What ingredients and how much of each are needed for a batch of goats milk soap?

Here is the answer to your next soap making question:

It really depends on the quantity you wish to make and which fats/oils you wish to use.

I suggest that you find a basic cold process soap recipe which has the qualities you require, i.e. olive oil for gentle moisturizing qualities, coconut oil for hardness and lather, then instead of using distilled water to mix with the lye, substitute it with an equal quantity of goats milk.

It is important that you add the lye flakes slowly to the goats milk, because if you add it too quickly and overheat the milk it could discolor the mixture.

There are a number of recipes included in the course, you may be able to adapt one to provide the qualities you require.

More soon.

Does your Soap Making course include natural soap recipes?

Here is the answer to your next soap making question:

There are a number of recipes included in the course, whether you consider them to be "natural" really depends on your view of "natural", I have included a great deal of information about the safety aspects of soap making, which includes the use of possibly hazardous substances such as SLS and the carcionogens in some fragrance oils. I believe this information will answer your
question and enable you to decide which ingredients to use which will be both safe and natural.

How much water do you need to completely dissolve lye?

Here is the answer to your next soap making question:

A good general guide is to measure the total weight of fats/oils and divide it by three and use this weight of distilled water (33%).

In practice a water reduction can be used and the quantity reduced to about 30%, but reducing the amount too much can have an adverse effect on the saponification process, leaving the soap lye heavy, it can also cause the soap to be brittle.

The amount of water can also be increased to 38% but not too much more, or the setting of the soap can be affected and the curing period extended before the soap is hard enough to last well.

To calculate the precentage, simply take the weight of oil and multiply by between 0.30 and 0.38 depending on the required effect. Personally, I would use 33% and therefore multiply by 0.33.

More soon.