Thread: goat milk soap

First off I am not sure if this is the right place for this, so if the admins need to, please move to the proper location. I had a question about why different soaps lather different. Is it just different ingredients? Is shave soap made differently than other soaps? I wonder because I have a friend who raises goats, and makes her own goats milk products, including soap. It is made into bars, and she does not specifically market it as shave soap, but her husband uses it, and loves it. My issue is that while it makes tons of lather, it is very thin, and disappears quickly, if that makes sense. Could it be technique? I also use the Biggelow branded Proaso, and two different scents from Maggards. I do not have a problem with either of those. Here is what i just did. I cut off a chunk from a bar of goats milk soap, while my brush was soaking in hot water in my mug. I dumped the water out, held the tip of the brush and rubbed the chunk on it a few times. Then put the chuck in the mug and attempted to build lather. I used the same amount of water that I usually use. I got lots of bubbly lather, but when I put it on my face it was gone after a few seconds. The same thing has happened with all the other soaps my friend gave me to try. I was a fine shave, but I guess I just like thick lather, and I can not seam to get that from her soaps.
Red

In my limited experience with goat-milk soaps, I've found them to be...well, not good. I've gotten a few from farmers markets and country junction type stores and I won't be trying anymore. What you describe is my experience also.

Tried some goats milk soap a few years ago with the same results; was not impressed, a waste of money and doubt that I try it again.

i've been hearing a lot about ass milk. maybe you should try that instead?

Originally Posted by llalm

i've been hearing a lot about ass milk. maybe you should try that instead?

Cue Beavis and Butt-head snickering.

The goats milk soap that I tried I couldn't get a decent lather from it. I got better lather from my hand soaps. I ended up throwing it out because there was no use for it. Not even as a hand soap. No clue how the other goats milk soaps are, but the one I tried made me not even want to try the others.

well, the soaps were gifted to me, so I am no out anything. I will just use them for hand soap, work fine for that. Thanks for the info.

Red

FWIW, I've tried 4 different goat milk formulas - each behaved as you described. Lather is lush & then gone.

I have had issues lathering CRSW soap for a while. I kept on going back to it and finally got it to work. Basically, for me it was the brushes I used. For some reason my Thater 49125/3 could not lather the soap up at all, I got same results as described above. I also tried a brush with TGN finest silver tip and got the same results. My boar brushes did not fare better either. Reading and watching all the hoopla about synthetics made me get one and it worked great with my CRSW. I now also have a Thater 4125/4 and a Shavemac silvertip two band, both work great with the soap. As I said for me the issue was the brushes I used, and for this particular soap.

Cold River Soap Works, CRSW, is one of my favorites. I have the "Original" version though (based on MdC) which he discontinued to bring out the "Select". The "Select" has been getting excellent feedback too.