Since 2009, this almond oatmeal goat’s milkgoat’s milk soap has been my most popular post. These soaps are easy to make and smell amazing. They also make a great handmade gift. You won’t regret it!
If you follow my blog, you may have noticed that I’ve recently been obsessed with DIY body care. I can’t get enough!
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It’s hard to resist homemade potions and lotions. They are so decadent. If you haven’t seen my previous posts about making a lotion bar or an edible “mud” facial mask, you should definitely check them out. ).
One day, I was browsing Pinterest when I came across an excellent tutorial on soap making. It was so simple to make that I had no excuse not to! I stopped what I was doing and went to Michael’s to get started.
Why have I never made soap before? It terrifies me a bit. When I think about making soap, it reminds me of the scene in Fight Club when Tyler Durden tells Edward Norton that lye can cause chemical burns.
The use of lye, or sodium hydroxide, in soap production is a long-standing tradition. It gives the soap its cleaning properties. This chemical is extremely caustic and can cause skin to burn upon contact.
When lye and water combine, they emit fumes that you don’t want to inhale. If you are planning to make soap using the traditional method, you should get your kids out of the house, open the window, and let the air out.
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After reading the article, I realized that soap-making “proper” was not for me. It wasn’t until I discovered the melt-and-pour method on Pinterest that I learned more about soap making. This method is child-friendly and safe, as the lye is already done.
THE INGREDIENTS
Gather your ingredients. Technically, there is no requirement to add anything to the melt-and-pour base. However, it would be interesting to try something different.
You can purchase bricks of melt-and-pour soap base from your local Michael’s, or you can easily order them online. I bought a brick goat milk melt-and-pour base, but there are many other bases available, such as shea butter, olive oil, aloe, etc. There are unscented and scented bases, as well as clear and white bases.
The Directions
You can melt your soap base using a double boiler or a microwave. You can either melt the soap base using a Double Boiler or in a microwave for 30-second intervals. Stir between intervals until it is melted. It took me three 30-second intervals plus stirring to dissolve the soap base.
You can also find directions that do not include this step. I have read that you need to cover your bowl with saran wrapping in order to keep moisture in if you are warming your base using the microwave. I didn’t cover my bowl, and it turned out fine.
What a beautiful, creamy goodness! The soap bricks I purchased were nice because, although they weren’t scented, they had a good smell- a soapy scent, if you like.
Now, I added some oatmeal to the mixture. Oats can be used to heal itchy, dry skin and reduce inflammation. They are also a good exfoliator in soap! Plus, they are apparently hypoallergenic (although watch out for gluten cross-contamination).
I purchased a soap base that is supposed to allow for an even distribution of ingredients, such as oatmeal. The oats can sometimes sink to the bottom if your mixture is too warm.
It didn’t appear to be a problem, but I don’t know if it was because of the soap base, the temperature, or the weight of the oatmeal (instead of coffee beans, for example).
After adding the oats, I said my sweet almond fragrance oil. You can also use essential oils but double-check that they are safe to use on the skin. Honey (remember that it is good for your skin? The oil from two vitamin E capsules and love is also good for the skin.
Honey gives the soap a slightly creamier color. I used about two tablespoons. According to the instructions on the package, I used five drops of fragrance oil per ounce of soap base.
Then, I poured the mixture into the mold that I purchased. Allow your soaps to solidify before trying to remove them! If your mold is still hot, don’t touch it.
You can spray a non-stick spray on a metal or plastic mold to make it easier for your soaps to slide out when you remove them from the mold.
A second trick is to freeze them for a few minutes before trying to remove them. Avoid the bubbles on the bottom (i.e., The side that you can’t see in the pictures below, spray some rubbing alcohol into a spray bottle. Spray your soaps immediately after you put them in the molds. I got three bars from ten ounces.
The soap bars made from goat’s oatmeal milk were so easy to make that I made them in two batches, resulting in six bars. (Not including the time it took for the soap to set).
If you place them on a flat surface in the refrigerator, this will speed up the setting process. Pour your soap into the molds, then place a tray under them. This will make it easier to transport to the refrigerator.
They make great party favors or gifts for baby showers or wedding showers. These would be great for a fancy touch in a guest bathroom when you have guests over. The look and feel of the tiles are expensive, but they are not.
Hope you enjoy this goat’s Milk Soap Tutorial with Sweet Almond Honey Oatmeal as much as I enjoyed it! I’ll be making soap again very soon.
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