Breast Milk Soap: Why Do People Want It?

When I mentioned to an acquaintance that along with making and selling handmade body products, I also specialize in crafting custom breast milk soaps, I got a really confused look followed by, “Really? That’s interesting.” Maybe some people think it’s weird? A waste of breast milk? Or they just don’t really understand the “why” behind some mothers’ choice to have soaps made with their breast milk.

Naturally, I thought this would be a great opportunity to write about that “why”.

Just like soaps made from other animal milks, human breast milk soap offers a creamy, rich and silky lather, and some believe it offers nourishing benefits. Breast milk is very high in fat and sugar and these two components are known in the soap community to add a rich and luxurious feel to a soap’s lather. Beyond this creamy and silky lather, many moms believe that breast milk has nourishing benefits on the skin. While I am no scientist and cannot make that claim with any certainty, many of my mom customers who have had soaps made with their milk have noted it made a difference for their skin. One of my mom customers in particular has a family that suffers from eczema and struggles with most soaps drying out their skin. She feels good about using some of her breast milk in a custom soap that is all-natural and gentle for her and her family to use. As a soap maker, I carefully and meticulously create my soap recipes to be exceptionally gentle, making sure to always superfat the soap in high percentages (this means adding extra oils that will not saponify, leaving free floating oils in the soap, which helps combat the drying effect soap can have). Ultimately, the harsh saponification process destroys most if not all the active matter in the milk, but milk soap is still a luxurious lathery soap that, if made properly, can be very gentle.

There are many homesteading soap makers who exclusively make and sell goat milk soaps. A common reason for this is an abundance of goat milk and not enough ways to use it all. The same can be said about human lactating mothers and their abundance of milk. So often, I hear from moms who have an oversupply of liquid gold but cannot bear to throw it away, and they come to me to make soap or other body products with their milk! I pride myself on helping mothers use their milk to create a special product with it, just for them - especially if it’ll go to waste otherwise. Besides, I’m sure it makes moms feel pretty proud that a custom soap can be constructed using their very own milk from their bodies. I mean, really, if you think about it, how cool is that?!

Oversupply of breastmilk is a great reason to make a personal soap or body products!

Sometimes breast milk is stored incorrectly or it expires, and while it can’t be consumed, it can be made into a soap. Too often in the early (and tiring) stages of motherhood when moms are up every couple of hours for feedings, they’ll forget to store their expressed milk in the fridge and it can’t be consumed anymore. Rather than throw it away, they can make soap out if it! This is a perfectly safe way to ensure that liquid gold is not wasted.

Accidentally left out several ounces of milk or have milk that’s expired? Save it and use it to make soap!

For those who don’t understand or appreciate using breast milk in body products, that’s okay, too. While the benefits of breast milk soap will be debated, one thing is for sure: many moms are choosing to use their milk to make custom soaps, lotions and other body products for their families to use and enjoy, and their reasons are personal. Whatever the reasons, I am always happy and honored to create these special products for families that have a functional use in their every day life.

Interested in having a custom soap made with your breast milk? Contact me today to start your order!

I’m curious to know: what are your thoughts on breast milk soaps? Drop your comments below!

It should be noted that I will never claim any of my products treat, heal or cure any condition.