goat milk soap questions and ideas

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I have made a lot of goat milk soap for the past few years, but I have a few questions for any 'soapers' out there. Have you ever been able to come up with nice colors in the goat's milk soap? I've tried koolaid, herbs,flower petals(moderately sucessful),herb teas,and crushed berries. The berries and most herbs turn the soap a really odd shade of green and then it turns the same old color of beige again. I have been able to get many shade of brown soap,but I'm sick and tired of it being brown all the time! Also,which herbs and or essential oils go best with the goat's milk soap? The essential oils are very expensive so I hate to buy something that doesn't go well with the soap.I have tried many dried herbs and spices with some success, but the scent doesn't last for long. I don't know about you,but my soap doesn't smell nice all by itself, and the first thing people do when they see soap is to pick it up and smell it.The recipe that i use calls for three lbs of fat-if I use essential oils,how much should I use for that amount of soap? As I write this,our new herdsire (3 weeks old) is sitting on my lap-goats are such a joy to have!

-- Rebekah Leaf (daniel1@transport.com), March 25, 2000

Answers

Try candle wax die. Or you can use crayons. You melt it right in with the fat. Candle wax die makes beautiful colors. You buy it where they sell candle stuff, like a hobby shop.

-- Linda Hess (hesscat@cot.net), March 25, 2000.

I've never made soap with milk, so I can't help you there, but I'll tell you a trick I use for keeping the smell nice- If I make a three lb. batch of lavender, I'd use about 1/3 cup of finely chopped dried flowers and about a teaspoon or maybe a little more of essential oil. When your soap is cured, store it in whatever container you use with a cotton ball that you've put a couple drops of the lavender oil on. I use those plastic shoeboxes. I've done this with lots of different scents, and it really works. Just replenish the drops on the cotton ball when necessary. I've never used the candle wax chips for color, just spices and herbs. I've read that you can use pieces of crayon, too. I'd love to know if anyone has tried that.

-- Cathy Horn (hrnofplnty@webtv.net), March 25, 2000.

Rebekah, the gal I get my goats milk soap from makes me a special batch of Citrus scent Peppermint. It is so refreshing! The bar holds its smell through the whole use. Both bars are very pretty beige, I wouldn't buy soap that had strange colors in it. I also get a eucalyptus soap from another person, it also is strongly scented, which you are going to need in 2 or 3 years when your now junior herd sire, becomes your senior herd sire and can't understand why he can't still sit in your lap!!! Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), March 25, 2000.

I haven't made goat milk soap, but in plain homemade soap, I use crayons with good results. I try not to color if I can help it, because really sensitive people are still sometimes allergic to unknowns, but the crayons are non-toxic to eat, so they can't be that bad, can they? I also use herbs and essential oils, and lots of folks just like the non-commercial look the herbs give the soap.

-- Denyelle Stroup (dedestroup@hotmail.com), March 29, 2000.

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