PattyZB Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 So I decided to try using coconut milk. After reading much on here, online in general and in a few books I did it. I froze the milk into cubes. I filled my sink with cold water and put my glass pitcher in there with some water (1 oz to equal the full amount of water needed where the main amount of 'water' was the milk). Anyway once the lye was mixed with the water I added the frozen milk and kept stirring. It melted the cubes and didn't smell bad so I figured I was okay. My oils were in the pot ready to be mixed with the lye mix and were cooled down a bit so they were the same temp as the lye mix. I mixed everything, it traced, I added a poured most into the mold, mixed a little honey and tea leaves (rum and pineapple flavors) with the rest in the pot and then mixed that into the mold resulting in a nice swirl and that was it.Very simple, smelled good and my first attempt - fingers crossed that when I check it tomorrow it's still pretty and nice smelling and not some evil looking loaf of yuck. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moonrose64 Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Good Luck Patty. It will turn out ok....I just started using Coconut milk and so far so good for me too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PattyZB Posted October 21, 2009 Author Share Posted October 21, 2009 I was surprised it turned out okay the first time around . . I was afraid it would get icky. Thank goodness! My only thing now to research is curing time. Is 6-8 weeks REALLY necessary or is 4 okay. I like to test before I send out samples and THEN I sell my soaps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitn Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Your soap sounds wonderful . 4 weeks is the minimum time . I let mine cure 6 weeks , there is a difference imho between 4 & 6 week old soap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PattyZB Posted October 21, 2009 Author Share Posted October 21, 2009 Thank you Kitn! I was feeling creative today and I was afraid I'd have to wait. Waiting 6 weeks is better than 8. At least that means I have 2 more weeks to make soaps for Christmas (meaning they'll be 6 weeks by 12/15) giving me time to ship them to people. Trying to plan ahead for the holidays is hurting my head - I got into this kinda late so I feel like I'm playing catch up so I have enough soap to sell/gift this holiday! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustpuuppy Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 Stupid question: If you were trying to do this and you didn't have any ice, could you just add the lye more slowly? Could you just have your container of coconut milk in a sink with tap water?Stoopid question #2 & #3: How long does it take for this concoction to solidify enough to demold and what happens if you try to use the stuff before it cures?Been looking around for days, everything just says to use ice, doesn't really give you an "if you don't" scenario.I was trying to write a little story is why I'm asking. Robinson Crusoe type thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PattyZB Posted October 29, 2009 Author Share Posted October 29, 2009 Stupid question: If you were trying to do this and you didn't have any ice, could you just add the lye more slowly? Could you just have your container of coconut milk in a sink with tap water?I read somewhere about having the glass container with the milk in a sinkful of ice as you pour the lye in. I just mixed the water in then added the frozen millk. Stoopid question #2 & #3: How long does it take for this concoction to solidify enough to demold and what happens if you try to use the stuff before it cures?I actually was able to unmold it the next day and it's been a week almost and it's drying nicely. Not sure about using it too soon...I'm guessing you'd get the typical burns associated with using any soap too soon?Anyone else have any insight? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustpuuppy Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 I wasn't sure if soaps would burn you if you used them too soon. I had a hunch, though.As to the ice thing, I kinda need to figure out if it can be done with no refrigeration at all. I can't freeze the milk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PattyZB Posted October 29, 2009 Author Share Posted October 29, 2009 I wasn't sure if soaps would burn you if you used them too soon. I had a hunch, though.As to the ice thing, I kinda need to figure out if it can be done with no refrigeration at all. I can't freeze the milk.I read somewhere on here about people adding milk at trace so I'm thinking that may not require you to freeze the milk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustpuuppy Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 Thanks, Patty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meridith Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 Stupid question: If you were trying to do this and you didn't have any ice, could you just add the lye more slowly? Could you just have your container of coconut milk in a sink with tap water?You can soap without freezing milk or using ice but freezing it helps to keep it from heating up too much and curdling. Curdling does not hurt a soap; it just stinks to high heaven. That smell though does cure out. Soaping with milk can have an ammonia smell. You soap with milk as cool as possible to avoid these problems. The other thing, I would not recommend ever using a glass pitcher to make lye water in. I'd recommend using a thick plastic pitcher - like Rubbermaid. Glass can shatter. Shattered glass is no fun alone, but add lye into that mix, and you have a very dangerous situation to clean up. You can soap with tap water, but alot of soapers prefer distilled water. Tap water can have crap in it that can react to the lye or that some soapers don't want in their soap. Others will tell you they soap with tap water with no problems. Stoopid question #2 & #3: How long does it take for this concoction