Teach Soap

I have made about 6-7 batches now, and I prefer to pour my soap at a thick trace. Mind you I have only made single pour log mould type soap, nothing fancy as yet. What stage of the 'trace' are you meant to pour at, and is there any advantages/disadvantages to this, or is it more of a personal choice? Thanks

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Watch out! I have discovered the magical world of CP

"Founding member of Facebook's "Australia & New Zealand Melt & Pour Soapers"

I think it's more a personal preferrence. I like to pour at a very thin trace because I luuuuuuurve doing swirls. The offset is I don't really get to detail the tops of my soap. Others like a nice thick trace so they can detail their tops. It all depends on the look you want to go for...

I do find the thicker the trace I pour at, the quicker my soap sets up. For example my funnel pour the other day was just past emulsion stage, and almost 3 days later it's still soft right on the corners. Where as a soap I pour at a thick trace is hard all round with in about 12 hours.

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The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

If I pour at a thick trace, I get bubbles inside the bars and the tops are uneven. If you texture the top, that wouldn't make a difference, but I like the my bars smooth at the top.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

I prefer to pour at a thin trace (slab mold) otherwise my bar weight is too inconsistent. I wait until the soap thickens up then add texture on the top.

i need to learn how to do a good thin trace, i tried it last night so that i could try a colour swirl, but it was still too thick i think i feel that unless its had the crap beaten outta it with the stick blender its not really mixed enough. I'll try again tonight

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Watch out! I have discovered the magical world of CP

"Founding member of Facebook's "Australia & New Zealand Melt & Pour Soapers"

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You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus – Mark Twain
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Same here depends on look you are going for I prefer thin but pour both depending on the soap I am making

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Four Seasons Fine Handcrafted Soaps
& Specialties, Inc.
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The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

One of my soaps that accelerated on me - did not see that one coming as it was not a floral or spice- got poured at thick trace and it was one of my favorite swirls. I have a plan in my head to repeat this real soon with one of my newer FO!

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Susie
Sometimes A Mistake is so much fun, You just have to do it again!

well last night i decided to embrace my ability to geta good nice thick trace and make some cupcakes, however, my soap batter took ages to reach a thick trace! But i managed to have a perfect trace for swirls! Just cant win! Last night i started mixing with my spatula first for awhile before i got the hand blender out, so in theory, if i do that again i should be able to have the right consistancy for swirls when i try again next time.

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Watch out! I have discovered the magical world of CP

"Founding member of Facebook's "Australia & New Zealand Melt & Pour Soapers"

I have have trouble with getting the correct trace for swirling too. I hope that someday I will be able.

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

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Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!