Soap and Packaging FAQs
What goat milk soap should I use on my face?
Which soap to use on your face is a matter of personal preference. If you don't have skin issues or sensitivities, any of the soaps are great. For extremely sensitive skin, we recommend that you stick with an unscented goat milk soap such as the Purity or Castile. I also wrote a blog post called "What Do I Use on My Face?" that has some more information. When applying lotion to my face, I first wash and dry my hands. Then I apply a small amount of lotion to my hands and smooth it over my face.
What soap should I use for my skin type?
Any of our goat milk soaps are going to be better for your skin than most store-bought soaps. But there are specific soaps we recommend for specific skin types. Take a look at the Skin Type page for more details.
What should I use in my hair?
Many people use our goat milk soaps as shampoo - particularly men. Women may find they need to give their hair time to get used to soap instead of store bought shampoo that is filled with chemicals. We do have a solid shampoo bar that is available in several scents and very popular. I also wrote a blog post with a lot of extra information called "Shampoo bar for Natural Hair Care".
What goat milk soap should I use if I'm undergoing chemotherapy or radiation?
We have many people say that our Castile goat milk soap and Unscented solid lotion were very helpful on their skin during and after their cancer treatments.
What are the benefits of using goat milk soap?
One of the first questions we're always asked is, "Why goat milk?" When making soap, you need a liquid. Some soapmakers use water, some use fruit juice, vegetable juice, or even beer. We choose to use goat milk. The cream and the proteins that are present in the goat milk add a moisturizing effect to soap that is above and beyond what water can achieve.
Before Goat Milk Stuff, Jim used to work outside year round. Because his skin was so dried out and chapped, I had to buy lotion in bulk to get him through the winter. When he started regularly using our goat milk soap, his fingers stopped cracking and splitting. That was enough to convince me of the benefits of goat milk soap. But if you want more reasons, check out the article on Goat Milk Soap Benefits.
Is your goat milk soap 'Natural'?
There is no definition for "natural", so that is a hard question to answer. We consider our soaps to be natural. We use food-quality ingredients in our soaps and do not add any chemicals to create any extra properties in the soap. For more details, please read the blog post "What Does 'Natural Soap' Mean?"
Is your goat milk soap 'Hypo-Allergenic'?
There is no real definition for "hypo-allergenic" as people have allergic reactions to products listed as hypo-allergenic all the time. We list the ingredients on every bar of soap and use all food-grade, simple ingredients. If you have allergies, please check the ingredients and test the soap on a small patch of skin first.
How much goat milk is in your soap?
Each bar of goat milk soap contains more than 20% of goat milk. We did a lot of testing to find the optimal amount of goat milk. Our formula has enough milk to produce the qualities in the soap that are important. But we don't add too much milk because that can lead to a mushy, soft bar of soap that won't last long. More milk is not necessarily always better.
Do you have any soaps made without goat milk?
No, we do not. All of our soaps contain goat milk.
What do you use to scent your soaps?
We use high quality essential and fragrance oils that are body safe.
What is an Essential Oil?
Essential oils are derived exclusively from plant material. We have many soaps that are made with just essential oils.
What is a Fragrance Oil?
Fragrance oils often use essential oils, but also contain a synthetic component(s) to mimic scents that can not be derived from nature. The fragrance oils that we use are phthalate and paraben free.
Do you have any unscented soaps?
We have several unscented goat milk soaps to choose from. But be aware that since we do nothing to remove the scent, the soaps will still smell like soap. The cotton bags that the soaps come in may also pick up some soap scent from the other soaps in our soaproom. Just discard the bag and use your soap. There is no scent added to it.
Do you use lye to make your soap?
Yes, we do use lye in our soap. There is no such thing as soap without lye. You can have detergent without lye or you can melt down somebody else's soap (who used lye). But lye is a necessary ingredient in the soapmaking process. Properly made soap (which ours is), will not have any lye left over in the finished soap.
Can I cut your goat milk soap?
Yes, it is safe to cut your bars. We offer several soap sizes to meet different needs, but you can cut your bars into whatever shape you wish. You can use a kitchen knife to cut them. We use a putty knife and a mitre box. Whichever way is easier - just be careful not to cut yourself because the soaps are hard.
Do you cure your soap?
Yes, we cure our soap for a minimum of 6 weeks. Soap will actually get better as it ages. It will last longer and lather more. However, you may find that the scent starts to fade after a year.
How do I store my soap?
If you need to store the soap, store it in a non-humid location out of direct heat or sunlight.
Will the soap melt?
The soap will not melt when we ship it to you and it will not melt in your purse, pocket, or car. It takes very high temperatures to melt down the soap.
How is your soap made?
The soap is made with the cold process method.
Does your soap contain gluten?
Our goat milk soaps do not contain any gluten. We even use certified gluten free oats in our scrub soaps so there is never a trace of gluten on any of our soap equipment.
How do my soaps arrive?
The Goat Milk Soap Standard bars come in a cotton drawstring bag. The Standard Bars are also available in a "Naked" option (no cotton bag). The Mega bars are only available as "Naked" bars. The travel size comes in a plastic bag with a business card included that identifies the scent.
How do I know which scent is which?
Each bag has the scent stamped on the front. Under where it says "Handmade Goat Milk Soap" (in red), there will be a black stamp with the name of the soap. Because these are all stamped by hand, sometimes they are crooked or double-stamped (especially if the younger children have been stamping). If you order any "Naked" soaps, the only way to tell them apart is by scent and color.
Do you recycle the bags?
Yes, we do recycle the bags.
How can I return the bags?
You can send the bags back to us at:
Goat Milk Stuff
76 S Lake Rd N
Scottsburg, IN 47170
Can I get soap without the bags?
You may select the "Naked" option for either the Standard or Mega size when adding the soap to your cart.