Guest guest Posted August 2, 2004 Report Share Posted August 2, 2004 Well, I made my second bath of soap, how exciting !! My first batch has cured, and it's fa-bu-lous!! I'm loving it. For my second batch, I used the same recipe with one alteration. I substituted goats milk for the water. I used powdered milk and blended it with a portion of the water that I had set aside. The rest of the water I dissolved the lye into. Then melted oils, got the temps right, added the goats milk/water mix to the water/lye, stirred, and then slowly added all to fats while stirring. I was a bit less....aggressive....with the stick blender this time. Just short pulses while continuing to stir with the stick blender turned off. No more splattering (ack), and it took a little longer to trace. But it still traced very quickly...probably five minutes, or so. My mix, again, got a bit too thick. Like runny pudding. So I poured into molds quickly. Not as completely smooth on the top as I would have liked, but it certainly gives it more of that homemade look ! lol. Now, in the morning, the top surface was whitish, and I was thinking it was that light dusting that can occur?? After about 36 hours, I popped the soap out of the molds. I'm not terribly pleased with the color....kinda dark and drabby yellow-ish. Not that lovely butter-cream color of my first batch. I'm assuming it's from the goats milk? Anyway, it smells good. And the surface feels nice. My neighbor thought it felt " smooth and creamy " . I had a friend ask for a lavender/peppermint blend, and I think it's a bit too much minty, but that's ok. Great morning wake-up soap, right? Eee gads, I've really created a monster. I'm already thinking about my next batch. Somebody stop me !! I'm an addict !! If I wasn't so innundated with boxes and packing, I'd be making a new batch every day. Just what I need...more stuff to pack. But I reasoned, I have to pack the oils, anyway, so might as well turn them into soap before we leave, then they won't spill. And by the time I get settled in new home, they'll be almost cured and ready to use/sell/give away, oh what fun this is! So, what do you all think the white surface on the bottom is? And what about the color? Would the goats milk be guilty of causing that? Christy BOTANICAL AROMATICS My Company in the Making _______________ FREE pop-up blocking with the new MSN Toolbar – get it now! http://toolbar.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200415ave/direct/01/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 2, 2004 Report Share Posted August 2, 2004 Christy, Welcome to SoapAholics Anonymous!! Yes, the goat's milk gave it that color, at least that is my opinion. Is the white like a powder look? It might be what we refer to as soap ash. It will wash off. Let it cure, then run hot water over the bar, and buff with a soft cloth. Set the bar(s) on a drainable surface and let them dry. This sometimes occurs for no apparent reason. It is a result of air passing over the soap mixture. But doesn't happen all the time. You can make the same batch, same scent and be ok, then the next time you have the " soap ash " . HTH. Anita in TX > Now, in the morning, the top surface was whitish, and I was thinking it was > that light dusting that can occur?? I'm not terribly pleased with the color....kinda > dark and drabby yellow-ish. I'm assuming it's from the goats milk? > > So, what do you all think the white surface on the bottom is? And what > about the color? Would the goats milk be guilty of causing that? > > Christy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 2, 2004 Report Share Posted August 2, 2004 Christy, Goat's milk will make your soap a light to dark tan in colour. You could use titanium dioxide if you really prefer a white bar, but most people I know don't mind the colour so I have never used it myself. The white powder is soda ash. If you put plastic wrap on the surface that would be exposed to air during saponification, you can eliminate most of it. Marilyn >>Now, in the morning, the top surface was whitish, and I was thinking it > > was > >>that light dusting that can occur?? I'm not terribly pleased with > > the color....kinda > >>dark and drabby yellow-ish. I'm assuming it's from the goats milk? >> >>So, what do you all think the white surface on the bottom is? And what >>about the color? Would the goats milk be guilty of causing that? >> >>Christy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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