate trace before to start soaping 😉
Thanks so much for your comment Alex! It can help to add your fragrance oils at trace so you have more time to work. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I thought the temperature of the oils should be 120-130 degrees Fahrenheit? What happens when your milk temperature is 80degrees Fahrenheit?? Can your oils be around the same temperature???
Milk soap will have a different temperature than regular distilled water. It needs to be on the cooler side to prevent scorching. That means when the lye is fully mixed in it will be around 80F, and your oils will be around 120F. If you have a lot of hard oils and butters, you can increase the oil temperature to 130F. That will help keep them melted when you add the cooler milk. If you notice the soap starting to solidify really quickly (called false trace), just keep stick blending until it’s smooth. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Newbie question….What about goats milk powder? Insulate or not?
Ty 🙂
Hi Dawn!
That’s a great question! Are you mixing the goat milk powder with water and adding your lye to it, or adding that powder at trace?
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Does a soap recipe stays the same if you exchange the amount of water with part or entirely with goatsmilk? So if a lye-calculator specifies a certain amount of water does that equal the same amount of milk?
Hi Gregory!
You are correct! Our Lye Calculator gives you the total liquid amount to mix with your lye. You can split that amount any way you like – 50% distilled water, 50% goat milk, 100% goat milk, etc. You’ll just want to keep that liquid amount the same no matter how you split it. 🙂
Using the Bramble Berry Lye Calculator: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/using-the-bramble-berry-lye-calculator-2/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I just made a batch of CP soap with almond milk following the above steps, thank you!!! 😀
Question: I stuck the whole thing in the freezer and 10 minutes later I realized I forgot one part of the oil (20%, oh so clever)! I unmolded everything and added the oil and stick-blended it and it’s back in the freezer now. Do you think it would be a problem?? *chuckles*
Hi Wen!
You’re welcome! Almond milk soap sounds amazing. 🙂
I have definitely forgot an oil before! However, since you added that oil, it should saponify with the rest of the oils. After 3-5 days, I would recommend testing the pH of the soap to make sure it’s not lye heavy. Learn how to test soap pH levels here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/test-ph-red-cabbage/
If your soap pH is 9-10, it should be just fine to use! If it’s lye heavy, don’t throw it out – you can use it for laundry soap. 🙂
Three DIY Laundry Soap Recipes: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/home-crafts/three-diy-laundry-soap-recipes/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Thank you so much Kelsey! Keeping my fingers crossed but I took a peek this morning and nothing separated, so here’s hoping!! 😀 I’ll take your advice and ph test in a few!! Thank you so much again!! 🙂
You’re very welcome Wen! So glad to hear that soap is doing well. Let me know how that pH test goes. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Tried 100% coconut oil soap with coconut water and coconut milk powder. Also added vitamin E and ROE.
I didn’t freeze the milk into cubes, but rather stick the measuring cup into the freezer. After adding the lye it never got very hot, barely above freezing, and my oil cooled down to under 100 degrees. I’ve heard of soaping at room temp. so I figured it would be ok, but it never came to trace. The battery on my stick blender died after about 10-15 minutes and it was still the consistency of a thin batter. Poured it in the mold and stuck it in the refrigerator anyway.
After unmolding and letting it come back to room temp. the surface of the soap is very oily. I did around a 25% superfat because I thought the 20% was a little too drying. I’m figuring it’s leeching oil because it never reached trace, but not sure.
Ugh, I just figured out what I did. Measure the lye in GRAMS and not OUNCES like the recipe stated!
I’ve definitely had some measuring mishaps with my soaps before! I’m glad you figured out what was going on though. How is your soap doing now?
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
It ended up going through partial gel phase, and the milk may have scorched a little because the smell was off just a bit. I’ll try putting it in the freezer instead of refrigerator and report back.
Hi Nic!
Sounds good! The freezer is nice and cold, so it should prevent any gel phase. Also, the good news is the scorched smell will go away as it cures for 4-6 weeks. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I’ve made goat’s milk soap three times now. First recipe I tried called for half water, half milk. Decided I wanted to do full milk after that. The first time I mixed the lye in with slushy goat’s milk and the only problem I had was it got so thick, I had to spoon it into my oils. The next time, I went with fully frozen milk and it thickened but not as much. Will definitely try the ice bath method next time. I’ve never put it in the fridge or freezer and don’t think there was a problem.
