Goat Milk Soap Recipe (Cold Process)
A creamy, pale bar made with frozen goat milk so the sugars don't scorch.
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Formula not yet verified. These numbers haven't been re-run by a second maker. Don't make this batch until this notice is gone.
- Yield
- 10 bars
- Method
- Cold process
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Cure
- 6 weeks
- Superfat
- 5%
- Lye conc.
- 33%
On this page
Goat milk gives soap a soft, creamy lather and a pale ivory color, but its sugars burn when hot lye hits them. This recipe freezes the milk first and pours the lye over the cubes, so the solution never gets hot enough to scorch.
Why this recipe works
- Olive, 45%. Mild and conditioning. Slows trace so you have time to work.
- Coconut, 25%. Hardness and big bubbles. Kept at 25% so the bar isn't drying.
- Shea, 15%. A firm, creamy bar that lasts longer in the dish.
- Avocado + castor, 15%. Silky feel and a more stable lather.
Ingredients
| Oil | % | Grams | Ounces |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olive oil | 45% | 450 g | 15.87 oz |
| Coconut oil (76°) | 25% | 250 g | 8.82 oz |
| Shea butter | 15% | 150 g | 5.29 oz |
| Avocado oil | 10% | 100 g | 3.53 oz |
| Castor oil | 5% | 50.0 g | 1.76 oz |
| Lye solution | |||
| Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) 5% superfat | 138 g | 4.87 oz | |
| Goat milk, frozen 33% lye concentration | 280 g | 9.89 oz | |
Equipment
Instructions
Step 1: Freeze the milk
Pour the goat milk into ice cube trays and freeze overnight. Frozen milk keeps the lye solution cool enough that the sugars stay pale.
Step 2: Gear up and weigh the oils
Put on goggles and gloves. Melt the coconut oil and shea butter, add the liquid oils, and let the mix cool to about 100°F (38°C).
Step 3: Make the lye solution over ice
Set the bowl of milk cubes in an ice bath. Sprinkle the lye over the cubes a spoonful at a time, stirring until it dissolves. Keep it under 85°F (29°C). Pale yellow is normal.
Step 4: Blend to light trace
Pour the milk solution into the oils through a strainer. Stick blend in short bursts until the batter leaves a faint trail on the surface.
Step 5: Pour and chill
Pour into the mold and move it straight to the fridge for 24 hours. Skipping insulation prevents overheating and cracks.
Step 6: Unmold, cut, and cure
Unmold after 48 hours and cut into bars. Cure on a rack with airflow for 6 weeks, turning once a week.
Variations
Oatmeal
Add 1 tbsp colloidal oats per 500 g oils at light trace.
Honey
1 tsp per 500 g oils. It heats the batch, so keep chilling.
Lavender
Lavender essential oil at 3% of oil weight. Behaves well at trace.
If something goes wrong
- Lye turned orange
- Some sugars scorched. The soap is still fine; it will just be tan. Add lye more slowly next time.
- Crack across the top
- The loaf overheated. Move it straight to the fridge after pouring. Why soap cracks
- Still soft at 48 hours
- Milk soaps firm up slowly. Give it two more days before cutting.
FAQ
Can I use fresh goat milk instead of powder?
Yes. This recipe uses fresh milk, frozen. If using powder, dissolve it in distilled water at the same total liquid weight and add it at trace.
Why did my lye and milk turn orange?
The milk sugars scorched from heat. The soap is still usable. Add the lye more slowly and keep the bowl in ice.
Do I need to gel goat milk soap?
No. Most makers avoid gel with milk soaps to keep the color light and prevent overheating, which is why this recipe chills the mold.
How long does goat milk soap last?
About a year for best scent and feel. Store cured bars somewhere cool and dry, out of direct sunlight.
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