Last Minute Jitters

[bjsalas]

The house will be all mine Saturday and I will be making CP soap for the first time. Now that I finally have all my stuff, including my hazard gear, I'm not so worried about working with lye, instead I'm getting worried that I won't know what to look for at trace. I've read everything I can find on here and I even watched a video, Youtube or something, but, I don't know. I'm getting sceered.

Can someone tell me in very simple language kind of what I'm really looking for? Also will I be able to "feel" it as well as see it? Hope that makes sense.

I'm making a 2 pound batch, will be soaping at room temperature and adding my fo to the oils if that makes a difference. Any tips/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Also, as a newbie, should I be using the stick blender yet? I'm undecided on that one.

On another note, my sister who does melt & pour broke down and bought a heat gun today. OMG. All I can say is that if Santa doesn't bring me one for Christmas, I'm stealing hers.

Thanks in advance

Bobbi Jo

[gloworm]

Trace is a kind of "thickened" state of the soap batter. When you can "draw a line" with your stick blender or spoon and you can see where you "drew" you've definately traced. Kind of turning from very thin and liquid to a more pudding like consistancy. Thin trace would be before you have reached the pudding consistancy but have thickened up considerably. You don't have to stick blend but may have to stir for a very long time by hand to reach a trace. Years ago I never used a stick blender but do now and it goes a lot faster with the blender. A lot depends on what fragrance you use also. Florals tend to accelerate trace and stick blending will compound the problem and you can get the dreaded "soap on a stick" that we have all experienced from time to time. Definately have your mold all ready before you begin so you can pour as soon as you are ready. Have all utensils at hand and lock the kids and animals out of your room!! LOL. Good Luck.

Glo

[cbv1]

I made my first batch of CP soap without a stick blender and it took forever to get to trace for me. What works best for me, especially if I use FO, is I add it at light trace because normally FO accelerates the trace for me. So, I use a stick blender in short bursts to mix the oils, then I stir, stir, stir with a heat resistant spatula. Then I stick blend again, maybe another 5 short bursts, then I stir, stir, stir again with the spatula. Watch the soap mixture closely. You will start to see very minor changes in the soap. Keep alternating between the stick blender and hand stirring. I then lift the spatula up and drizzle the soap from the spatula on top of the soap mixture. If I can see a faint outline of the soap that I drizzled down from the spatula on the soap mixture that is what I consider a light trace. If I dpn't see that I keep stirring and stick blending. Once I get to light trace I add my botanicals if I am adding flowers etc, then I mix those in and then add the EO or FO. I don't use the stick blender after adding the botanicals or fragrance, I just keep stirring with the spatula. Once everything is mixed in I then pour into my mold. I use my stick blender at the beginning of all my soap batches. I don't have the patience to stir for hours! Don't worry, we have all be in your shoes. Just make sure to follow all the safety rules. I kept a bottle of white vinegar right by me just in case I somehow got lye on myself. It has never happened to me yet, but I always try to be just as careful now as I was the very first time I made CP soap. Good luck!

[katshe]

Oh I remember my first batch, my heart was pounding - I was sooo nervous:D

I measured oils in the kitchen and melted on the stove

then proceeded to the garage to measure water and lye.

I put my measured water in a large bucket then add my lye , i am still affraid i may splash myself so i keep measuring cup in the bucket until it has cooled then gently lift it out and pour into my oils that i have the stick blender in and blend at the same time as pouring lye water. I do all this in my garage.

I place cup and used utinsels into bucket for later clean-up

You will want a stick blender, my recipe traces within 5 minutes.

I purchased mine at Walgreens $ 9.99 , it works great!

Remember to have your work area cleaned off, you don't want to bump into anything when mixing .

Have a bowl ready to set used utinsels in.

Tear off some paper towel to have ready just in case.

Don't forget to add fragrance

Have an extra mold ready or something in case you have more soap than you planned.

Trace When your mixture thickens like pudding that is set up, or if you lift your stick blender out and can still see glops that it made ,you are there.

If you get a stick blender remember to use it on and off , It can overheat

so, stick blend for a moment ( I go about 20-30 sec at a time) , stir with it, stick blend, stir.

GOGGLES, MASK, GLOVES, APRON !!!!!!!!! GOOD VENTILATION

Let us know how it went!

[bjsalas]

Glo: What you said about drawing a line and being able to see it HELPS alot. I don't know why, but I understand that aspect better than I do about the different consistencies. And the reason I'm waiting til Saturday is so I won't have to worry about locking the kids out. I'll be the only one home.

cbv1: I'm glad you mentioned the vinegar. I knew that but forgot. Guess I don't have everything. I put it on my shopping list for tomorrow.

katshe: You know it's funny, I realize that everyone is probably nervous the first time they make soap, but it's silly that it scares me more than going to the dentist. I think maybe I have some issues.

I totally love this forum. So much info and everyone seems more than willing to help out us newbies. Even simple words of encouragement go a long way.

Thanks guys.

[eugenia]

What you want to look for is when the oils turn from clear to opaque, trace is starting. At that point, the soap will look like the thickness of pancake batter.

[Carrie]

For my recipe, the oils change color 3 times. They are kind of tan and get creamy colored when the lye is added. Then, as soon as that happens, I watch for another color change to a lighter shade of cream. Then about 3-4 minutes of stick blending and the color starts to lighten again. This is when trace is starting for me and I can lift the stick blender out of the mixture and the drops stay on the surface for a moment before it goes smooth again.

You can tell when that happens. It's hard to visualize but you will recognize that point when it happens.