Powdered milks--grainy or smooth?

[SoapLady]

I've never used powdered milk in soap but may give it a try. I've heard people mention that some types of milk have a grainier texture and others have very smooth results. I've tried searching but can't seem to find which milk powders have smooth results and which don't. I've thought of trying a lot of different milks--cow milk, goat milk, buttermilk, coconut milk. Also will powdered animal milks overheat and darken the soap if added to a hot lye solution? TIA!

[CareBear]

I had a 50/50 hit rate on this, no matter what the powder, until I realized.... Depends on which stick blender I use...

My Evil Oster SB beats the living daylight out of my soaps, and if I use that to mix the powdered milk into the oils it comes out perfect. Problem with the Evil Oster is that it 1) makes bubbles in my soap - the "bell" is too deep and I cannot tip it enough when submerged to get the air out and 2) is actually broken though I have it rubberbanded together (some others have had a problem with them breaking too). Thus I ONLY use this particular SB for mixing powders into oils - then I go back to my Loving Braun SB.

As far as overheating, yes they certainly will if added to the hot lye solution. If you don't want to add as powder I suggest holding back a little water from your lye solution and using that to make a thick slurry with your milk powder and adding that to your oils or at trace. Any milk added any time will darken if overheated, even if just gelled IMHO. To keep things lighter you can try not letting the soap gel.

[SoapLady]

Thanks for that very informative reply. A very interesting observation about the stick blender. I've never heard about that making a difference, but it does make a lot of sense. I have a braun, but perhaps I could whirl the milk powder in the blender first or something. Hmmm . . . yet another thing to experiment with. I guess I'll just have to make more soap! Thanks for the heads-up about not gelling too. I always try to prevent my soaps made with liquid milk from gelling, but I wasn't sure whether it was the situation with powdered.

[cindym]

I hold back some water like carebare said maybe 8 ozs add the powder, warm water, shake shake shake, then I strain it and put in the fridge. it is cold by the time I am ready to add it at light trace.

[SoapLady]

Great advice! Thanks, Ladies!