Often referred to as liquid gold, there's little doubt that human breast milk is amazing! But in soap? If you're wondering what the skin benefits of breast milk soap could be, keep reading to find out.
If you've been following this blog for a while, you know that I basically throw breastmilk into everything skincare-related: breast milk lotion, breastmilk baths, various breastmilk soaps, you name it.
Breastmilk soap is exactly what it sounds like soap made with breastmilk as one of its natural ingredients. There are two different ways to add human milk to soap and we'll discuss which one's better later on.
While it may sound unconventional, the benefits of breastmilk in skincare have been well-documented and praised by many new moms. "Just put some breast milk on it" is probably the number one advice among nursing mothers. With good reason: breast milk is effective in treating several skin conditions, such as infant eczema, pink eye, dry skin, diaper rash, cradle cap, and baby acne, and can even reduce the risk of small cuts getting infected (Source: Medela). A recent study found breastmilk to be as beneficial as hydrocortisone cream for treating skin irritations.
Benefits
What about the soap though? Can it benefit baby's skin and how?
- Natural Moisturizer: Breastmilk soap contains many fatty acids and proteins essential for keeping the skin healthy and subtle. Handmade soap cleanses the skin without stripping it of its natural moisture barrier. This promotes skin health and glowing skin.
- Gentle Cleanser: Breastmilk soap contains lactic acid which helps gently remove dirt and bacteria. It's also made without harsh chemicals, strong fragrances, or artificial ingredients. It's a great way to clean sensitive skin.
- Antibacterial Properties: Breastmilk soap may contain a fatty acid, lauric acid, known for its ability to fight bacteria. It's also found in cow's milk and coconut oil. Lauric acid can be beneficial in reducing acne-causing germs.
- Nourishing: Breastmilk soap contains many essential fats, enzymes, vitamins, and minerals that help replenish and nourish the skin.
How to Make it
Now let's get into how you can make breastmilk soap. And whether all the amazing breastmilk properties will still be present after the soap-making process is complete. Two main methods can be used to incorporate breastmilk into soap and I will briefly discuss both as well as their pros and cons.
Melt and Pour Method
This method is easy, great for beginners, and doesn't involve using lye. You can find the recipe for this method in my DIY breast milk soap post.
This way of making soap is very straightforward: you cut a ready-made soap base into small pieces, melt it in the microwave, add breast milk and other ingredients to it, and pour the soap into the mold. Simple right?
With this method, the chances of beneficial properties "surviving" the process are much higher than the other method I'll discuss later. If you ensure that the melted soap base is not too hot when adding the milk there's little else interference.
The finished soap has a much shorter shelf life, however, and should be kept in the fridge or freezer until ready to use.
Cold Process Method
This method is for more experienced soap makers who are used to working with lye. Here you're making soap from scratch by adding sodium hydroxide to frozen breastmilk and later combining it with things like olive oil, shea butter, essential oils, etc. You can find step-by-step instructions for it in my cold process breast milk soap post.
The process of soapmaking however means that the entire soap mixture (milk and all) has to undergo a drastic chemical reaction. Where liquid oils are transformed into solid soap bars.
Milk adds extra sugar resulting in a beautifully creamy soap that's gentle and nourishing. These bars of soap have a long shelf life and can be kept for up to a year when stored away from heat and humidity. It's a great option if making soap for a new mom with their own milk as a special gift.
The big drawback however is that, as you might imagine, there's not much of the beneficial breastmilk properties left in the finished soap. That's why many crafters choose the melt-and-pour method even if it means the soap will be more perishable.
Have you made breastmilk soap before? And if so which method did you choose? Let me know in the comments below.
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