For the kids, we made a clear glycerin soap with toy fish embedded inside. (They will make sure to wash and rub themselves trying to get to the fish.) Then we made a scented oatmeal soap for the adults. Cardboard gift boxes were used to make the soap. Then after we're done, we use the boxes to wrap our soaps and make gifts.
Cut the glycerin soap into thin slices. One bar of soap per jeweler is needed..
Place the soap slices in the top rack of a double boiler.
Fill the bottom of the double boiler halfway with water. Melt the soap with the top pan. Glycerin soap melts much faster than regular soap.
Cut the wax paper to size so you can line the inside of the jewelry boxes, making sure the edges extend past the box. Use your fingers to spread a thin layer of coconut oil on the wax paper. This will help the soap come off the wax paper easily after cooling.
Once the soap has melted, pour half of it into the lined jewelry box. Let stand for two minutes before adding the toy figures. When adding plastic figures to soap, always use glycerin soap because it is transparent.
Let sit again for a few minutes, placing the pot of soap back on the double boiler so it doesn't harden.
Pour the remaining soap over the plastic figurines, being careful not to fill them so much that it spills over the edge of the jewelry box. Let stand for 10 minutes before moving to a cool place to harden.
Once the soap has hardened, remove it from the jewelry box by pulling on the edges of the wax paper.
Gently remove the wax paper from the soap, then wrap it in new wax paper.
Wrap the soap in pretty paper and put it back in the box. Decorate it with more wrapping paper or a bow.
Follow the same procedure, but use bar soap instead of glycerin soap. Additional ingredients include:2 tablespoons rosemary (or lavender), 2 tablespoons ground oatmeal (use a blender), 1 tablespoon coconut oil, and a few spritzes of perfume or cologne.
Bar soap is considerably harder than glycerin, so you may need a grater to crush the soap.
Before melting in the double boiler, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of rosemary or lavender.
Add a few tablespoons of raw oatmeal.
Lightly perfume the soap with a perfume spray.
Once melted, the soap will not run off as easily as glycerin. Use a wooden spoon to scoop it out and another to push the soap into the lined jewelry box.
Cut another piece of wax paper to lay over the top and press down on the soap with your fingers to distribute it evenly in the box. Let cool and harden. Then remove the wax paper and wrap it.
