Okay, here’s the thing. The first morning we woke up in our 85° ac-not-working Indiana house in our sleeping bags, the last thing I expected Josh to say was "So, how about goats?" and showing me some classifieds ads he'd found for Nigerian Dwarves.
We really only had horses and Coda (our Aussie-Rottie) before we left for Indiana, so to go so ... farm-y? ... was funny because Josh didn't grow up that way, even though I very much did.
Long story short, all I know is that once we had goats, and goats to MILK, it just made sense to put that milk to work. We started our journey with Fern and Pearl, the sweetest, most friendly little Nigerian Dwarves. Hazel looked forward to her goat time as she crawled around on the grass and snuggled Pearl while I got the hang of milking goats (a touch different from the cows I milked growing up ha!).
So if you’ve ever wondered what makes goat milk soap different from the stuff on the store shelf, grab a cup of something warm (raw chocolate milk obviously) and let me walk you through it!
So ... what IS goat milk soap?
It’s soap made the old-fashioned way (we do cold-process!), except fresh goat milk takes the place of some of the water. That’s it! The milk naturally brings along fats and its own natural lactic acid, which is a big reason so many people find it creamy and gentle instead of squeaky-tight.
(Quick note: I’m a soapmaker, not a dermatologist, so I’ll never promise miracle cures. What I can tell you is how we make it and what we love about it!)
Wait. Is there LYE in my soap?!
Yep! Every real bar of soap starts with lye. It’s what turns oils and fats into soap, in a process called saponification (say that three times fast). Here’s the good news: once a bar is finished and cured, there’s no lye left in it and what’s left is just soap. We let our soap bars cure for 4-6 weeks before they leave the farm and the longer they cure, the harder the bar.
Two collections, two kinds of lather
Not every bar lathers the same, and we make two kinds on purpose.
Our Coconut Oil Collection is all about fluffy, bubbly, uplifting lather. That’s where you’ll find scents like Whispering Woods, Blush and Bloom, and Wildwood Zest, always scented strictly with essential oils.
Our Homestead Lard Collection is the rich, creamy, deeeeply moisturizing one. (If you feel like your skin needs a little extra help, I'd start here).
Plus, how cool that the pigs we raise on our extra cow milk can aid us in making this goat milk soap!? It's the best way to bring everything full circle and it feels so fulfilling.
Pick your lather personality. Can’t decide? Honestly, same. Get one of each.
Your face is NOT your legs.
I mentioned I'm not a dermatologist, and while this is true, I am no stranger to skin science and have had my fair share of facial treatments for well over a decade. I learned early on (teenage years) that there were certain creams and lotions that my face did not appreciate, both immediately and two weeks after use.
Diving into skincare in my twenties (and having some AMAZING estheticians) I learned a thing or two about the comedogenic scale. Look it up, and once you do, you'll never be the same. You've been warned! Haha.
Basically, the skin on your face has more oil glands and smaller pores than the skin on your body, so a heavy, pore-clogging oil that’s perfect for your elbows can be a recipe for trouble on your cheeks.
That’s why we made a separate Goat Milk Face Soap. It’s not your body’s soap! It’s formulated for delicate facial skin so it cleans without stripping.
How to make your bar last (the part nobody tells you)
Handmade soap is gentle, which also means it doesn’t love sitting in a puddle. Keep your bar on a draining soap dish, out of the direct spray, and let it dry out between uses. Do that and one bar will last way longer than you’d expect. Your wallet, your body, (and your shower floor) will thank you.
From our pasture to your shower
Every bar is made in small batches with milk from our own goats, right here in the mountains of Utah. No giant factory, no mystery ingredients. Just a family of performing homesteaders, livin' the dream!
Ready to try one? Ooooh, we're so excited!! Shop all of our goat milk soaps here. Want to try a few? Our soap bundles let you mix and match and save.
Okay, now that I've chatted enough and your raw chocolate milk mug is gone ... are you a big-fluffy-bubbles person or a rich-creamy-lather person? Tell me in the comments!
Thanks for being part of the Herd! 🐐 👋🏼
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