15 Fragrant Moisturizing Goat Milk Soap Recipes
Have you ever thought about making your own goat milk soap after spending a fortune on handmade soaps on Etsy or a local boutique?
It's easier than you think to make it at home. We've compiled 15 fragrant goat's milk soap recipes to try with a variety of fresh scents and textures.
Not only will you have delicious-smelling bars to use on yourself and your family, but you can begin making homemade gifts for friends and family at a fraction of the price you'd pay for luxury soaps elsewhere.
Benefits of Goat Milk Soap
You may be wondering: why goat's milk? People love it in soap, and it helps to know what's well supported and what's still mostly tradition. This overview from Healthline is a good place to start.
- First, goat milk contains fats, which is part of why many people like the creamy feel it gives a bar. Soap is naturally alkaline, though, so it may feel drying on some skin. If your skin is dry or sensitive, patch-test a new bar first.
- Second, goat milk contains lactic acid, which is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). We don't know how much ends up in a finished bar, and soap is rinsed off quickly, so a bar is unlikely to work like an exfoliating treatment. Goat milk soap isn't a treatment for acne, scars or wrinkles.
- Finally, you'll see claims that goat milk soap is rich in nutrients or good for your skin's microbiome. Goat milk contains nutrients, but that doesn't necessarily mean those nutrients provide the same benefits once they're made into soap. There also isn't enough research to say goat milk soap improves your skin's microbiome.
How do You Make Goat Milk Soap?
Most of the recipes below call for a melt and pour goat's milk soap base. That's soap that has already been made, so you simply melt it, add your extras and pour it into a mold. Two recipes, Easy Pumpkin Spice Soap and Oatmeal Lavender Goat Milk Soap, are made from scratch with fresh goat's milk and lye, which takes extra care.
The process of making soap is simple but does require some time and effort. For melt and pour, you'll need a digital scale, microwave-safe container, stovetop, silicone mold, and safety goggles. If you make one of the lye recipes, you'll also need an immersion blender and the safety gear below.
Once you have all the ingredients and supplies, follow the recipe to the letter.
If this is your first time making soap, we recommend starting with one of the melt and pour recipes below.
They are a great place to start for beginners!
Safety First: Working with Lye and Hot Soap
Melt and pour: There's no lye to handle, because the soap base has already been made. Melted soap is hot, though, so use oven mitts, let it cool a little before you pour, and keep children and pets out of the kitchen while you work.
Lye recipes: Lye is sodium hydroxide, a strong caustic that can burn your skin and eyes and irritate your nose and throat if you breathe it in. Before you start:
- Wear splash-proof safety goggles or a face shield, protective gloves and long sleeves.
- Good ventilation is essential whenever you handle lye. Work outside or next to an open window with plenty of airflow, and avoid breathing in the fumes or dust.
- Use a stainless steel or heat-safe plastic bowl, never aluminum, and tools you only use for soap.
- Always add the lye to the water, never the water to the lye. The mixture gets very hot.
- Keep children and pets out of the room, and don't open the lye until you're ready to measure it.
- If lye gets on your skin, take off any clothing it touched and rinse your skin with plenty of water or a shower for at least 15 minutes. Then get medical attention.
- Lye in your eyes is an emergency. Rinse them with plenty of water right away, and keep rinsing for at least 15 minutes. Get medical help immediately, and if someone is with you, have them call for help while you keep rinsing. Take out contact lenses if you can do so easily.
- In the US, Poison Help (1-800-222-1222) connects you to your local poison center. The call is free and confidential, and help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Follow your recipe's measurements and cure time. From-scratch bars usually need to cure for several weeks before you use them.
Please also read the safety notes in the recipe you choose. If you've never worked with lye, start with a melt and pour recipe.
A note about scents: Essential oils are natural, but natural doesn't always mean gentle. They can still irritate skin, and spicy oils like cinnamon and clove can be common culprits. Use only the amount your recipe calls for, never add extra for a stronger smell, and keep scented soap away from your eyes. If your skin is sensitive, or you're making soap for children, skip the strong spices and test a small bar on your inner arm first. If you use a fragrance oil, choose one made for soap and follow the supplier's usage guidance.
Goat Milk Soap Recipes to Try at Home
Ready to dive in? Scan this list for a few recipes and scents that sound intriguing to you, grab your ingredients, and get started.
