If you have sensitive or problem skin, buying soap can be a nightmare. Most of the soaps available in the stores contain an array of harsh chemicals that can wreak havoc on your skin. An easy solution is to make natural goats milk soap at home, in the comfort of your own kitchen.
You will find different recipes and many of these are available online. The best ones use nothing more than fresh or powdered goats milk, some oils and lye. For the oils, choose some that will nourish and moisturize your skin. These include olive oil, coconut oil, almond oil, castor oil, rice bran oil and cocoa or shea butter. If you want to make a scented soap, you can also add a blend of essential oils, such as tea tree, lavender, ylang ylang, rose or orange. Most essential oils also have properties that are therapeutic.
The first step is to mix the lye with the milk to start a process called saponification. This is the chemical reaction between an alkali and fats. Sprinkle the lye bit by bit over the milk and mix it. You'll need to wear rubber gloves and take care though because lye can burn your skin. It's a good idea to keep the mixture in an ice bath to keep it cool.
Next, you need to mix your oils. If you are using coconut oil, shea butter or cocoa butter, melt these first over a low heat or by leaving them in the sun. Then blend all the liquid oils together and keep the mixture cool.
The next step is to blend the oils with the mixture of lye. Use a whisk or a spoon to stir everything together and get rid of lumps. At some point, which in soap-making circles is called trace, the mixture will emulsify. This means that it has reached the point where it won't separate.
To keep its shape, you need to mold the emulsified mixture. You can use any shape of mold that you want but smaller ones are best, since they will prevent the mixture from becoming too warm. Another way to keep the temperature down is to first refrigerate the molds, which you can buy at stores that sell craft supplies.
After 24 hours, you can remove the bars from the molds. If you want, you can cut them into smaller shapes that will be easier to manage. You may notice an ammonia smell but this will fade away after a few days. Now you need to let the bars cure for at least four weeks. Then it's time to wrap them in pretty paper or tie ribbons around them if you want to sell them or give them as unique gifts.
Making your own soap from goats milk is a great idea for gifts that have that special touch. Besides, it is great for skin. Because it is all natural, it won't sting your eyes or dry out skin. It can even help treat skin conditions such as acne, dryness or eczema. When you use it, it creates a cream-like lather that is perfect for shaving too.
You will find different recipes and many of these are available online. The best ones use nothing more than fresh or powdered goats milk, some oils and lye. For the oils, choose some that will nourish and moisturize your skin. These include olive oil, coconut oil, almond oil, castor oil, rice bran oil and cocoa or shea butter. If you want to make a scented soap, you can also add a blend of essential oils, such as tea tree, lavender, ylang ylang, rose or orange. Most essential oils also have properties that are therapeutic.
The first step is to mix the lye with the milk to start a process called saponification. This is the chemical reaction between an alkali and fats. Sprinkle the lye bit by bit over the milk and mix it. You'll need to wear rubber gloves and take care though because lye can burn your skin. It's a good idea to keep the mixture in an ice bath to keep it cool.
Next, you need to mix your oils. If you are using coconut oil, shea butter or cocoa butter, melt these first over a low heat or by leaving them in the sun. Then blend all the liquid oils together and keep the mixture cool.
The next step is to blend the oils with the mixture of lye. Use a whisk or a spoon to stir everything together and get rid of lumps. At some point, which in soap-making circles is called trace, the mixture will emulsify. This means that it has reached the point where it won't separate.
To keep its shape, you need to mold the emulsified mixture. You can use any shape of mold that you want but smaller ones are best, since they will prevent the mixture from becoming too warm. Another way to keep the temperature down is to first refrigerate the molds, which you can buy at stores that sell craft supplies.
After 24 hours, you can remove the bars from the molds. If you want, you can cut them into smaller shapes that will be easier to manage. You may notice an ammonia smell but this will fade away after a few days. Now you need to let the bars cure for at least four weeks. Then it's time to wrap them in pretty paper or tie ribbons around them if you want to sell them or give them as unique gifts.
Making your own soap from goats milk is a great idea for gifts that have that special touch. Besides, it is great for skin. Because it is all natural, it won't sting your eyes or dry out skin. It can even help treat skin conditions such as acne, dryness or eczema. When you use it, it creates a cream-like lather that is perfect for shaving too.
About the Author:
Find an overview of the benefits of using natural goats milk soap and view our selection of natural skin care products at http://mountainworks.ca now.