Creamy White & Moisturizing Goats Milk Soap
Some years ago when I first began teaching myself how to make soap, I tried a recipe for Goats Milk Soap. I tried and failed abysmally. The bars I cut at the end were yellowy-brown and crumbly and I couldn’t figure out what I did wrong.
I’ve made a lot of soap since then and understand now that my temperatures were too hot. I’ve had similar crumbly disasters when I’ve used too much honey in recipes or when I’ve made honey soap at too high of a temperature. You’ve got to be mindful when using sugars in soap and that includes milk.
Soaping at Room Temperature
This recipe is a little different from many of the others I’ve shared in that the temperatures are low. They’re low so that the milk in the recipe doesn’t scorch and change colour, and they’re low to avoid any strange crumbly messes.
The lye-water will be at room temperature when we mix it into the oils, and the oils themselves will be just twenty degrees (°F) above that. I don’t usually soap at these temperatures but it needs to be done to avoid your milk soap turning brown. Oh, and you’re going to need both space in your freezer and refrigerator for this recipe too.
Goats Milk Soap Recipe
Makes 8 bars
For full information on soap making safety and equipment please head over here. It’s important to read it before trying to make soap the first time.
Lye Water
109g/ 3.8oz Sodium hydroxide (also called Lye or Caustic Soda)
100g / 3.5 oz Water in a heat-proof jug
100g / 3.5 oz Goats Milk
Solid Oils
200g / 7oz Refined Coconut Oil
150g / 5oz Shea Butter
Liquid Oils
400g / 14oz Olive oil Pomace (it’s lighter in colour than virgin olive oil)
50g / 1.76oz Castor oil
Add at Trace
8 drops Grapefruit Seed Extract
Special Equipment needed
Digital Thermometer
Digital Kitchen Scale
Stick (Immersion) Blender
Silicone Soap Mould
Step 1: Freeze the Goats Milk
Pour the goats milk into an ice cube tray and freeze.
Step 2: Make the Lye-Water
Set yourself up in an area with good ventilation — on the doorstep or outdoors is perfect. Pour the Sodium Hydroxide into the water and stir with a stainless steel spoon. Be careful not to breathe in the fumes.
Stir until the lye is completely dissolved and then set the jug aside to cool to 100°F (38°C).
Step 3: Add the Milk Cubes
When the lye-water has cooled, add all of the goat milk ice cubes to the jug. Allow the cubes to melt and for the lye-liquid to lower to room temperature — that’s between 68-72°F (20-22°C)
Step 4: Heat the Solid Oils
As soon as you add the ice cubes to the lye water begin melting the solid oils. In a stainless steel pan, heat the coconut oil and shea butter on very low heat until just liquefied. They’ll melt quicker than you think so don’t be tempted to turn up the heat.
Step 5: Add the Liquid Oils
When the solid oils are melted, take the pan off the heat and pour in the liquid oils. Being already room temperature, they’ll cool the hot oils down. Stir well and keep an eye on the temperature. You want the oils to cool to 90°F (32°C).
Step 5: Mixing
When the lye-liquid is fully melted and the oils are the right temperature, pour the lye-liquid into the oils. Immerse a stick blender into the pan and use it (turned off) to stir the contents together. Then bring the stick blender to the middle of the pan, hold it still and pressed to the bottom of the pan and pulse for a couple of seconds.
Repeat the stirring and pulsing until the mixture begins to thicken. It will take a couple of minutes.
Step 6: Add the Anti-oxidant
When the soap batter has thickened to the consistency of warm custard, stir in the drops of Grapefruit Seed Extract. It works as an anti-oxidant and helps prolong the shelf-life of your bars of soap. It’s not a preservative but rather an agent that helps stop oils from going rancid.
Step 7: Mould and Cool
Pour the soap into your mould, whether it’s the Silicone Soap Mould, an empty paper milk carton, or something else. Now line the exposed part of the soap with plastic wrap and pop the mould into the refrigerator. Leave it there for 24 hours.
Step 8: Cut & Cure
Take the soap out of the refrigerator the next day but leave it inside the mould. Set it someplace on the counter and leave it there for three or four days to harden up a bit. This soap is very soft when it comes out of the mould and could break or get stuck if you try to cut it too soon.
When cut, leave the bars someplace airy and out of direct sunlight to cure for 3-4 weeks. The soap is safe to touch 48 hours after making it but it needs the extra time to allow the excess moisture to evaporate out. For full instructions on how to cure handmade soap head over here
Using your Soap
The lather and feel of these handmade goat milk soaps is fluffy and silky. The scent is softly milky and making the recipe just as it is will create bars ideal for sensitive and dry skin. If you’d like to scent these, you may add essential oil at the same time that you add the Grapefruit seed extract.
