While 65 percent of the world’s population chooses goat milk over cow milk, the true benefits of goat milk are just starting to permeate popular culture in North America. From the Huffington Post asking, “Could Goat’s Milk be the New Almond Milk?” and Gwyneth Paltrow advocating the benefits of goat’s milk through her brand Goop, goat milk is a rising star in the health and wellness community.
More than just a beverage, goat milk is increasingly popular for cosmetic and skin care purposes. According to Regina Bauscher of Honey Sweetie Acres, an artisan skincare company that uses milk from Nigerian Dwarf goats, “Switching to a soap made with raw goat milk can benefit your skin’s health tremendously. The skin benefits of using goat milk soap range from maintaining moisture to caring for sensitive skin, or alleviating various skin conditions.” Regina’s husband Steve battled a skin condition on his hands that would not go away despite trips to dermatologists and use of prescription medication. The family already had goats that they used for producing milk and cheese. So, Regina decided to try making goat milk soap. After using the homemade soap for 30 days, Steve’s skin condition completely disappeared and has not returned in the years since.
From there, Regina carefully researched, developed, and grew their goat milk products. As a result, Honey Sweetie Acres artisanal goat milk products are unlike any others on the market. “My education is in chemistry and natural formulation, so we formulate the soaps ourselves instead of taking existing recipes that are already out there,” explains Regina. In addition to her chemistry background, Regina is a certified aromatherapist. “I have completed over 250 hours of training, done case studies, and have written research papers on essential oils. I have also studied skin functionality and anatomy,” continues Regina. “I am professionally trained.” Regina is also a certified soap maker through the Handcrafted Soap & Cosmetics Guild.
Honey Sweetie Acres uses only the highest quality ingredients in their products. The main ingredient, raw goat milk, comes from their personal pasture of Nigerian Dwarf Dairy Goats. “We use a special breed of goats that have the highest cream content in their milk,” says Regina. “Nigerian Goat milk ranges from six percent to ten percent butterfat.” The milk has a cream content that is three times higher than any other breed, and you can feel the difference in the soap. Using raw, unpasteurized milk means all of the lipids, proteins, triglycerides, and enzymes and their beneficial properties actually end up in the final product and are not cooked off during the production process. Honey Sweetie Acres is the only goat milk soap producer in the United States that is Certified Humane.
In addition to raw, unpasteurized goat milk, Honey Sweetie Acres also uses only extra virgin organic oliv
e oil, organic shea butter, organic coconut oil, and organic cocoa butter. Their colorants are clays, herbs, spices, and real fruit and vegetable botanicals. The end result is a completely natural, organic, and award-winning product without any antibiotics, hormones, GMOs, parabens, phthalates, alcohols, or formaldehydes. In 2015, Honey Sweetie Acres took home best in show at the American Dairy Goat Association Bath and Body Care Competition for their essential oil soap and lotion. In 2016, they won best-fragranced oil soap and unscented soap.
Regina and Steve have a passion for running an honest and transparent business with natural products that can benefit everyone. Their dedication to quality includes raising excellent show animals, like Dulcinea, the National Grand Champion Nigerian Dwarf Junior Doe. “We don’t compete on price, we compete on quality,” says Regina. “We guarantee our quality. Our soap is not a bar that will wash away in the shower in five days. We take our soap making seriously as an artisan process.” Steve and Regina want to ensure every small business can test out their products, so wholesale orders start at 24 items in any combination. “Nine times out of ten, once people try our soap they come back,” says Regina. For more information about Honey Sweetie Acres’ products, goats, and the benefits of goat milk soap visit www.honeysweetieacres.com.