Even with so many cleansing products available in the stores, it can be a challenge finding one that won't wreck your skin. This is because famous brand soaps often use strong chemicals that may cause sensitive skin to become dry, red and itchy. One way to solve the problem is to make your own natural goats milk soap.
First check online to find a recipe that suits you. There should be three groups of ingredients, namely goats milk in fresh or even powdered form, lye and a selection of oils and butters. You should choose oils and butters that are known for nourishing the skin, such as almond oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, shea butter and cocoa butter. A few drops of your favorite essential oils, for example rose, lavender, grapefruit or tea tree, can add a nice fragrance and extra therapeutic benefits.
First put on some thick rubber gloves. This is to protect your hands when working with lye, which can cause serious burns if it comes into contact with your skin. Then carefully sprinkle a little lye over the milk before mixing it in. Repeat this until all the lye is mixed in. The alkali in the lye will react with the milk fat in a process known as saponification. Keep the mixing bowl over ice to keep it cool.
Now you need to prepare the oil mixture. Cocoa and shea butter and certain oils, especially coconut oil, are solid so you need to slowly and carefully melt them on the stove, in the microwave or even in the sun. When they are melted, blend in all the other oils as well.
Once you have mixed your oils, it's time to carefully add them to the lye mixture. Stir or whisk everything until the mixture is smooth and emulsifies. This means that the lye liquid and the oils won't separate anymore but will stay mixed. Soap makers call this point the trace.
You shape your soap by pouring it into molds. Craft stores usually have a good selection of molds available. However, bear in mind that you need to keep the mixture cool, so smaller molds are more suitable. If you prefer, you can place the molds in the freezer beforehand.
Your mixture needs to stay in the molds for 24 hours to set. Then you can remove the solid bars and, if necessary, cut them into slices or smaller bars. Let the bars cure for a month or so and then package them the way you want. For example, you can wrap them in brightly colored paper or simply tie a pretty ribbon around them.
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.
First check online to find a recipe that suits you. There should be three groups of ingredients, namely goats milk in fresh or even powdered form, lye and a selection of oils and butters. You should choose oils and butters that are known for nourishing the skin, such as almond oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, shea butter and cocoa butter. A few drops of your favorite essential oils, for example rose, lavender, grapefruit or tea tree, can add a nice fragrance and extra therapeutic benefits.
First put on some thick rubber gloves. This is to protect your hands when working with lye, which can cause serious burns if it comes into contact with your skin. Then carefully sprinkle a little lye over the milk before mixing it in. Repeat this until all the lye is mixed in. The alkali in the lye will react with the milk fat in a process known as saponification. Keep the mixing bowl over ice to keep it cool.
Now you need to prepare the oil mixture. Cocoa and shea butter and certain oils, especially coconut oil, are solid so you need to slowly and carefully melt them on the stove, in the microwave or even in the sun. When they are melted, blend in all the other oils as well.
Once you have mixed your oils, it's time to carefully add them to the lye mixture. Stir or whisk everything until the mixture is smooth and emulsifies. This means that the lye liquid and the oils won't separate anymore but will stay mixed. Soap makers call this point the trace.
You shape your soap by pouring it into molds. Craft stores usually have a good selection of molds available. However, bear in mind that you need to keep the mixture cool, so smaller molds are more suitable. If you prefer, you can place the molds in the freezer beforehand.
Your mixture needs to stay in the molds for 24 hours to set. Then you can remove the solid bars and, if necessary, cut them into slices or smaller bars. Let the bars cure for a month or so and then package them the way you want. For example, you can wrap them in brightly colored paper or simply tie a pretty ribbon around them.
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.
