This post will make NO sense unless you have been following the great Shell Soap Saga of 2017 on my Insta stories!!! I’m gonna summarize it for you down below but for those already in the know.. we just had to do a shell soap inspired project!!! So we made shell soap inspired CHOCOLATES! Hahaha!! It’s very not us but also very hilarious to make these for your friends who also remember this mysterious phenomenon. Or just for your Grandma because she still has a bowl of the real thing sitting atop her toilet for going on… 30 years? I mean… don’t they look like the real thing!?!? Ha! I was dying making these. So perfect.
Okay, quick aside to catch those of you up who are all…. “Whaaa??” and to also conclude this extensive investigation.
Basically when we were in Palm Springs, we were up late one night chatting and someone brought up those 80’s shell soaps that basically every grandma had (has?) in their bathroom. We all VIVIDLY remembered going to a store at the mall and buying them out of wooden baskets, but none of us could remember what store! So I asked you guys on Instagram and NONE of us could agree OR find proof!
Some said The Body Shop but we had a 90’s Body Shop employee confirm that they sold shaped soaps, but not shells. Several said Crabtree & Evelyn and Pier 1. But neither of those felt right to me. Then, someone said JC Penney and THAT felt familiar. And then several of you found a shell soap manufacturer that was confirmed to have wholesaled to JC Penney. I think they were in the towel section or something… maybe!? But The Body Shop definitely had more of the display I was imagining… So I’ve concluded that I am thinking of two different things: 1) I was remembering purchasing shell soaps in JC Penney, but they were in the towel section and not in wooden baskets. And 2) I was remembering purchasing other shaped soaps (Like animals and the like) from The Body Shop and those were the ones in the wooden baskets.
PHEW. You still with me!?!? Hahahah! A lot of you were asking for a conclusion so I think that has to be it. Unless someone can find me other PHOTOGRAPHIC PROOF! Still haven’t managed to un-earth that.
Now back to the tutorial…
DIY Shell Soap Chocolates
Total Time: One Hour
Supplies
Candy Melts (We used light pink, blue, purple and green plus white!)
Shell Molds (We used this one and this one)
Microwave-Safe Bowl
Spoon
Wooden Baskets
Tiny Wicker Baskets (We found ones like these at our local craft store!)
Rafia/Excelsior
Saran Wrap (For Proper Packaging)
Directions
1. First you gotta melt your candy melts! To get the 80s pastel colors we used a ratio of approx. 1 part color to 3 parts white. You can always add more white or color if necessary! Place the candy melts in a microwave safe bowl and heat at 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until it is completely smooth.
2. Pour the mixture into the molds and place in the fridge to set.
3. Once set, pop the chocolates out of the molds and clean them if necessary. Now it's time to make the other half, so the shells are completely 3D!
4. Repeat steps 1 and 2. But this time, only place them in the fridge for a few minutes until they are partially set. Then, pull them out and place one of your already done shell-halves on top of each one. Return to the fridge to set completely.
5. Remove from molds and use a butter knife to remove any excess chocolate that seeped out of the sides of the molds.
6. Wrap each individually in saran wrap and package and cute little baskets!!
I’d like to thank you all for your investigative work. Grandparents were called, moms were texted, former 90’s mall employees were consulted… you all went HARD on this and I’m obsessed with each of you even more now. WE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE!! Haha!! So glad our little team wasn’t the only one who was baffled by this mystery. May it rest in peace.
p.s. Birthday Cake Soap!
p.p.s. My mint letters for my letter board are from here!
Michelle says
They look just like those soaps, amazing! I guess I would be a bit reluctant before eating them, fearing they would be the real thing!
https://www.makeandmess.com/
Kelly says
Haha! That’s what Jeff said! 😉 Fair enough!!
Paige Flamm says
I love these! Totally reminds me of my own home growing up!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
Kelly says
Ahh thanks Paige!! So funny how we ALL had these in our house!
Kristina B says
I cannot BELIEVE you made these. This is HYSTERICAL!!!!
I love it!!!
Kelly says
HAD to do it!! Haha!
Damaris Velazquez says
BAZINGA!
You solved the mystery, and found a great way to incorporate it into a fun project.
Did you taste the chocolates?
Eerie much?
lol
Kelly says
Haha!! I did AND it tastes MUCH better than soap. 😉
Mia says
OMG perfect conclusion to the saga! Love that you went edible on this 😛
Kelly says
Ha! Thanks Mia!!
Les says
Haha! Imagine gifting these and telling Grama they’re chocolates….but she puts them in the bathroom because she doesn’t believe you.
OR April fools! Tell someone they’re soap and then they try to wash their hands with chocolates!
I’m evil. 😏
Hopefully one day, when you least expect it, out of the blue, they will appear to you.
…but also, my sister had me watching all sorts of conspiracy videos 🙈 and….what if were remembering them right but they’re part of another multiverse now. 😔 which is why we can’t rememberwhere people got them….or find them.
Gah!
Cayla says
so fun! i’m glad to hear the conclusion – loved following along in your insta stories!!!
Helen says
These shell soap-inspired chocolates are awesome! And I’m glad you finally solved the saga. I was following along on Insta stories and was wondering the outcome myself. 😀
-Helen
http://www.sweethelengrace.com
Amanda says
Just like my grandmas!
Claire - StartACraftBlog says
OMG! MY HANDS ARE UP! These are so awesome. I can even smell the soaps and that little wicker basket with shredded tissue paper that they came with!
I also need to get to my hands on that letter board and those mint letters.
Erin says
I could’ve sworn that Shell Chocolates already existed. Is it just me?
Cinzia says
I remember this kind of soap. They existed in France too. 🙂