New Use for Raw Milk: Artisanal Soaps

People with sensitive skin might be excited to learn that a new take on the farm-to-table trend means gentler soaps for them. In West Virginia, where raw milk sales for human consumption are prohibited, several enterprising dairy farmers have begun using raw milk as the primary ingredient in artisanal soaps.

“Goat milk soap is especially good for people with sensitive skin,” explains one marketing director for an artisanal soap company. “The pH level in goat milk is the closest to that in humans. Our formulations of essential oils, oatmeal and other ingredients keep people coming back.”

Raw milk soap sales skyrocket in the summer, when farmers can promote their products at farmers markets and fairs. However, goats are seasonal breeders and are most productive during the summer months – meaning those summer months are extra busy between milking, manufacturing and sales. Learn more about how these dairy farmers balance it all in the recent West Virginia Gazette article, Not ba-a-a-d: W.Va. goat’s milk used for soaps.

The Campaign for Real Milk is a project of the Weston A. Price Foundation, a nutrition education non-profit based in Washington, D.C. To learn more about raw milk and other nutrient dense foods, attend one of the upcoming Wise Traditions conferences.