Candybee - Soy Milk question

[ProudMarineMom]

Candybee, I know several months back you were going to try some of the Silk Soy Milk as the liquid in your soap. Did you every try any? How did it work out for you? Notice any difference between the Silk and just cream, goat milk or yogurt?

I saw a carton of Silk Chocolate Mint at the store the other day and thought that might make an interesting soap.

J

[Candybee]

Haven't gotten around to using Silk soy milk yet. I do use the Silk Coconut Milk all the time and love the soaps it makes. I use the regular coconut milk with the sugar already in it. If I plan to add honey I use the sugar free milk.

To be honest I have a hard time telling goat milk soap from coconut milk. They both make rich creamy lather. I don't have plans anymore to use the soy milk. I do want to make a soap with Silk Almond milk when I get around to it. If I ever get to it I will let you know how I like it.

Were you planning on using soy milk? I do find the Silk brand works well with CP. I tend to add my milk in with my soaping oils. I just don't care to do the frozen milk thing with the lye. Bleck!

[ProudMarineMom]

I guess I wasn't necessarily looking to use soy, more some of the Silk flavors that sound interesting. I didn't realize they had Coconut Milk. I really like the soaps I have made with that. Yogurt is my other favorite. Saw the Almond Milk, wondered how that might do. I don't even remember what the Chocolate Mint was, just liked the flavor.

I'm with you, I prefer the divided liquid method and add the dairy to my oils. I did make a Buttermilk and Honey soap with the liquid as full buttermilk. That was a bugger to keep from curdling while the lye melted. Very nice soap, not sure if it's worth the trouble. I can make a bar that feels just as nice by using a 40% lye solution and using milks, beer, tea, what have you as the liquid mixed in the oils to bring it down to a 33-35% lye solution (if that makes sense).

Thanks for the info! If you try the Almond, let me know how it goes.

Edited November 20, 2012 by ProudMarineMom

[soycrazy]

Almond milk works wonderful in soap I usually add it at trace. I would be careful with the chocolate mint because it's high in sugar maybe put it in the fridge so it won't overheat. I love soy milk in soap too. I've been thinking of trying the soy milk creamer to try that out.

[ProudMarineMom]

Any issues with accelerating? Or just heats up?

[soycrazy]

No issues at all The only time I had issues is if I used a plant milk with a lot of sugar but I tend to soap warm. Using the unsweetened milk is the best to prevent the overheating issues.

[Candybee]

I guess I like to live dangerously. I love soaping with goat milk and honey. You just have to know your fragrances and which ones accelerate. I do soap at room temp and always, always, always, chill my milk and honey mixture. If I use honey then my milk is unsweetened whenever I can get it.

The Silk brand has unsweetened coconut milk and I add my 'melted' honey to it to blend in with the milk. Then I chill it well prior to adding to my soap batch.

[soycrazy]

Candy have you tried coconut water yet? I bought some but haven't tried it yet.

[cmzaha]

Candy have you tried coconut water yet? I bought some but haven't tried it yet.

Coconut Water works fine in soap, but remember it is also sweet. Like anything with sugar it will help a bit with bubbles. I add sugar to all my soaps even when using coconut milk, I do soap at room temp

Carolyn Z

Edited November 29, 2012 by cmzaha

[Candybee]

Haven't tried coconut water yet. If I do-- I think I will try the actual coconut water from a coconut. I am starting a new line of nature inspired soaps and may do a coconut theme with coconut oil, coconut milk, coconut water, coconut scent, etc.

I also want to try the aloe water and puree some aloe leaf. Will probably be next summer when I try the aloe one.

[soycrazy]

I bought the kind in the container just straight coconut water no additives. I didn't buy fresh because I can't stand coconut! I don't mind it in soap though except for the scent lol. If you follow soaping101 on youtube she did a soap and used the whole coconut in her soap it was really cool.

[Candybee]

There was someone who posted-- not sure it was this forum or another-- who was asking about making their own coconut milk. If you do that I can see using a whole coconut to make soap. It would be interesting to try but all I could think about was the time consuming chore of making coconut milk out of the coconut.

