Milk Soap

[ShiehDesignStudio]

I love making and using cold process milk soap because milk can boost creamy lather and nourish my really dry skin.  I usually use between coconut milk and fresh cow milk depending on what I have in hand.  I rarely make 100% milk (meaning no water) soap because for some reason 50% of the time I do make I failed.  About 3 weeks ago I don't know what got into me, I attempted 100% milk soap again, and I failed... double size batch too.  It was late at night, I was tired and cranky.  I had to roll into plan B and hot process it to save the whole pot.  It's a good save at least.
I split it into 2, one is unscented and uncolored, naked soap.

The other one is scented with Honey Almond EO blend and colored with oatmeal flour and cocoa powder.

Then look at the lather going!


Days later, I redeemed myself, make other batches of milk soap the way I usually do, half water half milk.  There were no disaster, no need to go plan B, plain smooth and beautiful.
Lavender Rose Soap

Oatmeal Milk & Honey

Dark Star

[MareMare]

They all look beautiful! I'm in awe, I'm not great with milk soaps. I do best when I use powdered goat milk lol! For some reason I have trouble with coconut milk. When you do 50% do you freeze it first?

[I Sew Cute]

Those are so beautiful & inspiring!

[Mandyhello]

Ok, how did you do the piping on the one bar?!  That's so beautiful, it just blew my mind 0_o

Nice job, those are all beautiful!

[barbie820]

totally want to try this. what is your soap recipe? this is so intriguing

[ShiehDesignStudio]

They all look beautiful! I'm in awe, I'm not great with milk soaps. I do best when I use powdered goat milk lol! For some reason I have trouble with coconut milk. When you do 50% do you freeze it first?

No need to freeze, not when doing 50% milk, but I do keep it cold in the fridge right before I make soap.  So what you do is dissolving your lye with 50% water, lower the temperature down to below 40C (around 100F) then mix into your oil/butter (melted of course), then pour in the 50% milk from the fridge.  I like coconut milk because it produces fairly white soap to allow your fancy coloration!  Still, if you don't want overheat, put your mold in the fridge for 24 hrs. after pour.

[ShiehDesignStudio]

Ok, how did you do the piping on the one bar?!  That's so beautiful, it just blew my mind 0_o

Nice job, those are all beautiful!

I pipe my soap just like a cupcake or regular cake.  You can buy tips and pastry bags from any crafty store or cookware store.  The trick is to pour the majority first, wait for the remaining soap to come to heavy trace, like thick icing, then pipe it like you would ice a cupcake.

[MareMare]

They all look beautiful! I'm in awe, I'm not great with milk soaps. I do best when I use powdered goat milk lol! For some reason I have trouble with coconut milk. When you do 50% do you freeze it first?

No need to freeze, not when doing 50% milk, but I do keep it cold in the fridge right before I make soap.  So what you do is dissolving your lye with 50% water, lower the temperature down to below 40C (around 100F) then mix into your oil/butter (melted of course), then pour in the 50% milk from the fridge.  I like coconut milk because it produces fairly white soap to allow your fancy coloration!  Still, if you don't want overheat, put your mold in the fridge for 24 hrs. after pour.

Oh thanks! I'm probably too attached to my room temp method lol!

[special_occasion]

Oh my goodness. I never thought when I woke up this morning that at some time today I'd be tempted to eat soap, but these are delicious looking! You can see from the lather that they would do their job well but you've gone the extra mile and made them into works of art too. Well done!

[monnie31]

nice job