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Milk Soap

Milk - Mammal and Plant Based - Coconut Milk, Goats Milk, Oat - yes vegan and not so vegan - we wanted to use local products when we can - so we have found local farmers and coordinated with them to have fresh milk or freeze dried Goat Milk.

 

What are the benefits - you may ask - well:  

 

We use solely use Goat and Coconut milk - based upon our preference.  But any type of Milk:  cow, goat, coconut, rice, etc.) can be used to make soap.  It creates a creamy, soothing lather. Our Goat Milk is locally sourced.  Its use is known for being skin-nourishing and adds creaminess to the cold process soap.  It is wonderful for folks with dry or sensitive skin, or conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.  People who have perfectly healthy skin use it because they want to keep it that way! 

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Goat milk does not - lower the pH of soap making it gentler on the skin.   But it does contain its own fat content making it very moisturizing to the skin.  Don't be fooled into think that Goat Milk is superior!

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Coconut Milk with the existence of fatty access results in intense hydration.  Coconut milk, soap is ideal for dry skin and, besides offering a deep clean, it does not strip away the natural oils in the skin.  Instead, it acts to moisturize the skin, keeping it replenished and well hydrated.  Coconut milk is high in vitamin E which has long been known for skin healing. 

 

Milk has been used in skin care for thousands of years. Milk powder is a nourishing addition to bath, bath bomb, milk soap and lotion formulations. It is a natural emollient and is rich in vitamins and minerals, Whole milk powder soothes and moisturizes the skin and helps relieve dryness and itchy skin.  It even is a natural way to add bubbles to bathes.

 

Goat's milk is a natural emollient that helps soothe and moisturize the skin. It contains vitamins A, B6, B12 and E. Goat's milk has 3 times more beta-casein than cow's milk. Caseins are easily absorbed into the skin and allow for quick hydration of dry skin. The content of triglycerides, capric, caprylic and caproic acid helps balance the skin's natural pH and promotes natural exfoliation of dry skin

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Cow's Milk:  Milk has been used in skin care for thousands of years. Milk  is a nourishing  It is a natural emollient and is rich in vitamins and minerals, Whole milk soothes and moisturizes the skin and helps relieve dryness and itchy skin.

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Beer in soap - why YES!!!  The Beer - handcrafted and obtained locally - Huntington, WV from a great guy and now wife - is Skid Mark Ale - we use this soap because we know what goes into the making of this unique stout- English Ale.  Beer is known to be an anti-inflammatory if applied directly to the skin. The lather is unreal - with the added sugars in the beer it creates a thick, creamy and amazing lather. 

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Beer - and any form:  stout, lager, ale, etc. creates a thick and creamy lather.  But there are so many other benefits to using Beer and Ale in soap.  You can use this soap as a shave soap because the frothy lather allows for a closer shave while moisturizing the skin. 

  • Hops contain skin softening amino acids which soothe irritated and inflamed skin. 

  • The brewer's yeast in beer acts as an antibacterial agent, great for combating acne. 

  • Beer also contains vitamin B and other essential victims with further moisturizes the skin. 

Some folks like to use this in place of regular shampoo - it helps add shine and moisture as well as the amino acids help to repair your scalp and follicle.

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The soap  is make in small batches - each bar is approximately 4 ounces - 6 ounces depending on the mold used. 

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There is 0% alcohol by volume once the beer goes through the saponification process.  During the soap making the beer is flattened then frozen prior to being added to the oils. 

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The red wine gives the soap batter a dark tan color.  wine adds an extra aspect of antioxidants and rich nutrients to your product.  And, besides the skin loving benefits, wine also offers a highly luxurious lather, rich in creamy bubbles to your finished soap bars.  

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When we began to soap making process - we started with 3 main herbs.  As a Master Gardener (WVU Extension Service) and avid homesteader we have continued to educate ourselves through research and classes.  Yes they still teach herb and naturalist classes - we now incorporate more herbs and "weeds" as my Dad calls them into our products. 

