And this little guy is Luigi.. our newest billy whether.
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
Goat Milk Soaps
One of the things I like about soapmaking is the types of cold process soaps you can make. Goat milk is one that I really love.. it's so wonderful for your skin & makes a fine bar of soap. I tend to keep my GM soaps pretty simple.. only adding herbs, veggie powders or spices for colors & use only essential oils in them. I generally use fresh goats milk, but some other options are already prepared.. canned & pwdered to be reconstituted gm. To me.. the natural fats in fresh milk is extraordinary in a bar of soap & yet so gentle on your skin.
All soapmakers have their own tricks to making a nice gm soap.. I've tried many.. but for me, the easiest process is to add my fresh goats milk to my already warmed & cooled oils before adding the lye/water. I split my water portion 50 % add it to my lye.. set aside the balance of 50 % what would be water in most cases... for my gm portion. Once the lye water & warmed oils & butters has cooled down to around 90 degrees .. I then warm up my room temp goats milk to about 85-90 degrees.. add it to my oil pot & any essence I will be using and blend in well. Once blended, I then add my lye water mixture while stick blending all the while to get a nice creamy emulsion type mixture. I'd then add my additives if any .. hand stir well until I come to an early trace.. which at these lower temps should be quite soon. I have my molds all readied.. so pouring is efficient & rapid.. I only cover my mold with saran wrap.. no other insulation.. and set it out in garage on cool cement floor.. or place into refrigerator.. as I don't want my goat milk soaps to come to a gel. If they gel.. they will become much darker from overheating. Sometimes.. this IS the effect I want.. so I lightly insulate.. it all just comes down too what I am trying to achive.
Presently I buy my fresh goat milk from a nearby farm.. but we just started our own little flock here.. and soon I will have more than enough of my own fresh milk! :+)
All soapmakers have their own tricks to making a nice gm soap.. I've tried many.. but for me, the easiest process is to add my fresh goats milk to my already warmed & cooled oils before adding the lye/water. I split my water portion 50 % add it to my lye.. set aside the balance of 50 % what would be water in most cases... for my gm portion. Once the lye water & warmed oils & butters has cooled down to around 90 degrees .. I then warm up my room temp goats milk to about 85-90 degrees.. add it to my oil pot & any essence I will be using and blend in well. Once blended, I then add my lye water mixture while stick blending all the while to get a nice creamy emulsion type mixture. I'd then add my additives if any .. hand stir well until I come to an early trace.. which at these lower temps should be quite soon. I have my molds all readied.. so pouring is efficient & rapid.. I only cover my mold with saran wrap.. no other insulation.. and set it out in garage on cool cement floor.. or place into refrigerator.. as I don't want my goat milk soaps to come to a gel. If they gel.. they will become much darker from overheating. Sometimes.. this IS the effect I want.. so I lightly insulate.. it all just comes down too what I am trying to achive.
Presently I buy my fresh goat milk from a nearby farm.. but we just started our own little flock here.. and soon I will have more than enough of my own fresh milk! :+)
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