Read more about scenting soap with essential oil here — the article also provides recommendations on how much to use of each when making handmade soap.
Johnray says
May 17, 2019 at 1:09 pmHi Tanya, your website has really made me want to start and make soaps! I have ordered my mould online today. However, I am wondering if there are any other ways to prolong the “expiry” of the soap other than adding GSE. And any suggestions to stamping the soaps?
lovelygreens says
May 18, 2019 at 3:22 pmThere’s no way to prolong the best-by date of soap, I’m afraid. GSE and other antioxidants only help free-floating oils in the soap from going rancid too early. The legal shelf-life of your soap will always be the closest expiration date of any of the raw materials you use. If the coconut oil you use goes off next week then your expiration date for soap sold to customers is also next week. Saying that, I’ve found that the best by date of many oils, especially solid oils and butters, is longer than on the packaging. If you’re making soap just for yourself then you don’t need to be as strict about an expiration.
Vicki Farley says
April 22, 2019 at 9:43 pmHi Tanya!
I just made a batch of your Natural Goat Milk soap and I’m not sure why but when I introduced the lye/milk (74 degree) to the oils (87 degrees), the batch gave off an ammonia smell. Is that normal?
Thanks,
Vicki
lovelygreens says
April 23, 2019 at 8:42 amMilk mixed with lye can have an odd scent at first. How do your bars smell now is the more important question. If fine, then I wouldn’t worry 🙂
Vicki says
April 23, 2019 at 4:57 pmI just pulled it out of the refrigerator and I think I’m smelling just a hint of goat’s milk.
Thank you Tanya! I can’t wait to try this soap…..in 4 weeks. 🙂
lovelygreens says
April 23, 2019 at 5:50 pmOh good, I’m glad 🙂
Stephen says
April 16, 2019 at 5:56 pmDear Tanya,
I’m just getting into soap making, and I intend to start with your goats milk recipe, which I’ll stick to rigidly. I’ll let you know how it turns out. However, I just wanted your opinion, on the assumption that it works out well, as my intention is to focus in future on producing herbal soaps. Do you think that adding herbal oil and a corresponding colouring to your recipe (say sage oil and/or chopped sage and a little green french clay) would work, or is there a potential problem that I need to know about?
I think your website is really good, by the way, and your videos are great!
Best wishes,
Stephen
lovelygreens says
April 16, 2019 at 7:10 pmThanks Stephen and yes, to answer your question. French green clay adds more of a tan colour though in my experience. I know some sources say that it is green but just keep that in mind if you use it and it doesn’t turn out the color you were expecting. There’s some more natural color ideas over here: https://lovelygreens.com/how-to-naturally-color-handmade-soap/
Vicki Farley says
April 16, 2019 at 12:59 amHi Tanya!
I just love your website and how you explain everything. This is my first try at goats milk soap. I got my silicon ice trays and opened my very first bottle of goats milk and when I started pouring the milk into a container to weigh it before putting it in the ice trays, I noticed that there were some curds in the milk. 🙁 I checked the date and it expires next week, so it should be okay. Is that normal? Or should I ditch the milk and go get a fresh bottle?
lovelygreens says
April 16, 2019 at 9:38 amMilk that expires next week is still in date 🙂 Just strain the curds out and freeze the liquid. There’s a chance that the curds might scorch and turn your soap brown but if that does happen, the soap is still fine to use.
Mischief says
March 5, 2019 at 10:26 pmWould it work if I were to ad lemon or orange zest to it and ad a citrus touch? Would that change the recipe? Also, If I were to emit the grapeseed oil, how long would it be good for? Could I use sunflower oil instead of Coconut oil? Lastly, is this recipe good for eczema and/or dry and irritated skin?
Sorry for all the questions! It sounds like a very good recipe!
lovelygreens says
March 6, 2019 at 4:30 pmUnless you’re an experienced soap maker I don’t recommend changing anything in a soap recipe. It’s more complicated than just taking an oil out and replacing it with another. However, you could add the citrus zest if you wish — half a teaspoon will do for this recipe. It won’t add scent but will add specks of colour.
Mary Jo Thurber says
March 4, 2019 at 2:44 amI made the Goat Milk Soap recipe today and it went exactly as you described. Thank you for this recipe and your detailed instructions. The soap looks beautiful and the whole process was very satisfying. I made soap 20 years ago and it did not go as smoothly as this recipe did. I appreciate Lovely Greens website, a true gem!
Sushma says
February 27, 2019 at 11:23 amHi Tanya ,
Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Can I use cold pressed coconut oil in the place of refined coconut oil?
Thanks
Sushma
lovelygreens says
February 28, 2019 at 12:28 pmYou could but your recipe would be more expensive and might have a faint coconut scent.
