Make sure you have 1 c (240 mL) of breast milk for each pound (453. 59 g) of soap you plan on making. The average breast milk storage bag holds around a ¾ cup (180 mL) of milk, so you’ll probably need to use more than 1 bag. If all your milk is frozen, defrost the breast milk ahead of time.
Melt-and-pour soap bases are essentially large bars of cold process soap (soap that’s processed with lye). They’re made with extra glycerin, which allows you to heat the soap base into a liquid. [4] X Research source Melt-and-pour soap bases come in many different varieties, including shea, aloe, and honey. [5] X Research source Choose one that really meets your skin’s needs—for instance, a shea base could be a good option if you struggle with eczema. [6] X Trustworthy Source National Eczema Association Nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of those with eczema through research and education Go to source
You can also use a double boiler set over medium heat to melt down the soap.
You’ll have an easier time stirring in exfoliants if you’re preparing your soap over a double boiler. Body-grade essential oils and fragrance oils are a great way to give your soap a refreshing scent. Just mix 0. 3 fl oz (8. 9 mL) of your favorite oil into your soap mixture. [10] X Research source Always use body-grade essential oils for your soaps, since the soap will be applied directly to the skin. For more exact essential oil measurements, cross-reference your ingredients with this fragrance calculator.
Melt-and-pour breast milk doesn’t go through saponification, or the chemical process that would prevent the milk in the soap from turning rancid. Because of this, melt-and-pour breast milk doesn’t last very long before the milk starts to go bad. Some people use melt-and-pour breast milk soap to bathe their babies. [14] X Research source However, medical experts don’t officially advise this—instead, they recommend washing your newborn baby with just regular water. Once they’re at least 4 to 6 weeks old, you can switch to an unscented baby shampoo. [15] X Research source
Make sure that you’re wearing old clothes that you don’t mind potentially messing up.
Be sure to prep your soap in a well-ventilated area so you don’t have to deal with as many harsh lye fumes. [20] X Research source Warning: Always stir the lye into the milk—never pour the milk into the lye! If you add the milk second, the lye may explode out of the measuring cup, which is a huge safety hazard. [21] X Research source
Olive oil is a great choice for homemade soap since it takes a long time to go rancid. Canola oil, jojoba oil, meadowfoam oil, and tamanu oil also have really long shelf lives. [23] X Research source This amount of oil yields about 2 lbs (907. 18 g) of soap.
Power up your immersion blender in short bursts rather than running it nonstop. This prevents extra bubbles from developing in your soap mixture and keeps your blender from overheating.
Check each essential oil you plan on using with this fragrance calculator if you’d like to make more exact calculations. Make sure that each oil is labeled as “body-grade” before adding it to your soap mixture. If you’d like to give your soap a little exfoliating power, mix in 2 small spoonfuls (around 2 tsp) of exfoliant (like jojoba beads or pumice sand). If you’d rather use a fine exfoliant (like colloidal oatmeal or bamboo powder), dilute the 2 spoonfuls with 2 US tbsp (30 mL) of distilled water or light oil before stirring them into the soap mixture. [26] X Research source
Some DIY soap-makers prefer to freeze their molds before ladling the soap mixture in. The chilled mold prevents the soap from darkening and gives the finished product a lighter color. This is completely up to personal preference, though!
To help with the curing process, turn on a ceiling fan or set up a small dehumidifier nearby.
Fragrances in your soap (from essential and fragrance oils) start to disappear after a few months, but you’re still totally fine to use it. [31] X Research source Don’t use lye-based breast milk soap to wash your baby, as it’ll be too harsh on their sensitive skin. [32] X Research source Instead, wash your newborn baby’s skin with plain water—when they’re at least 4 weeks old, you can start using an unscented baby shampoo instead. [33] X Research source
