having trouble figuring out light trace

[vberkesch]

ok, I'm struggling with decorating my soaps. I've been doing well with my log mold, because I make the mountain look and all. Now I have a slab mold and am trying to decorate the tops of the soaps.

By the time I pour the soap in the mold, then put my drips of soap on the top to swirl or make twirlies or whatever...THE SOAP IS TOOOOO THICK to get it to look good.

I think I am just going past thin trace...........BUT I don't want a soap that is not mixed enough, so maybe my question is...how can you tell if your soap is at THIN TRACE?

Anyone have any ideas for me?

[Scent Cellar]

With my recipe light trace is about 30 seconds with the stick blender.

[Scented]

I was taught, 5 short blasts with the SB and it's light trace. Light trace is it's mixed, you dribble some off a spoon and it sinks in ... I was always heavy on the stick blender till a certain Bunny told me to knock it off.

Depending on water discount and your fragrance, light trace is easy to get. Some fragrances move so fast that you never see it lol.

You just want to be sure your ingredients are mixed ... i.e. no white trails from palm or lard or oil streaks are what come to mind.

[Carrie]

For my recipe, light trace is over 2 minutes with a stick blender. I watch my soap color. The color of the batter changes 3 times for me. My oils are tan colored and when I pour in the lye there is a color change to a more white color. Then, all of a sudden, it gets lighter again. When it gets lighter for a third time, drips will make an indent on the surface. That, for me, is light trace. I can swirl 2-3 colors in my slab mold at that point. Any further and I may get one color.

[CareBear]

light trace is like heavy cream - just a tiny bit thick. and stays that way (doesn't get that thin, clear look)

[Meridith]

For me light trace is when I can no longer see any oil separation and if I dribble some of the batch on the top on the soap, it stays for just a second before sinking in.

Trace is something you learn to recognize and once you've perfected your recipe, can gauge how long it will take. FOs can cause your time to vary though as can the tools you use. Stick blenders can definitely help speed up trace where as hand stirring can take longer to reach it.