Katrina Lomax says
February 3, 2019 at 4:53 pmHi, what does it mean if my soap was crumbly? Also can I use all goats milk or must I use hall and hall (water/goats milk)?
lovelygreens says
February 3, 2019 at 5:23 pmCrumbly soap can be an issue when making soap with sugars like milk, honey, or actual sugar. It’s not the sugars themselves though that cause the issue — it’s the extra heat they generate. It can cause the centers of the soap to gel and the outer edges to not go through gel. In other types of soap it’s just a color difference that happens in this case. In sugar soaps it can sometimes cause crumbliness. Avoid this by soaping at lower temperatures and either ensuring the bars go through gel completely (insulate or gently oven process) or don’t go through it at all (refrigerate). As for the amount of milk — yes you can use all milk. Your chances of soap coming out crumbly or discoloured go up though if you do not take precautions.
Kathleen says
April 28, 2019 at 5:13 amHi Katrina, I make goats milk without using water and haven’t had any issues.
Joanne Duguay says
November 19, 2018 at 4:34 amHi Tanya,
I am new to your website and I just love it. I tried your goat milk receipe today and I hope it will turn out right. My only worry is that the soap didn’t thickend as much as it used to do to reach trace with my other recipe.
I was wondering if goat milk powder could be an alternative to the liquid one. Did you ever try it?
Thanks for your help and time 🙂
Joanne
Bogdana says
October 20, 2018 at 9:34 amHi Tanya, I’m interested in making goat milk and also goat whey soap so my question is- could it be done only with milk or whey without any water? Also, should I use fresh or pasteurized milk- is there any difference, because I’d rather use fresh.
Greetings
lovelygreens says
October 20, 2018 at 10:00 amThe more milk you use, the higher chance of it scorching. Saying that, give it a go and see how the soap looks, smells, and lathers afterwards. As for fresh or pastueurized — I don’t think it really matters.
Lesley Ann Johnson says
September 21, 2018 at 3:04 amHi! I am wondering if there is a way to color this soap a light gray. I love the white, but I am worried the white won’t be as white as I need it to be. So my next option is a light gray. Do you have any ideas?
Thank you!
lovelygreens says
September 21, 2018 at 10:07 amHi Lesley, I’d recommend you try making it first. This recipe will give you pure white bars if you follow the instructions. If you’d still like to tint it a light grey you can use a little activated charcoal.
Lesley Ann Johnson says
September 21, 2018 at 2:56 amI was wondering if it is possible to color this soap to a light gray? If so, what would be the best colorant to use as well as maybe add to the soothing properties that this soap has. I love the white, but I’m concerned that it won’t be as white as I was hoping for. So my next alternative is a light gray.
Thank you so much!
Sarah says
July 22, 2018 at 9:06 pmHi – how much soap does this recipe make – just looking at possible mould sizes?
Many thanks – and looking forward to trying this! xx
lovelygreens says
July 23, 2018 at 7:28 amIt’s a 800g batch, so about 8 100g bars
Bev says
July 8, 2018 at 1:50 pmLove this easy to follow instructions, and the comments have cleared up many questions. Is there a print option for the goats milk soap? Blessings to you and your family.
Bev
Tara Penske says
July 7, 2018 at 2:28 amHi Tanya!
I am a always so impressed by your recipes, ideas and farming information. Thank you for sharing all your ideas, recipes and tips. I would like to double this recipe..is this possible without any major issues? Do you have any thoughts or tips on doing this successfully? Thank you so much for all you do for the natural living and soaping community! Tara Penske-Amadeus Aromatherapy
lovelygreens says
July 7, 2018 at 11:32 amYou can absolutely double or triple it, not problem. Have fun soaping and let me know how you get on 🙂
Sharon Hartis says
April 15, 2018 at 5:38 pmIs this recipe compatible for hot process soap making? I am new to soap making. I tried your recipe and love the way it feels, but I don’t really have the time to wait 4 – 6 weeks since we are getting ready for farmer’s markets.
lovelygreens says
April 16, 2018 at 4:59 pmI wouldn’t recommend it for hot process — the soap will turn brown with the extra heat.