 
Calendula

The term “marigold” refers to a group of flowering plants in the aster family, one of which is the beautiful herb calendula. Also called pot marigold, calendula is native to southern Europe and naturalized elsewhere, including North America. This annual herb features light, green foliage and clusters of single or double yellow flowers, (can also be orange or cream-colored). Calendula flowers are edible fresh or dried and lend a lovely color and light, fresh flavor to soups, teas and other beverages. Used to make a variety of cosmetics, such as soaps, shampoos and hair conditioners, lotions, creams and salves.

 

Calendula is a flower that is commonly used topically to speed tissue healing after injuries, burs and bruises.  It is a very effective remedy for dry skin, eczema and pain.  We love this beautiful soap!

 
Chamomile 

German chamomile is a member of the aster and sunflower family that gets its common name from the combination of the Greek kamai and melon, or “on the ground” and “apple,” respectively. The “ground apple” reference comes from the fact that this aromatic herb gives off an apple-like scent when bruised or brushed against. As such, chamomile herb is very popular in teas and in topical products formulated for the hair and skin. Chamomile has astringent, antiseptic, cleansing, emollient and soothing properties.

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Lavender

Lavender is a member of the mint family and one of the most popular herbs in the world. In addition to outstanding beauty and fragrance, lavender is amazingly versatile in terms of practical uses. The whole dried flowers are added to teas, honey and infusions. 

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for educational purposes only

This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

please be advised.

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Exfoliation is a proccess!  It helps to remove dead skin cells and is paramount to healthy, soft and glowing skin.  

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There are many options for bath and beauty products - but we prefer Natural  options - coffee, cornmeal, pumice, salt, sugar, and jojoba beads.  Did you know that jojoba oil is actuarially a liquid wax.  It comes from the jojoba shrub and is processed into a solid wax - which is a jojoba ester.  They are biodegradable.  

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Charcoal is known for its ability to absorb and draw out oils and toxins from the skin.   It has regained so much popularity for its detox, drawing, and absorption properties - i.e. drawing out oil from the skin.  It has proven for us - to be a great addition to our products.  My son - asks for bars!  (huge for a 16 year old).  So . . . for oily skin - this is a must - it also deodorizes and can be used in your sweaty areas too!  

 

There are many types- we use the charcoal that Activated charcoal, on the other hand, is most commonly used for medical, beauty or purification processes. To become “activated,” the charcoal goes through a high temperature steam activation process. This process increases its surface area, which increases the charcoal’s ability to absorb and filter. This makes activated charcoal the proper choice for medical and cosmetic use.  

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Clays:  the idea of, essentially, dirt being both beneficial for the skin AND cleansing is fascinating

  • Kaolin - a mild, white, fluffy clay. It's good for light masks or scrubs and gives a silkiness and creaminess to soaps.

  • Bentonite - a light green clay, it is highly absorbent and good for oily skin. It gives a slippery silkiness which makes it good in shaving soaps.

  • Rose clay - a general purpose medium weight clay used mostly for its lovely rose color, but also adds silkiness, slip, and absorbency to soaps.

  • Rhassoul - a light brown clay that has used for its great ability to absorb oils and impurities from the skin and hair. It gives a lovely brown speckled color and is lightly exfoliating.the idea of, essentially, dirt being both beneficial for the skin AND cleansing is fascinating

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So glad you asked! Clay is super fun and I like talking about it. The benefits of clay are numerous, and it will take many, many more posts to fully explore all of said benefits. So here’s my Top Five, bulleted list of why I use clay in my soaps. High Fidelity style. Because Nick Hornby and John Cusack are life.

  • Clay detoxifies the skin. This is a well known benefit of clay; it acts like a magnet, pulling toxins, impurities, and chemicals from the skin and whisking them away to toxin-death-land. Which is great, right? Right!