Goat Milk Soap Recipes at a Glance
| Recipe | Method | Add-ins and scent |
|---|---|---|
| Apple Cinnamon Goat's Milk Soap | Melt and pour, no lye | Apple pie spice, cinnamon stick, dried apple slices; clove essential oil |
| Easy Handmade Goat's Milk Citrus Soaps | Melt and pour, no lye | Oven-dried citrus slices; citrus essential oil |
| 10-Minute Coffee & Milk Exfoliating Soap | Melt and pour, no lye | Coffee grounds (optional); coffee essential oil |
| Homemade Rosemary Citrus Goat's Milk Soap | Melt and pour, no lye | Orange and lemon zest, yellow soap coloring, fresh rosemary for decoration; orange, lemon and rosemary essential oils |
| Honey Oatmeal Goat's Milk Soap | Melt and pour, no lye | Honey, oats; no scent added |
| Easy Pumpkin Spice Soap | From scratch (cold process), uses lye | Pumpkin puree, spices, goat milk; essential or fragrance oils are optional |
| Homemade Lemon Soap | Melt and pour, no lye | Dried lemon zest; lemon essential oil |
| DIY Peppermint Goat Milk Soap Bars | Melt and pour, no lye | Red jojoba beads; peppermint essential oil |
| Goat Milk and Honey Soap | Melt and pour, no lye | Raw honey, sweet almond oil; orange and tangerine essential oils |
| Almond Oatmeal Goat's Milk Soap | Melt and pour, no lye | Oats, honey, vitamin E; sweet almond fragrance oil |
| Grapefruit Mint Poppy Seed Bars | Melt and pour, no lye | Grapefruit zest, poppy seeds; grapefruit and peppermint essential oils |
| Goat Milk & Alfalfa Soap DIY | Melt and pour, no lye | Alfalfa powder (mixed with isopropyl alcohol); spearmint essential oil |
| Candy Corn Soap | Melt and pour, no lye | Vitamin E oil, orange and yellow soap dye; candy corn fragrance oil |
| Oatmeal & Orange Cream Goat's Milk Soap | Melt and pour, no lye | Shea butter, rolled oats, dried calendula, orange peel, chamomile; sweet orange essential oil |
| Oatmeal Lavender Goat Milk Soap | From scratch (cold process), uses lye | Oatmeal; lavender essential oil |
15 Creamy Moisturizing Goat Milk Soap Recipes
Apple Cinnamon Goat's Milk Soap
Few things smell better in the fall (or any time of year, really) than the combination of apple and cinnamon. This delicious-smelling, luxurious soap packs a fragrant punch thanks to the addition of apple pie spice and clove essential oil. It'll smell just like autumn while you're lathering up in the bath or shower. This is a melt and pour soap recipe, perfect for beginners!
EASY HANDMADE GOAT'S MILK CITRUS SOAPS
Dry your own citrus to make this gorgeous citrus soap that's perfect for gift-giving during the holiday season. Add citrus essential oil for a scent boost, while the dried citrus slices add a natural, decorative touch to the soaps. You can use oranges, lemons, limes, or a combination of all three to make your bars.
10-Minute Coffee & Milk Exfoliating Soap
Have you used coffee in your beauty products before? If you add coffee grounds, they give the bar an exfoliating texture, and the coffee scent is a fun twist on a goat milk bar. You can mix up this coffee soap in about 10 minutes, making it an easy and practical choice for yourself, for homemade gifts or your own soap-making business.
Homemade Rosemary Citrus Goat's Milk Soap
This aromatic rosemary citrus soap combines the refreshing scents of lemon and orange zest plus rosemary for an invigorating soap that's fresh and inviting. This scent is suitable for any time of year, so save some for teacher gifts or for the holiday season. For the bars you save for later, leave off the sprig of fresh rosemary until you're ready to gift it.
Honey Oatmeal Goat's Milk Soap
This simple honey oatmeal soap has just three ingredients: a goat milk melt and pour base, honey and oatmeal. Honey is a classic ingredient in homemade skin care, and the oatmeal adds a little gentle texture. It's an easy, cozy bar and a good first recipe if you've never made soap before.
Easy Pumpkin Spice Soap
You'll love this goat's milk pumpkin spice soap if you are a pumpkin spice fanatic as soon as fall arrives (and who isn't?). It smells just like pumpkin spice and gives you all the autumn vibes. This recipe combines pumpkin puree with fall spices and goat's milk for a fantastically fragrant bar. The swirled look is gorgeous, too! This recipe makes seven bars of soap, so give some to your gal pals or save a few bars for Christmas gifts! This is a from-scratch recipe that uses lye and cures for several weeks, so save it for after you've tried a melt and pour soap.
Homemade Lemon Soap {Mother’s Day Gift Ideas}
You only need three simple ingredients to make this lovely lemon soap: goat's milk soap base, lemon essential oil, and dried lemon zest. That's it! The zest gives the soap a wonderful texture that can help with exfoliation, and the citrus scent is exhilarating.
DIY Peppermint Goat Milk Soap Bars with Exfoliating Jojoba Beads
Santa himself would love lathering up with this amazing-smelling peppermint goat's milk soap. With the natural peppermint scent, you'll feel merry and bright after every shower or bath. Wrap it with a gorgeous ribbon for easy gift giving this Christmas. The bars make wonderful stocking stuffers!
Goat Milk and Honey Soap Recipe (Melt and Pour)
This classic milk and honey recipe is easy to make. Orange blossom honey and two citrus essential oils give the soap a sweet, mild fragrance that's inviting day or night. The honeycomb soap molds really make these bars stand out. They'd sell like hotcakes at your local farmer's market.
