This viral water slime has been all over my feed, so of course I had to make it. 😂 It’s jiggly, stretchy, makes HUGE bubbles, and the craziest part is there’s absolutely no glue in it.
After testing it myself, here’s the exact recipe I used, what worked, and a few things I learned along the way.
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
What You’ll Need
1½ tablespoons guar gum
This is what gives the water slime its thicker, stretchy texture.
About 3 tablespoons vegetable glycerin
Glycerin helps with the feel and stretch of the finished slime.
Add ½ gallon of water
Food coloring (optional)
I used Sky Blue for mine, but you can use any color you want.
Borax activator
Mix 1 teaspoon borax into 1 cup warm water until dissolved.
How to Make Water Slime
1. Start with 1½ tablespoons of guar gum
2. Add the glycerin. Add about 3 tablespoons vegetable glycerine and mix until fully incoporated.
3. Add 1/2 Gallon of Water. Stir until everything is well combined.
4. Add your color. Add a small amount of food coloring and mix until you get the color you want.
5. Activate it slowly.
Start adding your borax activator a little at a time, mixing thoroughly between additions.
For my batch, I used about 4 squirts of activator total.
Don’t dump a bunch in at once. You can always add more, but once it’s overactivated, it’s harder to fix.
6. Let the texture develop.
Continue mixing and working the slime as it thickens. The guar gum needs time to hydrate, so don’t assume something went wrong if the texture isn’t perfect immediately.
Once it comes together, you should have a super jiggly water slime that stretches enough to make those ridiculously satisfying bubbles.
Chelly’s Tips
Go easy on the activator. Too much can make water slime rubbery and cause it to rip instead of stretching.
Don’t overdo the guar gum. More guar gum does make the mixture thicker, but too much can also give you a rubbery texture.
Give it time. The texture can continue changing as the guar gum fully hydrates.
Make your activator separately. Never add dry borax directly to the slime.
Troubleshooting
My water slime is too runny:
Give it a little time first. If it still needs help, add a very small amount of activator, mix thoroughly, and check it again before adding more.
It’s too thick or rubbery:
You may have used too much guar gum or activator. Try working in a small amount of water gradually.
It keeps ripping when I try to make bubbles:
It may be overactivated or simply need more time to hydrate. The goal is enough structure to hold the bubble without making the slime stiff.
Everything I Used
Guar Gum
Shop the exact one I used →
Vegetable Glycerin I use this glycerin often. I linked a smaller size here since it makes more sense for most home batches.
Shop the glycerin I use →
Food Coloring
Shop the exact one I used →
Borax
Shop the exact one I use for activator →
Some links above are affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you purchase through them at no additional cost to you.
There's Always Another Experiment
I’m always experimenting with new slime textures, no-glue recipes, and internet recipes that look just questionable enough that somebody needs to test them. 😂
Want to see what I try next? Keep scrolling and join the Loopies below.