Teach Soap

Just got home, found the LuAnn, they had 3, they have no more now! Paid $5.12 ea for 31.5 oz....I am a happy girl now. Now if that UPS guy shows up Thanks for the help, time to build molds!

Welcome to your new addiction!

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

To my surprise I also found coconut oil at Food Lion in Columbus NC, about 20 miles from me. Just slightly higher in $ than Walmart, but Walmart is further away. So now I have 2 sources yayyy. But now Im on a quest for goat milk, powdered I believe. Thanks again for all your help. Will be making some by the end of the week!

See if you can find Meyenberg goat milk powder. It comes in a round can with a plastic lid and it's 12 ozs. It might be in the baking aisle, the baby food aisle or possibly where teas or coffees are at.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

All I could find was the liquid goats milk of the same brand, it was near the condensed milks. Im not even going to think about it..(well I will dwell on it now and again) Ive read a lot about it, and am actually more afraid of adding liquid milk than of the lye itself! I know it needs no insulation, and if not added properly it will boil and scorch. I believe I read that some people just put it in at trace, and others freeze it, weigh it, then add the lye/water solution to it? Using it as part of the total weight of the water. I need to understand it by reading more about it first before I jump in. Tomorrows the day for soap. I have my stick blender now. Molds are built and I even sort of enjoyed lining them, go figure. When I read posts about lining, I thought it was going to be a nightmare . wasnt bad at all. I'm thinking cigar boxes would work great as well for molds.
@ Soapbuddy...New addiction is right! I become obsessed when Im trying a new thing. Im looking at everything in the grocery store in a whole new light! Been in a GNC health food store twice in a week, and they dont even sell bacon!

I sometimes use milk (regular milk, goat milk or coconut milk-thank's Mella!) in place of my water. I freeze it until it is mostly firm but still slushy and slowly add my lye to it stirring the slush around gently. Milk will turn a bright yellow color and that's normal (sometimes it will look kind of curdled, but as long as it's not brown and stinky, it's ok to use). If you end up with a brown curdled mess that stinks, you'll need to dispose of it and start again. Coconut milk stays a creamy white color when you mix the lye into it. It's not any more difficult to make soap with milk than it is with water, you just need to plan ahead a little more to get your milk partially frozen before you start.

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Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!

Hi LeAnn! I'm originally from the mountains of north Georgia, so I feel your pain about UPS and FedEx finding you, LOL! And for some reason they seem to be grumpy after driving 2 miles on a dirt road in the mountains to get to you...hee hee.
I'm planning to make a batch of goat's milk soap soon and I wanted to use the same brand of canned condensed GM you mentioned...this is the recipe for a 2-lb batch that was recommended to me on another forum. The person who posted this said you could avoid scorching you GM with this method, and that it made a lovely soap without any added fragrance. After I try it, I'll let you know how it turned out!!
The numbers are from soapcalc.com (I replaced half of my water with the condensed GM), but double-check it with whatever lye calc you normally use.

20% superfat

Coconut Oil at 100% - 907.18g
Lye - 132.99g
Distilled water - 172.37g
Condensed GM - 172.37g

Dissolve lye in 172.37g of distilled water. Let cool while you melt the CO. When they are ready to combine, stir to thin trace and add 172.37g of condensed canned goats milk. Stir until well blended, then pour into your mold.

If this is NOT a good recipe, I hope the experienced soapers on here will let me know!! I don't want to lead anyone astray...

Soapbuddy, please help! I'm not that experienced, but 100% coconut oil sounds like a very harsh soap!

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Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

Well, ok then! I think I'll make a 1# batch and try it. Thanks.

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Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

If I were to use the canned milk, that would be about half for the recipe above. How long does this stuff keep in the fridge? You guys are so helpful! Thanks

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

Ive read so many different answers to the Q about when is it ready to cut. Looking at the above recipe, I know there are a lot of variables, but what is a good rule of thumb to follow? Im horrified Im going to wait to long and have a giant log-o-soap! Or cut too soon and have it squash out on me. I keep getting ready to make the soap, then realize I have yet another question.

I usually cut mine as soon as they are completely cool. I cut one loaf too soon and the center was still very soft, so now I wait about 8 hours after CPOP before cutting.

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Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!