question for any soap-makers out there? (cold process soap)

j.e.j.

Hi there

After putting it off for ages I got brave and made my first batch of soap this morning :j I just wanted to ask any of you experienced soap makers a question. (I know there is a huge long thread somewhere on here about soap-making.)

Is it a problem if the soap mixture reaches trace really quickly and gets quite thick and the texture isn't that smooth?

I got the lye mix and the oils to about 54 degrees, put them together and started whizzing with a stick blender thinking it'd take a few minutes to thicken, but it seemed to reach trace quite alarmingly quickly! I'm thinking i might have even gone past the 'trace' stage because the soap mix was thick and not very smooth. I managed as best I could scooping the mixture out as quickly as possible and into the soap moulds as it was too thick to pour.

Any ideas?

j.e.j.

mind if I bump this in case there are any soap-makers around this evening?:)

I've had a peek at the soaps meanwhile and they look better than they did this morning. I guess I'll have to see what they're like tomorrow when I turn them out of the moulds.

j.e.j.

I'm going to have one last try at bumping this, in the hope that greent, Gingervamp, Kevie or any of the soapmakers might be around this evening?


I've turned the soaps out of the moulds today and the texture still looks a bit iffy to me, LOL. Ah well, it was my first attempt!