  • Clay balances the skin’s pH. Various healing clays, such as bentonite, produce electrical charges when mixed with water. These negative charges created bind to the positive bits of toxins, as mentioned above, but through this process releases minerals that the skin needs. This results in a balanced epidermis that yields fewer breakouts (I’m looking at you, acidic skin!) or less eczema flareups (alkaline skin woes), depending on which side of the pH spectrum you fall. For more information on the importance of balanced skin pH, click here.

  • Clay oxygenates the skin and helps maintain the skin’s natural moisture. This is also part of the negative electrical charges bit. Another benefit of this process is that certain clays help the skin receive more oxygen by binding to excess hydrogen. This results in healthier skin, better blood flow, and more efficient oil production. Science is freaking awesome.

  • Clay produces an exceptional lather. We’ve all been there. We’ve picked up a bar of artisan soap, took it home, and were dismayed to learn that it took some real work to work up a lather with said bar. The clays in a Soap & Clay bar produce a super bubbly, super cleansing, beautiful lather with ease.

  • Clay soaps have a longer shelf and shower life. Handmade soaps are great for the skin, but can be murder on the pocketbook. Because artisan soaps do not contain the chemicals, fillers, and preservatives that result in a bar of soap that can last through the apocalypse, they tend to disappear faster than you’d like. With clay soaps, however, you actually get a longer shelf life and an extended life in the shower. So while other artisan soaps will last you a few weeks in the shower, with proper soap care a Soap & Clay bar will get you a month. Economical times two!

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Having Bees @ Golden-Aire Farm - we wanted to make sure to include honey in our products!  We use local honey to add wonderful benefits.  honey is just as good for your outside as it is for your insides. It’s known to soothe and disinfect the skin, making it an unconventional moisturizer, antiseptic, and antibacterial solution.  Acne, scars benefit from Honey.

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When added to cold process soap. In particular, honey is a natural humectant, which means it absorbs moisture from the air. Humectants are great for the skin, as they can help the skin retain moisture. Honey also contains antioxidants and natural sugars which can increase the lather of cold process soap.

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Pure essential oils are used in our soaps and other products, no only for the wonderful scents/aromas, but also for skin care benefits.   Some of these benefits are believed to derive from the aroma itself (olfactory); others are believed to be effected by means of contact with the skin (topical). Each drop of an essential oil consists of plant hormones., therapeutic chemical compounds and an aroma.  

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Essential Oils are NATURAL Substances 

Each blend that we use and develop has been researched and  planned.  There are Top Notes, Middle Notes, and Base Notes.  The Top note is the first rush of scent; the Middle note takes a bit longer to recognize - but provides the "meat" or "body" of the scent, then the Base notes - kind of linger or stick around - they are slow to evaporated, long lasting and kind of act to "fix" the other essential oils to the formula.  Who knew that we would be "scientists". 

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Reported Therapeutic Benefits:  

NOTE: It is important to remember that these are natural oils that may or may not provide the healthful benefits described below. Each human being is a unique system - physically, emotionally, and psychologically. The key here is to educate yourself, then experiment to determine what works best for you.

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  • Acne - Bergamot, Cedarwood, Chamomile, Clove, Frankincense, Geranium, Grapefruit, Lavender, Lemon, Lemongrass, Lime, Mandarin, Palmarosa, Patchouli, Peppermint, Petitgrain, Rosemary, Rosewood, Sandalwood, Spearmint, Tangerine, Tea Tree, Thyme, Ylang Ylang

  • Anti-Bacterial - Black Pepper, Chamomile, Citronella, Clary Sage, Frankincense, Geranium, Ginger, Grapefruit, Lemon, Lemongrass, Lime, Neroli, Nutmeg, Oregano, Palmarosa, Patchouli, Pine, Rose, Sandalwood, Sweet Marjoram, Sweet Orange, Tea Tree, Thyme

