You forgot the crystallization of the soap structure is part of the curing. The soap could be hard and water all evaporated, but the soap could still be arranging in a crystal structure. I noticed that the soap in the soap that I made before that the longer it cures the better the lather, even if all the water evaporated.
Update I mixed it for more than 40 minutes and I got not trace using a hand mixer and I didn't pulse I used it the full 40 minutes, I decided to heat in a double boiler for a few minutes to speed up the process then I mixed it a little again and poured it. The last few parts of the mixture seems to have reached medium trace. Will it be okay?
I use the zap test, my olive oil, palm olien, and coconut soap worked, but was too drying so I thought about trying tallow. What do you think about 40% lye concentration, is it good?
I am going to use essential oils, also the lye and oil reaction removes the smell. When I made a soap that is 44% Olive oil, it first had a very strong olive oil smell, but it went away as it cured.
I suspect that or air bubble trapped underneath, there was a lot of air bubbles.