to solidify enough to demold and what happens if you try to use the stuff before it cures?Been looking around for days, everything just says to use ice, doesn't really give you an "if you don't" scenario.I was trying to write a little story is why I'm asking. Robinson Crusoe type thing.Unmolding times vary from batch to batch and depend on the amount of liquids used, the mold and your recipe. On an average, most soaps can be unmolded in about a 24 hour period. Salt soaps can be unmolded in a matter of hours though. The more water you soap with, the softer the soap and the longer it will take to unmold and cure.Most soaps can be used before the 4-6 week cure time without any adverse reactions from the lye, but they do improve with age. It is possible to use a soap too early that has some lye left to be cured out, but given a few days, that zap, if present upon unmolding, usually is gone. So if you still get zapped when you unmold, it can burn you to use. But more than anything, using it too early will allow the bar to be used up more quickly. Curing allows the liquid in the soap to evaporate thereby making the bar harder. A harder bar lasts longer. (Other chemical changes are also happening during the cure.) The soap also becomes milder with a cure. It just improves with age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustpuuppy Posted October 30, 2009 Share Posted October 30, 2009 Thanks, Meridith. That was what I needed. Now I know that what I was thinking is possible.Patty: Sorry for hijacking your thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PattyZB Posted November 3, 2009 Author Share Posted November 3, 2009 No prob Dust. . .i learned as well. lolI'm guessing i've never had issues using tap water because we have well water with a filter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustpuuppy Posted November 3, 2009 Share Posted November 3, 2009 I read somewhere on here about people adding milk at trace so I'm thinking that may not require you to freeze the milk. What you're referring to is what they call 'overfatting', if I understand it properly. The soap would be different than if you added the milk to the main recipe. The milk wouldn't be part of your original fats.I don't have a perfect understanding of it, so take the above with a grain of salt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustpuuppy Posted November 3, 2009 Share Posted November 3, 2009 I'm guessing i've never had issues using tap water because we have well water with a filter.I used to work for a water company, so I can see several problems with using tap water. Most water companies have multiple wells. Each well could have water that has very different mineral contents.Water companies will often buy water from the next town over, during peak periods, if their own wells and tanks can't keep up with demand.Many water companies treat their water with lime, which could throw off your PH. Not to mention chlorine, fluoride and who knows what else that they add.A lot of companies try to filter out certain minerals. How much of which minerals they filter out can vary from day to day... even hour to hour.All these things could cause different results from the same recipe. So what works today might not work tomorrow.:rolleyes2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecandlespastore Posted November 3, 2009 Share Posted November 3, 2009 I am able to soap 100% coconut milk without a problem. I let it get frozen and then I thaw it till it is slushy. Proceed to soap (I make it with a creamy coconut fragrance) and the soap is amazing. I am going to make another batch, this time unscented, just to see what color the soap will be. The creamy coconut is a tan color but I suspect the fragrance has a lot to do with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PattyZB Posted November 4, 2009 Author Share Posted November 4, 2009 I used to work for a water company, so I can see several problems with using tap water. Most water companies have multiple wells. Each well could have water that has very different mineral contents.Water companies will often buy water from the next town over, during peak periods, if their own wells and tanks can't keep up with demand.Many water companies treat their water with lime, which could throw off your PH. Not to mention chlorine, fluoride and who knows what else that they add.A lot of companies try to filter out certain minerals. How much of which minerals they filter out can vary from day to day... even hour to hour.All these things could cause different results from the same recipe. So what works today might not work tomorrow.:rolleyes2That's good information to know! I've yet to have a problem with my filtered/well water though I also have my rain barrel outside that I can use for soaping as well. I wonder which would be better - filtered well or rain.@thecandlespastore - I didn't use any fragrance and the soap is pure white! It's really creamy too with only a slight scent from the tea leaves. Once I get more oils I can't wait to try another batch with some coconut FO like you mentioned! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustpuuppy Posted November 4, 2009 Share Posted November 4, 2009 I'm certainly no expert on soaping, as you can tell if you've read through this thread. So take this with a rather large grain of salt.As I understand it though, a high mineral content in your water isn't good for your soaping. When people speak of hard or soft water they're generally referring to the amount of minerals and such, in the water. The more crap in the water, the 'harder' the water.I can't say how much of an effect these things have in the real world.My hunch is that if you keep your filters in good shape, your well water would be the most consistent. The rain water might actually be better. Maybe, maybe not. I'd bet it's not as consistent as your well water, though.Some of the folk around here who actually know what they're doing might have better info on this, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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