I believe someone else mentioned they make their own coconut milk out of the coconut shreds you buy at the market. Not sure how you make coconut milk out of the packaged shreds but the plus side of doing it that way is not having to strain all the brown skin off the coconut meat.

[soycrazy]

You can make coconut oil from the fresh coconut too

[cmzaha]

The gel from inside the Aloe is wonderful for soaping, but I find the pureed leaf is not. It will not grind up fine and really looks ugly in the soap. Ask me how I know... Just cleaned 1 gallon of fresh aloe gel yesterday which I add a bit citric acid to keep it from turning pinkish and store in fridge. Yuck I hate that job.

[cmzaha]

You can make coconut oil from the fresh coconut too

LOL, I bet it is cheaper to buy coconut oil instead of buying all the coconuts! Of course, unless you live where you can just gather them

[cmzaha]

[i believe someone else mentioned they make their own coconut milk out of the coconut shreds you buy at the market. Not sure how you make coconut milk out of the packaged shreds but the plus side of doing it that way is not having to strain all the brown skin off the coconut meat.

You can make it using unsweetened shredded coconut by soaking 1:1 in hot water for 20-30 min, put in a blender to puree then strain

Edited November 30, 2012 by cmzaha

[soycrazy]

LOL, I bet it is cheaper to buy coconut oil instead of buying all the coconuts! Of course, unless you live where you can just gather them

Definitely you don't get much out of it either. I know where I live one coconut is over $4 so it's not worth it for me

Mountain Rose Herbs has a powdered aloe that is nice in soap it gives a nice speckled look

[soycrazy]

I wonder how coconut butter would work in soap, maybe like coconut milk?

[ProudMarineMom]

Mountain Rose Herbs has a powdered aloe that is nice in soap it gives a nice speckled look

Have you tried the Aloe Vera leaf? Wonder how well that would infuse into Olive Oil...

[Candybee]

The gel from inside the Aloe is wonderful for soaping, but I find the pureed leaf is not. It will not grind up fine and really looks ugly in the soap. Ask me how I know... Just cleaned 1 gallon of fresh aloe gel yesterday which I add a bit citric acid to keep it from turning pinkish and store in fridge. Yuck I hate that job.

Carolyn-- would you mind elaborating a bit on this. I was thinking of using actual leaves off of an aloe plant and tossing those in a blender to puree. Sounds like you are saying the real aloe puree is yucky in soap? but the juice is okay? Is this what you mean? And if so-- how do you extract the aloe juice from the leaves? Do you crush them, press them? Or do you buy it?

I wanted to combine the aloe juice I see in the market with actual aloe juice from the real plant and wondering if I can just blend them in my blender as a puree.

[soycrazy]

Have you tried the Aloe Vera leaf? Wonder how well that would infuse into Olive Oil...

Never tried that just the aloe vera powder. I just added it to my soap batter but I never tried infusing it that is a good idea though

[cmzaha]

I filet the leaves and remove the gel from the inside, then puree it in a food processor or blender. I found the actual leaf will not puree up small enough and it just leave ugly splats in the soap surrounded by the actual gel. Will actually look like wet spots. The soap is okay just not real pretty. You will get a lot of aloe gel out of a leaf that is around 12 inches long. There is different aloe and the one I use is a large leaf aloe plant. After I clean the also and puree it I put it in a large jar, add in some citric acid and store in the fridge. Also cut of the dark end of the aloe and do not use since it will discolor your aloe. I have dried the out part of the leaf in my dehydrator and pulverized it in a coffee grinder to add scrubby, but prefer oats. Your aloe will turn a bit yellow in the lye and you will see little pieces of it. It makes great soap

[Candybee]

Thx Carolyn! Sounds a little more complicated than I thought but worth a try. There is only one soap I want fresh aloe in so it may be worth the extra work to try extracting the gel and using my blender. Will have to remember the citric acid.

Here's a thought-- is there anything I can sub for citric acid-- say fresh lemon juice or lime juice? Or does it effect the lye? I want to add the aloe juice blend to my oils or at light trace.

Edited December 5, 2012 by Candybee