  • Anti-Septic - Anise, Basil, Bay, Bergamot, Black Pepper, Cedarwood, Cinnamon Leaf, Citronella, Clary Sage, Clove, Eucalyptus, Fennel, Frankincense, Geranium, Ginger, Grapefruit, Jasmine, Lavender, Lemon, Lemongrass, Lime, Mandarin, Myrrh, Neroli, Nutmeg, Oregano, Patchouli, Peppermint, Petitgrain, Pine, Rose, Rosemary, Rosewood, Sandalwood, Spearmint, Sweet Marjoram, Sweet Orange, Tangerine, Tea Tree, Thyme, Ylang Ylang

  • Aphrodisiac - Black Pepper, Cedarwood, Clary Sage, Clove, Ginger, Jasmine, Neroli, Nutmeg, Patchouli, Rose, Rosemary, Rosewood, Sandalwood, Thyme, Ylang Ylang

  • Astringent - Bay, Bergamot, Cinnamon Leaf, Clary Sage, Frankincense, Geranium, Grapefruit, Lemon, Lemongrass, Lime, Myrrh, Patchouli, Peppermint, Rose, Rosemary, Sandalwood, Spearmint, Thyme

  • Athletes Foot - Clove, Eucalyptus, Lavender, Lemon, Lemongrass, Myrrh, Patchouli, Tea Tree

  • Chapped/Cracked Skin - Myrrh, Patchouli, Sandalwood

  • Dandruff - Bay, Cedarwood, Clary Sage, Eucalyptus, Lavender, Lemon, Patchouli, Rosemary, Tea Tree

  • Deodorizing - Bergamot, Citronella, Clary Sage, Eucalyptus, Geranium, Lavender, Lemongrass, Lime, Neroli, Patchouli, Petitgrain, Pine, Rosewood

  • Depression - Basil, Bergamot, Clary Sage, Frankincense, Geranium, Grapefruit, Jasmine, Lavender, Lemon, Lemongrass, Neroli, Patchouli, Peppermint, Petitgrain, Rose, Rosemary, Rosewood, Sandalwood, Sweet Orange, Ylang Ylang

  • Dry Skin - Chamomile, Jasmine, Frankincense, Lavender, Rosewood, Sandalwood

  • Eczema - Bergamot, Cedarwood, Chamomile, Geranium, Lavender, Myrrh, Palmarosa, Patchouli, Peppermint, Rose, Rosemary, Thyme

  • Hair Growth (promoting) - Basil, Bay, Grapefruit, Rosemary, Ylang Ylang

  • Insect Bites - Basil, Bergamot, Chamomile, Cinnamon Leaf, Eucalyptus, Lavender, Lemon, Tea Tree, Thyme, Ylang Ylang

  • Insect Repellent - Basil, Bergamot, Cedarwood, Cinnamon Leaf, Citronella, Clove, Geranium, Lavender, Lemon, Lemongrass, Patchouli, Pine, Rosemary, Sandalwood

  • Insomnia - Basil, Cedarwood, Chamomile, Clary Sage, Frankincense, Lavender, Mandarin, Neroli, Petitgrain, Rose, Sandalwood, Sweet Marjoram, Tangerine, Thyme, Ylang Ylang

  • Mature Skin/Wrinkles - Clary Sage, Frankincense, Fennel, Geranium, Jasmine, Lavender, Mandarin, Myrrh, Neroli, Palmarosa, Patchouli, Rose, Rosemary, Rosewood, Ylang Ylang

  • Oily Skin - Bay, Bergamot, Citronella, Clary Sage, Fennel, Geranium, Jasmine, Juniper Berry, Lavender, Lemon, Lemongrass, Mandarin, Palmarosa, Patchouli, Petitgrain, Rosemary, Rosewood, Sandalwood, Tea Tree, Thyme, Ylang Ylang

  • Psoriasis - Bergamot, Lavender

  • Rashes - Chamomile, Lavender, Sandalwood, Tea Tree

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for educational purposes only

This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

please be advised: 

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