sheep's milk soap

[lily]

Hello girls ! Today, I went to the market and found some Sheep's milk (I hope that "sheep" is the good word for the female animal ?) anyway: you know what I mean.

A pretty long time ago, I made a milk (cow) soap. I just remember that it stinks and that' all...

Here, there are methods given by David Fisher for making a milk soap : http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/beyondbasics/a/lyemilk.htm
he uses frozen (slushed) milk.

Why is it necessary to do this way ? Is it because too much heath (putting the lye directly into the milk) would damage the fats in the milk by overeating them ?

Honestly I wonder if I should not try making ricotta instead... It looks so long to do as M. Fisher does, and more : I never put my head over a mix of liquid and lye, it makes fumes. Even in winter, I mix my water/lye solution outside.

Has one of you made milk soap in this way ? Is it THE strict method (working with thawed milk) ?

Would it be the same with one using coconut milk ?[/i]
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lily

[soapbuddy]

I find the milk caramelizes if I add it directly to the lye. I use minimum water required to dissolve the lye and add the milk when the oils and lye are just emulsified. I also don't gel, to keep it a light color.
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Irena
My ArtFire Shop - Ginger's Garden Shop

[lily]

Thank you, Buddy. If the milk caramelizes, that means that the fats are "cooked", I think...

If I well understand,
you put an amount of water (let's say 1/3 of the recipe), add it to the lye,

then, put the water-lye solution into the oils

and THEN add the 2/3 liquids (milk). Is it what you mean ?

That is an idea. I will obviously make a trying batch. The seller told me that I was lucky, as they don't often bring the milk to sell at the market. They had wonderful other products... and wonderful soaps smelling fresh herbs. Sigh...................... I don't want to spoil my milk !
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lily

[soapbuddy]

If the milk caramelizes, that means that the natural sugars have been cooked.

Let's say you need 8 to 14 ozs. (hypothetically) of liquid for your lye. You would dissolve the lye in the minimum amount of water; in this case 8 ozs. You mix this lye water with your soapmaking oils at the correct temp; preferably cool. As soon as they are combined to make a very light emulsion, you would add the rest of the liquid as milk. In this case 6 ozs. of milk.
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Irena
My ArtFire Shop - Ginger's Garden Shop

[lily]

Thank you, Soapbuddy. I think that the same would apply for coconut milk ? This one is more rich than sheep's milk.

Honestly, I saw ricotta recipes and I wonder which one I will make : soap or cheese... Will see tomorrow.
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lily

[soapbuddy]

[debwya]

Coconut milk isn't as fussy, in my opinion. I chill the coconut milk with my water, I put lye slowly into the milk and stir, then I let it cool before I soap with it. It works and it doesn't heat as much and discolor as bad as goat's milk. I don't insulate the soap and it's cool downstairs where I soap.
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Debra

[lily]

Well, I cannot make pics for now. My camera is broken. I have one here that I borrowed but not the thread to charge the pics in the comp. I will see what I can do. I never sent pics here... True that my soaps are pretty flat looking beside many I have seen here !

Something too bad : I had not seen that this (sheep) milk I bought is only 1% fat. There is not too much interest to make a milk soap if there are almost no fats. And I see that I had bought light coconut milk too. I feel ashamed. It's not my day.

Ok I send pics as soon as I can.
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lily

[soapbuddy]

[jackisayswhat]

I bought some OMH soap from a crafter and it smells a little funky for my tastes... this is normal then, from the milk? Good to know!
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"There never was a good war or a bad peace." -Benjamin Franklin

[lily]

Sorry, Jackie, but what does OMH mean ?

I too saw very interesting soaps made with sheep's milk. One had a bit a funny "animal" scent while the other had not at all.

I don't understand because goat's milk soap does not have any animal scent.
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lily

[jackisayswhat]

[SavonSoap]

[jackisayswhat]

[Michelle]

Sheep is the right word for this milk, because we know milk only comes from the female. In this case you are referring to the animal, not the *.
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