goats milk/coconut milk soaps

[*Dee*]

Okay so my last few batches I have been using 50% water and 50% goats milk. I mix the lye in with the water first to get it dissolved and I try to wait till the solution has cooled to add the goats milk and by then the lye water has a thin whitish coating like the lye isnt fully dissolved. I stick blend the heck out of it and it it goes clear again like its dissolved and after sitting it gets that thin coat again. I would like to start adding the goats milk/coconut milk directly to the melted oils at a thin trace but I am worried that this thin coating is because there isn't enough liquid with just the water to fully dissolve the lye. I hope I am making sense lol Has anyone ever had this issue? It's fine when I add the milk, it's just when the full liquid amount isn't added in the beginning.

[Candybee]

If stirring your lye solution gets rid of the "film" on top of it then you should be okay.

I can think of a couple of things that might be causing the film. One, make sure your lye solution container is very, very clean, as in squeaky clean. Oil residue, dirt, or even impurities in the lye can cause a "film" on top of your solution. Do you use distilled water? Have you tried another brand lye? I've had impurities in my hardware store lye but when I switched to buying my lye from Essential Depot no more impurities. Are you adding anything else to your water and lye that could cause the film?

Also, make sure that you have at least the same amount of water or more water for your lye. Eg.; 5oz lye with 5oz water. This is also known as a 50/50% lye solution. Don't do 4oz water with 5oz lye. When I first started soaping I did this a couple times and my lye solution always got either milky or started crystalizing on me. The crystalizing starts on the surface so this may be what you are experiencing? A layer of crystalized lye water on the top of your solution. Once I had to throw mine out and start over because it just about crystalized completely. So I learned the hard way have at least the same amount or more water to lye for your solution. You want to give the lye enough water/liquid to dissolve properly and stay fluid.

Re adding milks: I add my milk after I add my lye solution to my oils. I just never liked using it as my liquid for my lye solution. It works better for me to add it after I add my lye water. I still chill my milk in the fridge beforehand thou so it doesn't overheat my batter when I add it. HTH

Hopefully Talltayl will chime in on this. She knows a lot more about soaping than me.

Edited December 29, 2013 by Candybee

[*Dee*]

Thanks! I was hoping someone would understand my ramblings lol. My lye is from essential depot. Maybe it is the container, it's used strictly for my lye solution but I usually just rinse it out not fully wash it. My water is 8.24 oz and my lye is 6.7 oz. I'll wash out my container real good and try it again and see. It's only like a thin like crusty layer that goes away after stirring. Almost like tiny flakes coming together to make a thin film. If it does it again I'll snap a pic. I really want to add my milks like you do so they don't overheat but was worried about doing that until I figured out what was going on with the lye water.

[Candybee]

If you are doing a milk soap use full water until you have more experience before you start doing a water discount. This will help.

I am guessing by your water/lye ratio that you discounted.

Using full water, split your liquid 50/50. Use half for your lye solution making sure it equals the amount of lye. Use the other half of your liquid as your milk. Just add the milk after you add your lye water.

Your description of your lye water problem sounds like the crystalizing I've seen with too little water. Look at it closely if it happens again. If you see tiny crystals clinging to each other forming a top layer on the lye water you have used too little water. At least that is my experience. Just add a little more water. Adding more water won't hurt and is always better to have enough than to not have enough. KWIM?

[*Dee*]

instead of using the full water amount I used half water and half milk. but added the lye to the water first until it cooled enough to add the milk without scorching it. the full amount of water is 17.24 i believe (id have to look downstairs) I use 8.24 water and 9 oz goats milk. it only happens when I add the lye to the 8.24 oz water but as soon as i stir it goes away but will come back until I add the goats milk to it then its fine

[ChandlerWicks]

Did you by any chance stir the lye water withe same utensil you stirred oils? This sounds like what happened to mine the last batch I made. I normally use a whisk & a large rubbermaid pitcher for lye water, but tried something new & grabbed my rubber oils stirrer instead.

[chuck_35550]

Its really pretty easy to use a full goat milk solution. I use a stainless steel bowl set into a larger bowl of ice. I use an oven thermometer (silver cord with probe on end) and pour in my cold milk. Begin sprinkling the lye into your gm and watch the temp, making sure it never gets above 100 degrees. You'll find that you have to back off several times until your have fully incorporated your lye. The mixture will be a light lemon color and will smell awful (think amonia). I begin mixing my oils and goat milk at about 85 degrees and watch my temp. The sugars in the milk will cause saponification to speed up, as well as, some fos will cause acceleration but most of the time you have plenty of time to swirl; just don't overdo the stick blender. If your solution goes bright orange, well you've burnt it but you can still get soap. The other way is to make a slurry with powdered gm and incorporate at the end. I buy goatmilk in the carton at Walmart but you can use concentrated as well. Remember higher fat content and make sure to stir to make sure all the lie dissolves. See? Easy peasey. HTH

Steve