Breast milk soap is a great way to use up extra or expired frozen milk. With so many amazing benefits for the skin, you’ll want your whole family using this DIY breastmilk soap recipe.
My daughter was in the NICU for 8 days after she was born and because of the pandemic, I was unable to stay with her and nurse. So I spent those 8 days pumping around the clock.
I’m a classic oversupplier and as soon as my milk came in I was pumping WAY more than she could eat. The lactation consultant and nurses actually had to tell me to keep some home, since they had too much on hand for her. Oops.
Suffice to say, we went home with about 3 huge bags of milk. I nursed exclusively because cleaning bottles sucks, so it stayed in my freezer.
While I made some breastmilk pancakes for baby led weaning, I still had way too much.
Making a skin-friendly breastmilk soap
All of my kids (and me!) have super sensitive skin, so I’m always on the search for a soap that’s great for skin. When I heard of breastmilk soap, I knew I needed to try it with my freezer milk.
I’ve covered uses for breastmilk before on the blog so I knew it was useful, but I had to wonder, what were the benefits?
Benefits of using Breastmilk Soap
- Know exactly what’s going into it.
- Can choose ingredients and a base that is perfect for your family.
- Can soothe and heal dry skin.
- Antioxidant-rich and super moisturizing.
- Gentle on sensitive skin, like eczema.
Does it smell like breastmilk?
I’ve also been asked about the smell. In my opinion, no it does not smell like breastmilk. (Thank goodness!) Even though I’ve nursed 3 kids – maybe because I did – I hate the smell of breastmilk. This just smells like soap.
You can also use body grade essential oils to add some pretty smells.
What you need:
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Okay, you’re sold and ready to make it? Here’s what you’ll need.
- Melt and Pour soap base (1 pound made about 5 bars for us)
- A silicone mold
- 1 cup of room temperature breast milk per pound of soap
- A bowl
- A rubber spatula
- Scents and colors, as desired
What kind of soap base to use?
We used this shea soap base since I love shea for my eczema. This brand has a bunch of types available though, from olive oil to oatmeal to hemp to coconut.
If you’re unsure, this 8 pound sample pack would be a great option to test out different bases. It also comes with a silicone mold.
How to make breastmilk soap
Time needed: 5 minutes.
This DIY soap recipe is so easy to make, you’re going to wonder why you haven’t made it before. The longest time is letting it set and then cure, if desired.
It’s really simple and basically 4 steps – chop, melt, stir, pour!
- Defrost your milk.
I placed the containers into warm water and allowed them to deforst and come to room temp. If using refrigerated milk, take it out to come to room temp.
- Chop your soap.
Cut your melt and pour soap into about 1 inch cubes.
- Melt the soap.
I used a double boiler, but you can do it in the microwave as well. If using the doouble boiler, add your soap and gently stir. If you’re too rough, bubbles will form and create a foam on top of your soap that’s hard to remove.
If using the microwave, melt in a microwave safe bowl on high in 30 second intervals. Take out and gently stir, then continue, similar to melting chocolate. - Add your milk.
Once totally melted, add your milk! Stir gently (I just used a rubber spatula) until completely incorporated and smooth.
- Add your extras.
If using colorants or scents, add now as per the directions. I used a tablespoon of coffee grounds in one bar to make an exfoliating bar.
- Pour into your molds and set.
Put your molds on something stabilizing (I used a cookie cooling rack) and pour your soap in.
- Allow to set.
This took about 1 hour in my fridge to set. After that, I took it out of the molds and let them dry a bit.
You can use immediately, but they’ll definitley “melt” more quickly. I allowed mine to dry out in the fridge for a few days. (AKA I forgot about them, ha!) and they’re perfect for my family.
Enjoy! Use these breastmilk soaps to wash your baby, your kiddos, or even yourself! They are safe for everyone and your whole family can benefit.
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