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Chickensmitten ~ how did this ever turn out? Post pics!! please!
Also ~ I probably won't give the best answer, but I can try ~ superfatting is the amount of oils/fats that won't be reacting with the amount of lye given. They remain unsaponified. And yes, adding them at trace ensures that they remain free.
As to that stiffer trace ~ that depends ~ while reaching trace is important, don't let it go too long. Otherwise, you will end up with a pot full of seized soap! That almost happened with my zesty twist soap ~ I was hitting panic mode as the last bit of soap literally GLOP-SLOPPED out of the pan, into the mold. To make it worse, I had waited too long in adding the fragrance ( because I was worried about the citrus eo flashing off, like what happened with my 1st batch), so it was already at a thick trace, then I put in the eo, and whoooaaaa ~ things starting firming up FAST! I turned off the stick blender and started hand stirring fro everything I was worth! lol ~ I can laugh about it now, but I was in serious panic mode there for a bit.
This is what I have determined about trace ~ make certain that wherever you are at with your pot of soap, stirring it, that you have GOOD LIGHTING. This is critical, otherwise you can't see the trace very well. Another thing I have learned is that once you see little ~trails~ heading around in your soap, that's considered a light trace. So if you can drag your spoon or stick blender around, and see a little ~path~ or trail, well, you've reached a light trace.
Personally, I have never had a soap yet ( in all of my 8 batches, lol, like I said, I don't know much, but I will try to share what I do know) that traced looking like mashed potatoes. And once it gets to heavy custard/ pudding, you are almost at a sieze. That's why I look for the little trails or designs from your spoon or mixer. I kind of have to get the light just right to see it. Some people don't use trace to tell if it's reacting, (saponifying) instead they go with a temp increase. Once it starts to increase, the saponification process has begun, and they say it's then safe to pour.
I hope this helps some, and please post pics, I love to see everyone's pics!!
~Red