It’s almost time to head back to school and we’ve got you covered with a cute project that will get the year started off right! Whether you’re a student who already needs to blow off steam, or you’re making teachers gifts to work your way into their good graces, you’ll love this school of fish shower steamers project!

To make this project you’ll need to have your favorite shower steamer recipe ready to go. After having numerous batches fail over the years, we finally formulated our own version and said goodbye to crumbly batches that quit holding together halfway through. Of course you can use any steamer recipe of your choice, but we love the BFF Shower Steamers and Soothers Recipe and Process Guide. 

Since this recipe doesn’t contain any oil other than the essential oils, it doesn’t contain polysorbate 80, however we do get asked from time to time whether or not polysorbate 80 can be added, and it might be something you are also wondering about! If you have any concerns that the colorant might stain, if you want to add additional oils, or if you are concerned about the essential oil being slippery in the shower, then polysorbate 80 might be a great ingredient to add.

We’ve never had the colorant leave a stain, and there is only a fraction of a gram of essential oil in each steamer, however we still want you to know that you can in fact add polysorbate 80 if you want! You don’t need to reduce anything else in the recipe to make room for this ingredient, although I did find that I needed less witch hazel than what is called for. I added 5 grams of poly 80 to a half batch of our shower steamers recipe.

To create this adorable back-to-school project, I used a goldfish multi-mini mold from Soapfistication. 3D printed bath bomb molds are a great way to make your products stand out, and this mold is no exception! Every time I bring out goldfish shaped bath bombs people go nuts for them, so I’m sure these shower steamers are also going to be a hit!

The easiest way to use a hybrid mold like this is to first tightly pack them with shower steamer mix, scrape the back flat with a knife or pastry cutter, tap the mold with a spoon around the edges, then flip it over onto your tray! As you lift up, the steamers will slide right out. If any get stuck, just give the mold another tap.I know this process can seem a little scary at first, but you’ll get the hang of them in no time. If you want even more help, you can check out our Facebook live directory where we have hundreds of livestream videos you can watch to see how to use these molds.

To complete the goldfish look, I used a mica from Nurture Soap Handmade called Mango Tango! It’s a nice bright orange and I use it in soaps and bath bombs all the time. Since these shower steamers have menthol in them you’ll want to choose fragrances and essential oils that pair well with mint. I used orange essential oil for a bright start to my day. I love waking up in the morning and taking a shower with these, and I’m sure teachers and students alike will appreciate them as well.

To package these, I used organza bags, which makes it easy to hang the steamers from the faucet–or even the shower head if you’re really brave! I also made sure to clearly label these for use in the shower, emphasizing that they are not intended to be used as bath bombs. These gifts are going to be sent to my favorite teachers and I hope they are a bright start to the school year!

If you’d like to learn more about polysorbate 80 and its function in bath bombs, you can check out this video! I hope you enjoyed this project, and encourage you come check out our Facebook group! We love sharing inspiration and seeing what you guys create! Happy Making