One of the most intimidating parts of the soap-making process is working with lye. This is why many people are always looking for goat milk soap base recipes without lye. With a quick Google search, any reputable goat milk soap recipe contains lye, so it begs the question, can you even make goat milk soap without lye?
The short answer is no, but here’s the full scoop including a few alternative options. We promise not to “lye”!
What is Lye?
Lye is sodium hydroxide created by a chemical reaction between sodium carbonate and lime. It is a basic solution with a pH of 14 on a scale of 1 to 14, 1 being strong acid solutions and 14 being strong basic solutions.
Is Lye Safe?
In its original state, lye can cause chemical burns and eye irritation and is harmful if ingested. This is why there are safety precautions you have to take in order to work with lye in any way. However, lye is safe as an ingredient in soap due to a transformation that takes place.
Is There a Goat Milk Soap Recipe Without Lye?
Technically, a goat milk soap base recipe without lye is not possible. Lye is a necessary ingredient in the chemical reaction known as saponification, which turns fats and oils into soap. Essentially, lye is the key ingredient that converts oils and fats to soap.
Without it, your bar of soap would not clean you and would just be a block of oils and fats. Once the lye has undergone the saponification process, it is no longer harmful to the skin and the oils and fats then have cleansing properties.
Alternatives If You Want A Goat Milk Soap Without Lye Recipe
However, many people do not want to work with lye as a raw ingredient due to safety concerns which is why they look for an organic goat milk soap recipe without lye. Despite the fact that you cannot make goat milk soap without lye, there are a few alternatives if you still want to make goat milk soap but don’t want to handle lye.
Premade Soap Bases
The first option you have is to opt for a premade soap base in which the lye has already gone through the saponification process and is no longer a concern. These soap bases typically already have combined the lye and various oils, so you simply have to add your goat milk and any essential oil or extract additives, put it into molds, and go through the curing and cutting process.
Though there are fewer customization options with this route, if you are looking for a goat milk soap recipe without lye alternative you can still add your own goat milk, this is a solid choice.
Rebatch Goat Milk Soap
Another route is to rebatch bulk goat milk soap. With this option, you’ll purchase a finished goat milk soap product that you love. Then, you can melt it down, pour it into the mold of your choice, re-cure it, slice it, and use it as you wish.
Rebatching is a good route for those who do not want to source their own goat milk or work with lye, but still want the fun of soap-making.
Purchase Goat Milk Soap Instead
Of course, there is one final alternative to finding an organic goat milk soap recipe without lye– buying a finished organic goat milk soap! If working with lye and the entire soap-making process is not for you, there are fantastic organic, all-natural, small-batch goat milk soap brands like GOAT Soap available for purchase. They’ve done all the dirty work for you!