RECIPES
Cold process goat milk soap recipe

Looking for a cold process goat milk soap recipe? You’ve come to the right place! In this blog post, we will share our favorite recipe with you. This soap is gentle on your skin and perfect for people with sensitive skin. It’s also great for those who are looking for a natural alternative to store-bought soaps. Soapmaking is a fun hobby that can save you money, and it’s a great way to use up all of that extra goat milk.
What is Cold Process Goat Milk Soap?
Cold process goat milk soap is a type of handmade soap making that uses milk from goats instead of water. The main benefit of using goat milk in soap is that it’s gentle on your skin. It’s also great for people with sensitive skin or allergies, as it’s less likely to lead to irritation, compared to other soaps. Goat milk soap is also a natural alternative to store-bought soaps, which can often be harsh on your skin.
Cold process goat milk soap is made by combining oils and butter with lye and goat milk. The lye is what makes the soap, and it’s what gives cold process soap its name. Lye is a caustic substance, so it’s important to be careful when handling it. However, don’t let that scare you away from cold process soapmaking. With a little bit of care, you can easily make cold process goat milk soap at home.
Benefits of cold processed soap vs regular soap
Reason #1: The glycerin in cold process soap is created from natural sources.
Glycerin is a natural compound that keeps your skin hydrated. Cold processed soap retains the glycerin ensuring that it maintains its quality. The naturally occurring glycerin in cold processed soap makes it superior to other soaps, such as Triple Milled Soap.
Reason #2: No added chemicals
Some soapmakers, particularly those who have not yet mastered the process, may add chemicals to their cold processed soap. They are harmful to your skin and wholly unnecessary to the process. To make a healthy, natural bar of soap, all you need are basic, food-grade ingredients. This is preferable to Triple Milled Soap, which requires chemicals to achieve its hardness.
Reason #3: cold process soap is made in smaller batches with more care.
This means that each bar of cold processed goat milk soap is made with the utmost attention to detail and quality. The result is a bar of soap that is better for your skin, and which will last longer than a non-cold process soap.
Reason #4: No need for a pressure cooker
Triple Milled soap is a high-pressure, high-temperature process. I’m aware that pressure and heat can harm the antioxidants and enzymes present in goat milk.
We don’t want these ingredients to be disturbed. The high temperatures can also break down the oils found in the soap. Because cold processed soap is not exposed to high pressure or temperatures, it retains all of its beneficial properties.
Reason #5: Lasts longer
One of the key advantages of cold pressed soap is that it removes extra water with high pressure. The milling procedure results in a very hard bar that lasts a long time. When cold processed soap is left to cure for months, it naturally becomes extremely long-lasting. Patience and a natural curing period achieve the same result: a hard bar that lasts longer.
Cold Process Goat Milk Soap Recipe
The first thing you’ll need to do is gather your ingredients. For this cold process goat milk soap recipe, you’ll need:
2 oz. lye
6 oz. cold goat milk
Solid oils
8 oz. coconut oil
8 oz. olive oil
Essential oils
4 teaspoons of essential oils of your choice
Goat milk
If you have access to organic, grass-fed goat milk, this is the best soap recipe for you. Goats that are happy produce excellent milk! It’s got all of the nutrients and fats that will make fantastic soap and can make a huge difference to your formulation. I buy goat milk from a local farmer’s market.
Soap molds
You may mold your soap using anything non-corrosive. A cleaned-out ice cube tray, for example, may be used in the same way as a loaf bread mold, although you might want to invest in a real soap mold if you plan on producing soap regularly.
Botanicals
You may also include dried herbs in your mix. For example, pulverized orange peel would be a good addition to this recipe. Colloidal oats, which are the same as quick oats that have been whipped in a blender, can make an excellent massage bar or coarse cornmeal can make an excellent exfoliating bar.
Recipe:
- Carefully measure your ingredients. I highly suggest not opening your lye until you’re ready to measure, and mixing it in with your goat milk as soon as possible – especially if you live in a humid area where the lye will absorb moisture and stick to, or lump up in, your measuring jug.
- Pour the lye into a container and set it aside to cool until 100°F (38°C). Set up in an area with adequate ventilation and put on your rubber gloves and eye protection (goggles). On the doorstep, or outside, is ideal. Pour the sodium hydroxide into the water and stir with a stainless steel spoon.
- Pour the milk into a non-reactive container (glass for example) and add the lye granules. Stir with a non-reactive spoon or spatula until the lye is completely dissolved.
- Add all of the goat milk to the jug after the lye solution has cooled. Allow for the lye solution to cool to between 68 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit (20 and 22 degrees Celsius).
- Allow to rest and cool until it reaches around 100°F.
- As soon as you add goat milk to the lye solution, begin melting the solid oils. On very low heat, cook the coconut oil and shea butter in a stainless steel pan until just melted. They’ll melt much faster than you expect, so don’t be tempted to increase the temperature.
- When the temperatures are about even, carefully add the milk/lye slurry to the oil combination.
- When the solid oils have been completely melted, add the liquid oils and remove the pan from the heat. It’s possible that pouring liquid oils straight onto a spoon or spatula inserted just into hot oils will help reduce the air bubbles in the mixture. Pouring it directly against something, such as the wall of the mold, is the most common reason for air bubbles in your bars.
- Let the mixture cool down to room temperature. Stir thoroughly and keep an eye on the temperature. You want the oils to cool to 90°F (32°C).
- Pour the mixture into your mold, whether it’s a silicone soap mold or an empty paper milk carton. Now line the exposed portion of the soap with plastic wrap and place the mold in the fridge. Leave it for 24 hours.
- Take out the goat milk soap from the refrigerator the next day, but leave it in the mold. Leave it on the counter for three to four days to harden up a bit. When this soap comes out of the mold, it’s very soft and could break or get stuck if you try to cut it too soon.
- Soak the soap in water. Allow it to cure for at least three weeks before using it to complete the saponification process, sweat, and become more durable.
Tips for creating a successful cold process soap making experience
Cold process goat milk soap can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to six months. However, it’s best to use it within the first few weeks after it’s made. This soap will continue to get better with age, so don’t be afraid to experiment with different essential oil combinations or fragrance oils.