Here’s an idea for all you cosmetic “Do-It-Yourself-ers” out there: According to Traditionalmidwife.com, you can make your own soap using breast milk.
Not having kids of my own yet it’s hard for me to decide if this idea is appealing or appalling. It could be appealing because there is something natural and wholesome about using mother’s milk. And it could be appalling because this feels kind of like a gimmick that may not necessarily be better for your skin.
The science of soap
The recipe from the website is for a type of lye soap, which is made by neutralizing oils and fatty acids with high pH sodium hydroxide. (Lye is another name for sodium hydroxide, it’s also sometimes called “caustic.”) Lye soaps have been used for thousand of years and while they do the job they can be very harsh in drying to your skin. For this reason they’ve largely been replaced by modern soap bars which are in, in fact, made with synthetic detergents. These are much milder on your skin. Modern soap bars use synthetic detergents that do not strip as much natural oil from your skin so they leave it better moisturized.
While I give the midwife a lot of creative credit for coming up with the idea, I’m not sure it’s better for tender baby butts or not. And here are a few other concerns you should be aware of if you’re planning on making soap from breast milk.
- Be aware of the bio-hazards associated with using someone else’s breast milk for soap making.
- Use precautions when handling raw, unpasteurized human milk.
- You will need to pump and store your milk in the freezer until you have at least one cup or as much as 6 cups. Add a little beer to your diet, it might help production!
- The quality and texture of frozen milk may vary after it’s thawed.
What do YOU think about the idea of breast milk soap? Leave a comment and share your soapy thoughts with the rest of the Beauty Brains community.
–Mid Brain