False trace or just too much water?

[chloe]

Hi everyone. I'm new to making cp soaps, so bare with me . I made a olive oil-heavy recipe and after almost 24 hours it is still thick pudding (no oil separation however). I did use full water which I've never done previously and should know better not to do that with 60% oo. I was trying trying to get to
a steady emulsification rather than thin trace inorder to do swirls. Should I
wait it out? Or dump it? What does false trace look like? Thank you in advance for any help.

 

[cmzaha]

Most likely wait it out. You mention you wanted emulsification rather than a thin trace. Which did you get to. I for one do not believe in a false trace. It traces or it does not or it accelerates before ever seeing a trace...If you poured after getting to emulification you may just have to sit it out. A high OO recipe with full water is going to take a long time to set up properly if you did not reach trace. It actually could be iffy, but you can always rebatch if it decides not to set up. I have had it happen when I have pushed it and poured to soon. I usually pour when mine hits emulsification put I have been known to miss. In fact right now I 48 little christmas trees that are not curing out properly due to pouring a little to soon. Hoping the little buggers decide to cure out by December

 

[reinbeau]

Well, I believe in false trace, because I've had it. 24 hours and it's still thick pudding? Meh. Where did you get the lye?

 

[chloe]

Most likely wait it out. You mention you wanted emulsification rather than a thin trace. Which did you get to. I for one do not believe in a false trace. It traces or it does not or it accelerates before ever seeing a trace...If you poured after getting to emulification you may just have to sit it out. A high OO recipe with full water is going to take a long time to set up properly if you did not reach trace. It actually could be iffy, but you can always rebatch if it decides not to set up. I have had it happen when I have pushed it and poured to soon. I usually pour when mine hits emulsification put I have been known to miss. In fact right now I 48 little christmas trees that are not curing out properly due to pouring a little to soon. Hoping the little buggers decide to cure out by December

I think I reached emulsification (didn't get to trace). Might have poured too early. I really don't know. :/ I'm a total newbie, so, I'm not even sure what emulsification looks like. I just stick blended until everything seemed matte and inseparable.
Thanks for your response and good luck with your Christmas trees!

 

[chloe]

Well, I believe in false trace, because I've had it. 24 hours and it's still thick pudding? Meh. Where did you get the lye?

Certified Lye.com

 

[cmzaha]

Until you can recognize trace I would not worry to much about doing a lot of coloring. Practice making soap until you are comfortable with the process then start playing with coloring. Batter also does not need to be real thin to color

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

^^ this!

At a thin trace you have enough time for some simple stuff. I even manage to swirl a salt bar and they get very think very fast.

If you haven't made enough soap to know when you are really at emulsion and know very well which recipes it is best with and so on, I'd go to thin trace at the least

 

[chloe]

Until you can recognize trace I would not worry to much about doing a lot of coloring. Practice making soap until you are comfortable with the process then start playing with coloring. Batter also does not need to be real thin to color

Thanks for your advice! I can recognize light trace and made many batches with colors/designs. However, I'm trying to understand what emulsification looks like so I can maximize my swirl time for the most intricate designs. I do think you guys are right though! It's just something you gotta keep working on. I'll try not to jump ahead of myself! Hehe. I'm sure you all understand my eagerness!!
Thanks again!

 

[chloe]

^^ this!

At a thin trace you have enough time for some simple stuff. I even manage to swirl a salt bar and they get very think very fast.

If you haven't made enough soap to know when you are really at emulsion and know very well which recipes it is best with and so on, I'd go to thin trace at the least

Thanks!! You're right. Lesson learned!

 

[shunt2011]

I too pour quite often at emulsification so that I can swirl etc....I've not had false trace except when I first started and didn't know what I was doing. However, I have had fo's that caused separation and ricing. It takes a lot of practice to recognize the different stages. Also different recipes will act differently.

I would just leave your soap sit and see what happens. Especially with high OO and full water. If it doesn't harden up then you can rebatch it.

 

[new12soap]

False trace can happen when you are using oils or butters that are solid at room temperature and you are soaping too cool. What happens is the fats re-solidify and the soap looks thicker (like trace) but what you are seeing is solid oil, not soap.

If/when you pour at false trace, the lye solution and the fats did not have enough time to get well acquainted and you will get separation in the mold. It's pretty unlikely you would get false trace with such a high OO recipe, but it's possible. And as shunt said, some very ornery fragrances can cause separation.

If your soap is still looking like pudding with no separation then yes you just have soft soap. I agree with everyone else, wait it out.

 

[chloe]

False trace can happen when you are using oils or butters that are solid at room temperature and you are soaping too cool. What happens is the fats re-solidify and the soap looks thicker (like trace) but what you are seeing is solid oil, not soap.

If/when you pour at false trace, the lye solution and the fats did not have enough time to get well acquainted and you will get separation in the mold. It's pretty unlikely you would get false trace with such a high OO recipe, but it's possible. And as shunt said, some very ornery fragrances can cause separation.

If your soap is still looking like pudding with no separation then yes you just have soft soap. I agree with everyone else, wait it out.

Thanks for the clarification! Your post really helped! Luckily my soaps are finally hardening!