Goat Milk Soap Recipe: This Also Works With Other Types of Milk

This recipe for goat milk soap is a great way to care for your skin.

This recipe works for other types of milk as well, so get started. GoatMilkSoapRecipe I have been asked many times since I wrote other articles on soap-making, “How can you make soaps with milk?” There are some shortcuts, but milk-based is more difficult to make than other cold-process soaps. The result, however, is worth the extra work.

ForBeginners Before you tackle this goat milk soap, we suggest you familiarize yourself with our other articles about soap making. Here are some recipes that will help you to learn.

This recipe for goat milk soap is great to use on your skin.

Follow the recipe to get started.

It also works with other types of milk.

Prep time 30 minutes Active time 30 minutes Curing and resting 25 days Total 25 days Servings: 4 4-ounce bars

Estimated cost: $5 Ingredients Kitchen scale Stick blender 12 ounces Coconut oil 15 ounces Olive oil 13 ounces Lard (you may also use sustainably sourced palm oil or vegetable shortening: see the “Additional notes” section).

Six ounces of lye (100% sodium hydroxide – can also be found at your local hardware store).

One ounce of essential oils. Optional: oatmeal or lavender flowers.

1. You will need to freeze goat milk the day before making this goat milk soap. It’s not enough to get it cold; you need it frozen. I keep mine in zip-top freezer bags until I’m ready to use it. Each bag has been pre-measured to 13 ounces, so it is ready for use.
2. You will need a large bowl made of glass or stainless steel. Avoid using plastic as it can absorb odors. Fill the bowl with ice and cold water to make it very cold. Place your milk chunks frozen in the inner bowl.
3. Add your lye very slowly and gently squish into the milk. This step is best done with a stainless steel potato masher. Continue adding lye to the mixture until all of it has been incorporated. It won’t get very hot, or even warm. It doesn’t have to. Continue to replace the ice if it melts in the bowl. The milk must be kept very cold. It is normal for the milk to turn orange or even tan. This is normal. You’ll have to start again if it becomes dark brown. At this point, the milk has been scorched. Sugars in milk are extremely sensitive and must be kept at a very low temperature to prevent them from burning. It’s normal to smell ammonia. Just keep going. The smell will disappear as the cure takes place.
4. Keep your lye/milk on ice until you are ready to prepare the oils. Use a kitchen scale to measure your fats. Heat oils together and combine them.
5. Pour the mixture of lye and milk into the oils when they are ready. For the first five minutes, mix by hand. Then, use an immersion blender (stick) to get it to trace. This is the point where soap becomes thicker, almost like pudding, if you have never made it before. Add your essential oils, any additives, and the trace to the soap. Pour it into molds.
6. Wait at least 24 hours, then remove the molds and cut as desired. Wait 3-4 weeks and turn it frequently so that all sides are exposed to the air. Test strips can be used to test pH (the ideal pH range is 8-10), but you can also use the “touch your tongue” method to ensure it’s ready. If it tingles on your tongue at all, the bar is not yet ready and would be harsh to use. I’ve been doing it since 1995, and that small amount of lye in an uncured bar won’t hurt you. Wrap once completely cured.