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.
There are different recipes available online. A good recipe is one that contains goats milk and a blend of oils. Coconut oil is a good choice, as is olive oil. You can also add oils such as avocado, almond, rice bran or castor oil or even shea or cocoa butter. All of these oils have nourishing properties. A few drops of essential oil can add fragrance and may have therapeutic properties too. For example, tea tree or grapefruit oils are antibacterial while lavender is relaxing. Finally, you'll need some lye.
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.
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.
Return to the lye mixture and stir or whisk it until it is smooth and free of lumps. Then slowly add the oil mixture and stir. When it emulsifies, the two mixtures will stay mixed and will not separate. This is what soap makers talk about when they say that the mixture has reached trace.
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.
For the next 24 hours, let the molded mixture set. Then remove the solid shapes and if they are too big, slice them into the size you want. They now need to cure for a minimum of four weeks, after which you can wrap them in the paper of your choice or simply tie colorful ribbons around them.
The great thing about making your goats milk soap is that it is all natural and doesn't contain harsh chemicals that can harm your skin. It is gentle and moisturizing rather than drying. It won't sting your eyes and it produces a creamy lather that's great for shaving. Moreover, it has healing properties and can help treat skin conditions such as acne and eczema.
There are different recipes available online. A good recipe is one that contains goats milk and a blend of oils. Coconut oil is a good choice, as is olive oil. You can also add oils such as avocado, almond, rice bran or castor oil or even shea or cocoa butter. All of these oils have nourishing properties. A few drops of essential oil can add fragrance and may have therapeutic properties too. For example, tea tree or grapefruit oils are antibacterial while lavender is relaxing. Finally, you'll need some lye.
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.
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.
Return to the lye mixture and stir or whisk it until it is smooth and free of lumps. Then slowly add the oil mixture and stir. When it emulsifies, the two mixtures will stay mixed and will not separate. This is what soap makers talk about when they say that the mixture has reached trace.
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.
For the next 24 hours, let the molded mixture set. Then remove the solid shapes and if they are too big, slice them into the size you want. They now need to cure for a minimum of four weeks, after which you can wrap them in the paper of your choice or simply tie colorful ribbons around them.
The great thing about making your goats milk soap is that it is all natural and doesn't contain harsh chemicals that can harm your skin. It is gentle and moisturizing rather than drying. It won't sting your eyes and it produces a creamy lather that's great for shaving. Moreover, it has healing properties and can help treat skin conditions such as acne and eczema.
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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.