When people think of liquid soap, what comes to mind is usually those plastic bottles you find at the drug store or supermarket. But liquid soap doesn't have to be boring and utilitarian. Up your soap game with these gorgeous liquid soap dispensers that you can fill with artificial flowers. You can even float jewelry beads in the soap for some serious bling action. What great gifts they would make for Valentine's Day or Mother's Day. Or make a few for your own bathroom, and turn every day into a spa day.
Video of the Day
Things You'll Need
Clear glass soap dispensers
Glass beads
Artificial flowers
Clear liquid soap refill
Funnel
Jewelry beads
Wire
Step 1: Select Your Bottles
Clear glass and plastic soap dispenser bottles are available at online stores. While some people might prefer plastic for safety reasons, I like the clarity of glass bottles. They are thicker than plastic and are better at magnifying the contents of the bottle.
Video of the Day
Bottles are typically either 8 or 16 ounces. I chose the 16-ounce bottles because there would be more room for flowers. You'll also notice that bottles will have different sizes of openings at the top. The bottle pictured on the left has a very small opening, so you are limited in what you can fill it with, whereas the one on the right has a very wide opening and will accommodate larger items. I'll show how to work with both bottles.
Step 2: Test Colorfastness of Flowers
Not all artificial flowers are created equally. Some might bleed color when exposed to moisture. Before placing any flowers in the bottles, test them for colorfastness in a small bowl filled with the liquid soap. If no dyes are released, the flowers are good to go.
Step 3: Fill the Bottles
We'll start with the dispenser bottle that has the larger opening. I like to start with some colored glass beads that will complement the flowers to come. Do not completely cover the bottom with glass beads; the dispenser tube has to reach down all the way to the bottom, so we don't want any blockage there. You just need enough to add a little color.
Then cut a stem or bud of an artificial flower to fit inside the bottle. Because of the wide mouth, it should go in easily.
If you're working with a dispenser bottle that has a narrow mouth, you will have to choose artificial flowers that can be squeezed through the opening. And glass beads definitely would not fit.
Once they've squeezed past the mouth, they will fluff up again. It's like putting a ship in a bottle.
Step 4: Add Liquid Soap
Fill the bottles with liquid soap. If your hands aren't too steady, and especially if you're pouring the soap into a narrow-mouth bottle, you'll want to use a funnel. As you pour the soap, there will be a lot of tiny bubbles. Don't worry—they will slowly dissipate on their own, and your beautiful soap bottle will be crystal clear.
Step 5: Adjust the Flowers
As the liquid soap is poured into the bottle, it might flatten the flowers or move them out of place. Insert the tube attached to the pump dispenser and use it to adjust the placement of your flowers. Then leave the tube in the bottle and screw the cap on tightly.
Step 6: Adding Jewelry Beads
For the ultimate in luxury, it would be beautiful to drop jewels in the liquid soap. But, of course, no one is going to sacrifice their jewelry for the sake of this project. Fortunately, inexpensive jewelry beads are available at the crafts store, and they look impressive floating in the soap. However, beads don't float—they sink to the bottom. To make it look like they are indeed floating, we have to first thread them through wire. After connecting a strand of beads, curl the wire to give them some movement.
Position several strands in the bottle. Their shape will stay in place because of the wire. Drop a few loose beads on the bottom as well, if you wish. Then pour the soap into the bottle.
After you screw on the dispenser pump, wrap a strand of jewelry around the top of the bottle for some extra bling.
These liquid soap dispensers definitely know how to make a splash.
