Looking for a fun craft project to get stuck into with children over the Summer holidays? Washing your hands has never been so fun with these simple fish embedded soaps. Follow our simple step by step tutorial on how to make your very own.

You will need:

 

1. Cut the melt and pour white soap base into small chunks, this will make the melting process easier. Pop your microwavable jug onto the scales and measure your soap. Weigh out 250g of soap.

2. Microwave the soap for 20-30 second increments until the soap has melted fully with no chunks visible. Be sure not heat the soap above 75°c degrees as this is when the soap starts to scorch. We recommend only heating the soap up to 60°c degrees.

3. Next, spray a few sprays of rubbing alcohol into a separate pot and add a small amount of mica powder (half a teaspoon would be plenty). Mix this until the powder has become smoothly mixed into a liquid. This is a great way of getting the colour to disperse and blend into the soap base.

4. Next add the Flash Blue mica powder into the soap at around 60c. Then mix it until fully blended into the soap.

5. You will now want to measure out the fragrance oil. It is important to check the percentage in which you are able to add into the soap. The general rule of thumb for adding fragrances is around 2% but please check our IFRA statement on the Cosy Owl website. If it’s any less than 2% you will need to go with what the restricted amount is. For Ocean we have chosen to add 2% fragrance. This equals 5g of oil, use the weighing scales and a separate jug to get an accurate measurement.

6. The ideal temperature to add fragrance oil is 60°c degrees however please note that every fragrance oil has a different flash point. You can check the data sheets on each fragrance oil product page on the Cosy Owl website. Pour in your fragrance oil, for honey, this can be added at 60c as it’s flashpoint is higher. Thoroughly stir the fragrance into the mix.

7. Spray the mould with rubbing alcohol prior to adding any soap. This will help to pop any bubbles on the surface. Pour the blue liquid soap into the moulds and watch the swirly, shiny mica powder dance as it settles in the mould. You will want to fill the moulds just below half way into each mould, this will leave space for the toy and last layer of soap. Now spray the top surface of your soap with rubbing alcohol.

8. Cut the melt and pour Clear soap base into small chunks. Pop your microwavable jug onto the scales and measure your soap. Weigh out 250g of soap.

9. Microwave the soap in the same way as before for 20-30 second increments until the soap has melted fully with no chunks visible.

10. If the base layer of the soap is firm to the touch and has cooled, add the fish toy shapes on top in your desired positions. Then add a spray layer of rubbing alcohol on top.

11. Next, pour the clear liquid soap into the moulds to embed the fish. Fill the moulds so that the toys are covered and just to the top of the mould.

12. Now spray the surface with rubbing alcohol to pop the surface bubbles.

13. Wait for the soap to set, this can take around 30 minutes or until completely cool. Then de-mould your soap.

14. Your soap is now ready to enjoy, watch how the fish appear out of the soap the more you wash your hands. Reuse the toys for bath playtime!