![]() That keeps everything melted and gives you plenty of time to work. That will make your batch thick and may affect your previous design, but you want it fully emulsified so there are no pockets of lye.įor your next batch, make sure the lye and oils are around 100-130° F. If that happens to you, keep stick blending until everything is smooth. You may also notice an odd texture and solid chunks forming. Most of the time it's temperature related - if you add cool lye water to oils and butters that are solid at room temperature, they can start to solidify and thicken the batch with barely any blending. Something to watch out for is false trace. That happens when the soap looks emulsified but really isn't. Thick trace is the consistency of pudding and holds its shape. It usually takes at least 2 minutes of stick blending, up to 4-5. It’s great for layers, textured tops, and soap frosting. It's also great for layers because it's thick enough to support the soap that's poured on top. Those are referred to as "trailings." Medium trace is great for suspending embeds and heavy additives like poppy seeds. When you remove the stick blender and drizzle soap on top, you'll notice thin streaks stay on the surface. Medium trace is next - it has a thin pudding consistency. It takes about 1-2 minutes to reach. You can speed that process up by stick blending until you get the consistency you're looking for. It's also easy to pour, so it's perfect for swirl designs.Īs the soap sits, it will continue to thicken. Depending on your recipe, it takes about 30-60 seconds of stick blending to get there. Thin trace is the best time to add colorants and fragrances because it's easy to stir. Light trace is a solid color and the consistency of thin cake batter. With a few more pulses and stirs of the stick blender, the soap will emulsify. There may also be pockets of unsaponified oil and lye, which can cause skin irritation. If the soap was poured into the mold at this point, it wouldn't set up. Notice the streaks of oil in the photo below? It hasn't reached trace. It needs more stirring and stick blending to fully emulsify. Before the age of stick blenders, it could take hours for soap to reach trace! With a few pulses and stirs of the stick blender, it takes on a creamy consistency. This is the start of the saponification process, where the lye and oils begin to react and turn to soap. When you pour the lye water into the oils, the mixture starts to turn slightly cloudy and milky.
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