DIY Goat Milk Soap: The Ultimate Guide to Crafting Luxurious Homemade Bars
Picture this: You’re lathering up with a bar of soap that’s not just cleansing your skin, but nourishing it with the goodness of fresh goat milk. Sounds dreamy, right? Well, get ready to turn that dream into reality!
Did you know that goat milk soap has been used for centuries, dating back to ancient Egypt where Cleopatra herself was said to bathe in goat milk to maintain her legendary beauty? Fast forward to 2024, and this age-old beauty secret is making a major comeback in the world of natural skincare.
In this quick guide, we’ll dive into the wonderful world of homemade goat milk soap, exploring why it’s become a favorite among DIY enthusiasts and skincare aficionados alike. And at the end I’ll share my base recipe with you! Get ready to roll up your sleeves and embark on a soap-making adventure that’ll leave your skin (and your friends) asking for more!
Disclaimer : This post contains affiliate links. This means I may earn a commission should you chose to sign up for a program or make a purchase using my link. It’s okay – I love all of what I share with you, and you will too!
The Benefits of Goat Milk Soap for Your Skin
- Goat milk is naturally moisturizing for your skin
- Gentle exfoliation from lactic acid (this helps remove dead skin cells & keeps pores clean! I use an unscented bar on my face! Not to mention you can add in exfoliants like oats and coffee grounds and coarse salt!)
- Suitable for sensitive and problematic skin! We have psoriasis that runs in our family and our goat milk soap & lotion has been a lifesaver!
- Commercial soaps contain toxins & lots of yuckies! We choose to make our soap with organic oils and no artificial colorants to keep it simple & good for you!
Essential Ingredients for Homemade Goat Milk Soap
- Goats milk! Ideally frozen to help prevent scorching
- Lye (sodium hydroxide) (don’t worry, all the lye will be gone once the soap goes through saponification!)
- Oils and fats (e.g., olive oil, coconut oil, shea butter) we’ll be using coconut oil & olive oil in this recipe
- Essential oils for fragrance
- Natural colorants and additives
- Equipment needed for soap making (glass bowls-we absolutely love these; lye will melt plastic and metal. Spatulas. Immersion blender. Molds for the soap to go into. Thermometer. Scale. Stock pot)
- Eye & Skin protection.
Step-by-Step Guide to Making Goat Milk Soap at Home
First let’s lay out our recipe!
Ingredients:
- 16 oz Olive Oil
- 16 oz Coconut Oil
- 4.8 oz Lye
- 10 oz FROZEN Goats Milk
- 2 TBSP Essential Oils/Fragrance Oil)
Directions :
1. Get those gloves & glasses on!
2. Measure out 4.8 oz of lye into a small glass bowl.
3. Measure out 10oz of frozen goats milk.
4. Prepare an ice bath (a bowl of ice on the bottom with a glass bowl sat on top of the ice)
5. SLOWLY combine the goats milk and lye in the glass bowl. I like to put all of my frozen milk in the bowl and add the lye in small batches. We don’t want the temp going over 70 degrees F. This is why the ice bath & frozen goats milk is important.
6. While you’re waiting to finish mixing your lye & milk, measure out your olive oil and coconut oil into a large stockpot. Heat until melted and mixed.
7. Once the lye & milk has been combined fully, strain it through a small metal strainer.
8. Now we have a waiting game. Your combined oils AND your lye/milk mixture must be within 10 degrees of one another. Once that’s been achieved, combine and mix with an immersion blender until you reach a thin trace. Trace is when the lye mixture & oils have emulsified, or come together. A thin trace should drizzle off of the blender when raised. Blending past this can make it hard to incorporate your fragrance & additives.
9. Now you can add in your fragrance oil and any additives (colorant, poppy seeds, oats, etc). Combine lightly and then pour into your soap molds. A NOTE : some oils can make your soap come together/trace a lot quicker than others.
10. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours at the minimum. 12 hours is best.
11. Unmold & cut/trim your bars! From here they will need to cure AT LEAST a week. They can be used after that but they will be soft and get used up faster. It’s ideal to cure for 4-6 weeks in a cool area with good airflow.
And there you have it folks!
– your ticket to the wonderful world of homemade goat milk soap! From Cleopatra’s bathtub to your very own kitchen, you’re now equipped with all the knowledge you need to craft these luxurious bars of goodness. As you lather up with your creamy, nourishing goat milk soap, you’ll not only be treating your skin to nature’s best, but you’ll also have the satisfaction of knowing exactly what you’re using on your body. So go ahead, give it a try – your skin (and maybe even a few lucky friends) will thank you! Who knows?! This could be the start of a beautiful, sudsy adventure that transforms your skincare routine and maybe even sparks a new passion. Happy soaping!