Almond Oatmeal Goat's Milk Soap
This popular soap recipe smells like heaven and is a wonderful handmade gift. Combine oats, honey, sweet almond fragrance, and vitamin E to your goat's milk soap base. Pour it into your soap molds, and it'll soon be ready to lather, rinse, and repeat. This recipe makes three bars, but you'll probably want to double or triple it to give some to family and friends.
Grapefruit Mint Poppy Seed Bars
Grapefruit and peppermint make a bright, fresh combination. These bars use grapefruit and peppermint essential oils, grapefruit zest, and poppy seeds for a soap that's gently exfoliating.
Goat Milk & Alfalfa Soap DIY
Here's one that's a little different from the rest of the list: a soft green bar colored with alfalfa powder and scented with spearmint essential oil. You start with a goat milk melt and pour base, so there's no lye to handle, and the powder gets stirred into a splash of isopropyl alcohol first so it blends in without clumps. The original recipe is labeled beginner-friendly and uses a goat-shaped silicone mold, so check the size of your mold before you start. It's a fun pick if you'd like something fresh and herbal instead of sweet and spiced.
Candy Corn Soap
This is certainly the most colorful soap recipe on the list, and it'll make a wonderful fall "treat" for your kids' teachers, coaches, and your friends. Use candy corn fragrance to get that classic candy scent, and add vitamin E oil for extra moisturizing benefits. Even the kids will love taking a bath when they get to use this soap.
Oatmeal & Orange Cream Goat's Milk Soap Recipe
Don't these bars of soap look decadent, like something out of a magazine? Make them yourself with melt-and-pour goat's milk soap, shea butter, rolled oats, and orange essential oil. Dried orange zest, calendula flowers, and chamomile flowers add to the texture and to the soap's relaxing and calming fragrance. It's a lightly scented bar, though, so if you prefer a heavier fragrance like commercial soaps, add extra essential oils.
Oatmeal Lavender Goat milk Soap
If you're up for using real goat's milk, lye, and all the other traditional soap-making ingredients instead of the melt and pour base, try this recipe. Per the instructions, cold, fresh goat's milk works best and creates a whiter soap, but you can use canned milk instead and opt for caramel-colored bars.
Goat Milk Soap FAQs
If you've never made homemade soap before, you probably have some questions. Here are answers to some common questions about goat milk soap recipes.
Can You Make Goat Milk Soap without Lye?
No, you cannot make goat milk soap without lye. Lye is a necessary ingredient in all soap recipes, including goat milk soap recipes. If you want to skip the lye process, you can purchase a goat milk soap base like this one. If you do decide to use lye, read the safety basics above first.
Can You Use Canned Milk Instead of Fresh Goat's Milk?
Sometimes. The Oatmeal Lavender recipe says you can use canned goat's milk instead of fresh, but the bars come out caramel-colored instead of white. Check what your recipe says before you swap, because a different milk can change how a from-scratch soap behaves. You don't need to worry about this with melt and pour, since the milk is already in the base.
What is the Difference Between Melt and Pour Soap and Traditional Soap?
Melt and pour soap is a type of soap that has already been through the saponification process, so you don't have to worry about working with lye. You simply melt the soap, add your desired fragrance and colorants, and pour it into molds. Traditional soap is made from scratch using oils, lye, and water (or milk).
Do You Have to Add Essential Oils to Goat Milk Soap?
No, you don't have to add anything for scent. Plenty of people leave goat milk soap unscented. If you'd like fragrance, you can use essential oils or a fragrance oil made for soap. Follow the supplier's usage guidance either way, since too much of either can irritate your skin.
What Does Goat Milk Soap Smell Like?
That depends mostly on what you add. Goat milk soap bases come both scented and unscented, so the fragrance in these recipes comes from essential oils, fragrance oils, spices or citrus. Check the "Add-ins and scent" column in the table above to find your favorite, from citrus and lavender to spearmint, peppermint, apple cinnamon and pumpkin spice.
Do You Need to Cure Goat Milk Soap?
It depends on the method. Melt and pour soap doesn't need the long cure that from-scratch soap does, and many of the melt and pour recipes here are ready to unmold in about an hour, though you should check yours. From-scratch (cold-process) bars, like the Pumpkin Spice and Oatmeal Lavender soaps, need to cure for several weeks before you use them.
How Do I Store Homemade Goat Milk Soap?
Store finished bars in a cool, dry place. Melt and pour soap can attract moisture in humid conditions, so wrap unused bars according to the soap base manufacturer's recommendations. Fresh fruit, herbs, and other botanical additions can affect a soap's appearance and stability, so always follow the original recipe's instructions. Discard any soap that develops visible mold or an unusual odor.
I hope this list of goat milk soap recipes was helpful. As you can see, there are a variety of ways to make goat milk soap, and you can customize the scent, color, and ingredients to suit your preference. Happy soap making!