Nicole says
January 28, 2018 at 9:02 pmLove this! Can I leave out the anti-oxidant if I don’t have any on hand? If I do leave out the Grapefruit Seed Extract, do I have to change the recipe? (Also thinking of throwing in the honey at the end).
lovelygreens says
January 30, 2018 at 5:56 pmYes of course — the antioxidant is optional. As for honey, it can heat the soap up due to its sugars. To keep your soap light coloured make sure to refrigerate it after pouring it into the mould. Happy soaping 🙂
Noah says
January 7, 2018 at 8:13 amI made soap twice with this recipe and it came out perfect both times. I appreciate the detailed instructions that provide everything needed to make this soap. I used almond fragrance for the first batch and lavender/lemon for the second.
lovelygreens says
January 8, 2018 at 4:16 pmReally pleased you enjoyed the recipe so much that you made it twice 🙂 Thanks for sharing your experience Noah
mirta torres says
October 12, 2017 at 6:26 pmhi Tanya , i love your site, can i avoid to put the soap in de fridge? what’s the difference?
lovelygreens says
October 12, 2017 at 10:06 pmThanks so much Mirta! You don’t have to refigerate your soap but beware that it might not turn out as creamy white as in the photos. It might even get a gel circle in the centre. Not a biggie as far as functionality (it’s still very usable soap), it just won’t look as nice if it discolours.
arefa says
September 29, 2017 at 12:22 pmHi Tanya I love the way go around explaining things. I am a big fan of urs. I had one question though, can I used cow or buffalo’s milk instead of goat’s milk.
thanks
lovelygreens says
September 29, 2017 at 4:39 pmOf course you can 🙂 Buffalo milk soap — interesting!
carolyn says
July 21, 2017 at 11:12 pmHi there, I love this site. Have just made my first batch of lemongrass soap and it has turned out quite brittle and crumbly. Am I able to reheat and repour? Thanks.
lovelygreens says
July 25, 2017 at 3:48 pmBrittle and crumbly doesn’t sound right — check to see if the soaps are lye-heavy (with a PH test) before rebatching. You might have mis-measured the ingredients. It’s happened to us all!
Otilia says
July 19, 2017 at 2:07 pmI’m following your posts and thank you for sharing with us what you create. I love soap with goat milk and I think I will try as soon as possible this way to make it. I have tried several times to put the goat milk to the trace, up to a maximum half of the amount of liquid, and the result is quite pleasing. The advantage of this method is that milk should not be frozen, but just brought to room temperature. Thank you again.
lovelygreens says
July 19, 2017 at 6:05 pmYou’re welcome Otilla 🙂
Terri Sidell says
July 1, 2017 at 8:04 pmTanya, Love your instructions on how to make soap. Do you have a receipe to make Goats Milk soap without lye?
lovelygreens says
July 2, 2017 at 8:54 pmYou can’t make soap without Lye Terri — even the ‘Melt and Pour’ soap you can buy pre-made is created using lye.
Nichole says
June 28, 2017 at 2:31 amBest recipie I’ve seen!! Thanks for sharing!
-HappyWifeyHappyLifey.com
🙂
lovelygreens says
June 28, 2017 at 6:34 pmThat’s so kind of you to say 🙂 Thanks Nichole
leatrice gulbransen says
June 25, 2017 at 6:28 pmThanks so much for the recipe ! My first time to your site. Very detailed, easy to follow directions. You don’t get all scientific with us. I used to make soap. Back in the hippie days. LOL ! My how things have changed ! This will be my first time trying again. The thing I want the most is lather. Have you any suggestions to make that happen ? Thanks again.
lovelygreens says
June 26, 2017 at 9:53 amHi Leatrice 🙂 The coconut oil and castor oil in the recipe see to it that you’ll get a great lather. Welcome to my site and happy soaping!
Mary says
June 25, 2017 at 1:51 pmI have been making goats milk soap for years and it’s always the light brown color. I am thrilled to give this recipe a try. Thank you.
lovelygreens says
June 26, 2017 at 9:52 amLetting the ice cubes melt into lukewarm lye water helps a lot! Best of luck with your next batch Mary 🙂
Karen Rink says
June 22, 2017 at 10:54 amGreat looking soap mold! Where can I buy one?
lovelygreens says
June 22, 2017 at 6:29 pmThere’s a link in the article to where you can get your own!
Joyce Blake says
June 21, 2017 at 10:29 pmHi Tanya, I tried making Goats milk soap a few days ago, and it turned to mush, none of the other recipes say to put it in the freeer, I have sodium lactate, i think that is what it is called, should I use that instead of putting in the fridge. I really enjoy your videos, and all that you do. I just want my cold process soap to turn out. LoL any advice is good.
Thanks
Joyce
lovelygreens says
June 22, 2017 at 10:53 amYou don’t put your soap in the freezer Joyce — you put it in the fridge to cool. If your soap turned to mush it could be a couple of things: the recipe isn’t good (check a recipe’s values in the SoapCalc before using it), you haven’t waited long enough before cutting it (don’t unmould for 3-4 days with softer soaps), or your soap false-traced meaning the oils cooled and hardened in the pan before they could be bonded with lye. I suggest you use my recipe instead and follow all the steps to the T. You mention substituting ingredients in a previous recipe in a Facebook comment — please don’t do that. It’s the surest way to fail when making soap.