Hi Lucinda!
This method definitely prevents the milk from getting too thick! The frozen milk and ice bath help it stay cool, which in turn keeps it liquidy. Let us know how it goes!
Also, if your house is on the cooler side, the soap should be fine at room temperature. Popping it in the fridge or freezer is an extra precaution. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I make Hot Process. So would all the steps be the same for HP? Thank You!
Hi Ginny!
Because hot process has higher temperatures, the milk will scald even if it’s frozen before adding lye. You can definitely still use it if you like, just keep in mind it will discolor and have an unpleasant smell at first.
Some soapers also like to add milk powder at the end of cooking, when they add fragrance and color. That will give you the properties of the milk without too much scalding! How much you add is personal preference, but 1 tsp. per pound of soap is a good place to start. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Powdered goat milk: https://www.brambleberry.com/Powdered-Goat-Milk-P4933.aspx
Coconut milk powder: https://www.brambleberry.com/Coconut-Milk-Powder-P5669.aspx
I guess I just jumped in head first, because I have made goat’s milk soap from my very first batch almost a year ago. The only time I have used water in making soap was when I recently made a batch of shampoo bars, and then I brewed some chamomile tea as the water. I also pour my milk/lye mixture through a strainer as I add it to my fats and oils. It does indeed help tremendously to catch those random crystals of solid lye that just didn’t happen to dissolve. I also freeze my goat’s milk, which I buy in a carton at the grocery store. However, I do not put the container with the milk and lye into an ice bath, and I have never had my milk scorch. I do take my time, and stir and stir! The color of the soap is darker if I use canned milk. I keep the newly made soap in the fridge for 48 hours before I remove it from the mold. Then I cure it for 6 weeks. It turns out a nice creamy color – not too brown. Sometimes my soap bars develop that layer of “ash”, and other times they don’t. I haven’t yet figured out why it only happens some of the time! It took several tries, but I now have what is my favorite recipe: 50% palm oil, 20% coconut oil, 10% castor oil, 10% olive oil, and 10% grape seed oil. It’s wonderful soap, and so gentle on my skin! My sister-in-law had some treatments on her face for a pre-cancerous condition, and she said the ONLY soap her face could tolerate after the treatment was my goat’s milk soap! Yay!
Hi Lisa!
It sounds like you’ve found the perfect formula for working with goat milk! I love the creamy feeling it gives cold process soap.
Thanks so much for sharing your tips, and your recipe! Straining the lye milk through a strainer can really help catch any undissolved bits. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Has anyone ever tried evaporated milk in their soap? If so, does it need to be mixed 1/2 and 1/2 with water or can you use it as is?
Hi Sarah!
You can use evaporated milk, just remember to freeze it to prevent scalding!
You can use it as is, or add distilled water if you like. A small test batch would be helpful as well. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Has anyone tried using heavy cream instead of milk? Thanks
Hi Krista!
You can use cream if you like! Just make sure to freeze it ahead of time and add your lye slowly. 🙂
Also, keep in mind cream is a lot thicker than milk. You may want to add a bit of distilled water to help thin it out!
Let us know how it goes. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I only soap with goats milk and now would like to begin adding Tussah Silk to my recipes. I’m wondering how to go about doing that because you need a hot lye temperature to dissolve the silk, but yet with milk, you can’t let the temp go up. Does anyone have a method for using Tussah silk in goats milk?
Hi Karen!
That’s a great question! You are correct, the lye solution needs to be hot enough to melt that silk. I would recommend heating up distilled water in a separate cup, then putting the silk fibers in. Then, you can let that cool and add it to your goat milk. Remember to discount the milk so your soap won’t be too soft. 🙂
You can also add liquid silk if you like! We recommend about 1/2 tsp. per pound of soap. You can add that at trace with your fragrance and color.
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Saturday Night Spotlight: Tussah Silk Fibers and Liquid Silk: http://www.soapqueen.com/bramble-berry-news/sunday-night-spotlight-liquid-silk-tussah-silk-fibers/
Milk soap feels extra special, everyone i give it to loves it. I did have one loaf of scorched milk soap ,it still made good bath soap, but the scorchiness came through. My favorite was my oatmilk soap I made myself, omg, it was so nice, and everyone loved it. Very easy too, had to freeze into cubes just like the other milks.
Hi Rosalind!
