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There are thousands of soaps on the market but if you have sensitive skin, it can be difficult to find one that's right for you. Many of the commercially available soaps contain harsh chemicals that can cause redness and dryness. The solution is to make your own, for example a natural goats milk soap that is gentle and actually good for your skin.
You will find different recipes and many of these are available online. The best ones use nothing more than fresh or powdered goats milk, some oils and lye. For the oils, choose some that will nourish and moisturize your skin. These include olive oil, coconut oil, almond oil, castor oil, rice bran oil and cocoa or shea butter. If you want to make a scented soap, you can also add a blend of essential oils, such as tea tree, lavender, ylang ylang, rose or orange. Most essential oils also have properties that are therapeutic.
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.
Next, you need to mix your oils. If you are using coconut oil, shea butter or cocoa butter, melt these first over a low heat or by leaving them in the sun. Then blend all the liquid oils together and keep the mixture cool.
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.
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.
After 24 hours, you can remove the bars from the molds. If you want, you can cut them into smaller shapes that will be easier to manage. You may notice an ammonia smell but this will fade away after a few days. Now you need to let the bars cure for at least four weeks. Then it's time to wrap them in pretty paper or tie ribbons around them if you want to sell them or give them as unique gifts.
Homemade goats milk soap has several benefits. Because it doesn't have any harmful chemicals in it, it will be gentle and moisturizing rather than drying. In fact, it's great for treating redness, itchiness, eczema and acne. Because it lathers into a creamy foam, it makes a great shaving soap too. Best of all is that it makes unique, special gifts.
You will find different recipes and many of these are available online. The best ones use nothing more than fresh or powdered goats milk, some oils and lye. For the oils, choose some that will nourish and moisturize your skin. These include olive oil, coconut oil, almond oil, castor oil, rice bran oil and cocoa or shea butter. If you want to make a scented soap, you can also add a blend of essential oils, such as tea tree, lavender, ylang ylang, rose or orange. Most essential oils also have properties that are therapeutic.
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.
Next, you need to mix your oils. If you are using coconut oil, shea butter or cocoa butter, melt these first over a low heat or by leaving them in the sun. Then blend all the liquid oils together and keep the mixture cool.
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.
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.
After 24 hours, you can remove the bars from the molds. If you want, you can cut them into smaller shapes that will be easier to manage. You may notice an ammonia smell but this will fade away after a few days. Now you need to let the bars cure for at least four weeks. Then it's time to wrap them in pretty paper or tie ribbons around them if you want to sell them or give them as unique gifts.
Homemade goats milk soap has several benefits. Because it doesn't have any harmful chemicals in it, it will be gentle and moisturizing rather than drying. In fact, it's great for treating redness, itchiness, eczema and acne. Because it lathers into a creamy foam, it makes a great shaving soap too. Best of all is that it makes unique, special gifts.
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.
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