I love the way it feels too! It’s so creamy and silky. 🙂
Also, this method applies to every type of milk out there! It’s a great base technique.
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
This is good information if I ever decide to try it. I’ve always found the notion of milk (especially goat milk) in soap a bit revolting. In my experience only a fraction of customers seem interested in it. Most don’t like animal products (milks or animal fats) in their products; at least here in “hippie” Oregon. But using soy or almond milk might be a good choice to try.
Hi Michael!
We love the creamy and luxurious feel that milk soap have, but it’s definitely personal preference to add it! Also, it depends on your customers’ preference as well. Soy or almond milk would be fun to work with! If you give it a try, let us know how it goes. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Why do you wait until all of the lye is dissolved to add the sodium lactate? Is there a special reason or is it the same as adding it at the beginning?
Hi Jen!
Waiting until the lye is fully dissolved makes it easier to stir the sodium lactate in! I believe you could add it when the milk is still frozen, but we prefer to add it when the milk is in liquid form for ease of use. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Oh good! I have to add it at the beginning or I forget it entirely. Glad I’m not messing it up that way!
I understand! I usually have to keep my sodium lactate right in front of me so I can remember to put it in. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi all! Don’t be afraid of goat’s milk. I have made over 1500 lbs of 100% goats milk soap -no water- and it works great! I use frozen raw goats milk cubes with out the extra ice bath and have not had any scorching. The secret is to be patient and add the lye slowly and stir, stir, stir. We soap at around 90 F. I don’t get much gelling -which seems to be more dependent on the scent that I use as well as the surrounding room temp (I live in Georgia and it can get pretty hot in here some days; even with air conditioning).
Hi Mandy!
Patience is definitely key! The process does take longer than stirring lye into distilled water, but we think the creamy and luxurious feel of milk soap is totally worth it. 🙂
Thanks so much for your comment Mandy! It’s very encouraging for those who haven’t tried milk soap yet. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
If the milk/lye mixture needs to be 50-65 degrees what temp do the oils need to be when you mix them together?
Hi Lydia!
We recommend having your oils around 100-130F. We typically have our oils at 120F. That’s where we kept our temperatures for the Lime in the Coconut Milk Cold Process Soap: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/lime-in-the-coconut-milk-cold-process-tutorial/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Mandy,
I make goat milk soap, too, for a living. Want to chat? Feel free to email me at [email protected].
I like to use full liquid with my milk soap, half water, half frozen goats milk and dissolve the lye 1:1 completely in the water first. Then I mix the frozen goats milk with the cooled dissolved lye slowly in a sink with ice. I did not like adding the lye flakes directly to the frozen goats milk without dissolving first because the lye reacts with fats in the milk and begins to form soap already. To me, this made it difficult to ensure all the lye was dissolved and difficult to strain as it was too thick. I like seeing and knowing for sure that there are no lye pieces in my soaps! I’ve tried some of the above methods but this seems to work best for me. Its definitely trickier than using just water but does add conditioning and a mildness to your soap that takes it up a notch.
Great tip !! I’m gonna go with your method ! This way we can be sure that the lye is completely dissolved. Thank you for sharing : )
Going to try this!
Hi Vicki!
That is an awesome idea! That way you know for sure your lye is dissolved. Thank you so much for sharing. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Ah, so that’s what was happening! I’ve tried this method of adding milk before and was wondering why it seemed as if the lye solution was turning into soap batter! Thanks for sharing.
Hi Patrice!
You’re welcome! If the milk is too warm, the lye can actually start saponifying the fats! Keeping it nice and cool helps to prevent that. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
After you have added the lye to the Milk, make sure it is dissolved completely. Some times when you have the milk container in the ice bath it keeps temps so low the lye will not fully dissolve.
Also, when pouring the lye+milk into the oils use a strainer. This will help catch any left behind not dissolved lye. I have worked with a lot of frozen liquids with lye, ie beer, coconut milk, goat milk, buttermilk, pineapple juice, tomato. I learned the hard way to always put it through a strainer.
Hi Diane!
That is great advice! Because the milk is cooler and opaque, it is difficult to see if the lye is fully dissolved. Lots and lots of stirring is important.
Also, pouring through a strainer is such a good idea! That will prevent any lye pockets in your soap. Thanks for sharing your expert tips Diane. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I have a question and would love a quick answer, but it would also be nice if you could do a long, detailed post about it. 🙂
What is a difference between soaps for different body parts- body soap bar, face bar, hair shampoo bar?
They all seem the same to me, yet some are advertised as specifically for face, or they are shampoos…
And I do understand to use different essential oils, for example, that might be good for dry skin, or acne, but what is different in the base oils or the main recipe? Please explain! Thank you!!!
Please, also post more recipes or suggestions for using your extracts in CP soap. Thanks!!!
Hi Martina!
That’s a great question! While the base oils are similar for face, body and hair soap, the amounts are often slightly different. For instance, a facial bar may have more olive oil, as olive oil is gentle for sensitive facial skin.
Also, shampoo bars often have lower pH levels so they are gentle on your hair. Read more in the Sudsy Shampoo Bar Tutorial: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/sudsy-shampoo-bars/
The recipes also depend on your individual skin type! If your facial skin is a little more dry, it may help to add more moisturizing oils like avocado oil. If it’s more oily, adding up to 30% coconut oil creates a nice cleansing bar. 🙂
Free Beginner’s Guide to Soapkmaking: Common Soapmaking Oils: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/free-beginners-guide-to-soapmaking-common-soapmaking-oils/
Formulating Cold Process Recipes: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/formulating-cold-process-recipes/
Also, extracts are nice and easy to use – we recommend adding about 1 tsp. of them per pound of soap. You can add them at trace. Read more in the Sunday Night Spotlight: Extracts: http://www.soapqueen.com/bramble-berry-news/sunday-night-spotligh-extracts/
Thanks so much for your great suggestions! We will definitely keep those in mind for future blog posts. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I’m glad you are doing info on milk soaps now. I have goats milk frozen and ready to go, but was just not ready to go yet. I think I will this week. 🙂
Hi Martina!
We’re really excited to share all the milk tutorials with everyone! Have fun making soap. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I use powdered goats milk in my soaps. I let my melted oils and lye cool until the mixing bowls are just warm, not hot to the touch before combining. I then mix the goats milk powder with some liquid oil from my batch and add it at trace. Easy peasy, and I don’t have to fool around with frozen milk or submerging my mixing bowl in an ice bath. Soap turns out great with minimal discoloration.
This is what I do. It works great. I’ve also used dried buttermilk.
Hi Gwen and Leilani!
That’s a great technique, thank you for sharing! That gives you the creamy feel of goat milk without having to freeze it beforehand. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Powdered goat milk: https://www.brambleberry.com/Powdered-Goat-Milk-P4933.aspx
Hi Gwen,thank you for the information.Could you tell me whether you then put your mold in fridge or freezer. I would like to prepare the soap as you have described but then leave it out with no insulation and no fridge or freezer. Your thoughts would be appreciated!,
I find it waaaaaaay easier to allow the frozen milk to get down to a slushie quality first, then add in the lye.
Hi Cutter!
That’s another way to use milk as well! We recommend having it frozen before you add the lye because it helps keep the milk cool and prevents it from scalding. I’m really glad you’ve found a way that works best for you! Soaping is definitely a process of finding the perfect techniques that work for you. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Making milk soap always freaks me out a bit. One time i stirred and stirred until i was sure it was all dissolved, then stirred for another ten or so minutes, and i ended up with lye pockets all over my soap. Another time I stirred for maybe half the amount as before and everything turned out fine
Hi Paul!
I was fairly intimidated when I first started making milk soap as well, especially because you can’t see if the lye is fully dissolved. It helps to just keep stirring way longer than you think you need to! It also helps to monitor the temperatures. If it’s cooler, the lye will take longer to fully dissolve.
I’ve also found it helpful to scoop the bottom of the container and lift the spoon up to the surface. If I see any undissolved lye, it means more stirring!
While it may be intimidating, the process will become easier the more you do it! Not to mention milk soap feels amazing on your skin. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Great tips, Thank you! Just a question, you say to add to your oils as usual, should the also be around 70 degrees? Or I should say with in 10 degrees of your oils? I intend to place mine in a mini fridge that I keep in my soap area so no food oops can happen.
Hi Cathy!
You’re welcome! We recommend having your oils around 100-130F. That way any solid oils or butters stay completely melted. Typically, we recommend having your oils and lye within 10 degrees of each other. However, there will be a difference here because the milk needs to stay cool.
Working with milk is a bit more advanced technique. However, keeping that lye cool will help the process go smoothly. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry