Easy 3-Ingredient Fluffy Slime (with VIDEO)

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Ever since we first published our fluffy, squishy (secret ingredient) slime recipe almost 3 years ago, I’ve been getting requests to make a fluffy slime without the use of liquid starch or diaper crystals… so it’s about time that I developed this easy 3-ingredient Fluffy Slime recipe!

The easiest and best slime recipe out there - this 3-ingredient fluffy slime doesn't use borax or liquid starch and results in a fluffy, squishy stretchy slime that you just have to play with to believe!

My hesitation for the past three years has really been that we enjoy our original fluffy slime and most of the requests have not been made in the nicest way. I’ve received some scathing comments over the years about letting my daughter (and her friends) play with diaper crystals on that warm summer day so for the most part, I ignored the nasty comments and continued making slimes at my daughter’s request – from our rainbow slime to this frozen snow slime.

However, I definitely see the need to use something other than diaper crystals – I mean, who wants to go out and buy diapers just to make fluffy slime?!

This simple and fluffy slime is borax- and liquid starch free, so you can let kids play with it with confidence

So, with the intention to make a fluffy slime with common household ingredients in mind – we started experimenting!

Since we made our first fluffy slime 3 years ago, a few new recipes have come out – but none of them were really hitting the spot for us. For me, making slime should be quick and easy because the mess management and clean-up can sometimes be time-consuming. (Not because slime has to be messy… but because my daughter is a mess monster.)

A simple slime recipe that needs just 3 ingredients - possibly some you already have on hand

The most popular recipe I was finding online used foam soap, hand lotion, contact solution, shaving cream, corn starch, water, and borax – waaay too many ingredients for me.

I loved the idea to use shaving cream to make a recipe fluffy – in fact, that’s what I use to make our fluffy puff paint – but when I first tried it with liquid starch a couple years ago, it did not compare to our original fluffy slime.

And I hate using borax in slime. Hate it. I’m not anti-borax, but it’s sooo tricky to get right. After one too many ruined slimes I only use borax now in my homemade laundry detergent.

Oh my gosh, will you look at this amazing fluffy slime! Such a simple slime recipe, too

However, during our searches we found this new genius solution of using contact solution (one that contains boric acid as an active ingredient) to make bubble slime and I wondered if it would work to make fluffy slime… and by jove, it worked!

It’s a little “stickier” than our other slime recipes – but you can easily wipe the slime off your hands by sliding or rolling your hands together. It will stick to fabric, but comes off easily with some vinegar or a good soak in water – just be sure to wear an old t-shirt and if your house is fully carpeted, lay down a towel or cheap tablecloth.

Slime can require a bit of experimentation and patience, especially if you’re still new to it. If you run into any slime fails, check out this troubleshooting post to help fix your slime.

Before we get to the recipe, I had to tell you that it’s finally here! I wrote The (Ultimate) Slime Book oozing with over 50 pages of stretchable, squishy sensory fun – including a year of seasonal slimes, edible slimes and unique ways to play with slime. Click here to get more details.

You can purchase The Slime Book on Amazon, Book Depository, or at your local bookstore!

OK, without any further ramblings on my part, I present to you an Easy 3-Ingredient Fluffy Slime recipe that doesn’t use liquid starch or diaper crystals! This slime is stretchy, fluffy, clean to clean up and a complete sensory delight.

Be sure to check out our newest slime recipes – STRETCHY BUBBLE SLIME or EDIBLE CANDY SLIME!

And if you love our fun play ideas, you can subscribe to our weekly newsletter (over there in the sidebar) or follow us on Instagram for more fun ideas!

Check out our video for how to make this easy 3-ingredient fluffy slime and then scroll down to get your free printable recipe:

 
 
How to make fluffy slime with just 3 ingredients - the perfect simple slime recipe

Ingredients to Make Fluffy Slime

SCROLL DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE POST FOR A FREE PRINTABLE AND EXACT MEASUREMENTS – you need to ensure you are making it properly (read the directions) because just combining all of the ingredients without reading the directions won’t work 🙂

Tip: the contact solution must contain boric acid as an active ingredient. I linked the brand I used above. Contact solution is a diuretic so please don’t let young kids handle it and ensure your child washes their hands after playing with the slime as a precaution.

Second tip: slime is not something you can reliably measure. It’s by look and feel, so go slow and adjust as necessary. And knead, knead, knead.

Third tip: I highly advice ordering your glue online because stores are currently experiencing a shortage – my store only had 3 tiny bottles when I was there yesterday. If you’re in a pinch, hardware stores sell it in bulk!

Tools You May Find Helpful

  • Large bowl
  • Spatula <– I like these spatulas because they are one solid piece and don’t have removable heads for bacteria to get trapped underneath. Plus they are heat-resistant and have a lifetime warranty.
  • Lots of wet rags
  • Vinegar, for clean-up(yes, vinegar will effectively take slime out of hair, carpet, clothes… guess how I know?)
Oh my goodness, would you look at this AMAZING fluffy slime. I just want to sink my hands into it right now

How to Make Fluffy Slime

Empty your glue into a large bowl.

How to make the perfect fluffy slime without borax

Add glitter or food dye as desired and stir it in.

You can make your simple slime any color you want with a bit of food dye

Start adding in the shaving cream. We emptied most of our 283g shaving cream canister into the slime mixture – but just keep adding until you don’t feel like there is any “just glue” left.  It will continue to get thick and puffy.

If you have sensitive skin, be sure to buy a gentle shaving cream for this simple fluffy slime recipe

The below picture is for reference – still too much glue/too liquidy.

How to make 3 ingredient fluffy slime - step-by-step pictures takes you through every step in the process of making the perfect fluffy slime

Next, add in the contact solution. *Note: I did this step. Contact solution and eye drops can cause diarrhea if consumed, so please keep it out of reach of young kids. It’s not a risk on their hands as long as they wash their hands after playing with the slime (before eating).*

I added it in slowly, but we ended up using an entire bottle so you can definitely add 1/2 cup of solution at a time, and then start adding smaller amounts towards the end.

The contact solution serves as your “slime activator.”

Using saline solution allows you to skip borax or liquid starch in making this unbelievable fluffy slime recipe

Keep stirring everything with your spatula and adjust as needed.

The slime will start to form a large mass – this is what you want

This easy fluffy slime recipe just looks like a big squishy cloud

Once the slime is cohesive, no longer sticky or appearing to have any liquid in the mixture, start kneading the slime – this is going to help it be less sticky (just like making homemade play dough).

Knead the slime for at least 2-3 minutes before adding any more ingredients to adjust (you will likely need to add just contact solution).

When the slime has been thoroughly kneaded and adjusted, give it to the kids in a clean, wide-open area that you don’t mind getting a little messy.

…And stand back.

Pin this easy 3-ingredient Fluffy Slime:

How to make a quick and easy fluffy slime with just 3 household ingredients. This is one of the fluffiest, stretchiest and squishiest slimes we have ever played with!

Grab your free printable recipe card for our easy fluffy slime recipe:

Yield: 8 cups

Easy 3-Ingredient Fluffy Slime (with VIDEO)

Easy 3-Ingredient Fluffy Slime (with VIDEO)

A fun and easy tutorial for how to make fluffy slime. This 3-ingredient Fluffy Slime is viral for a reason!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Difficulty Easy
Estimated Cost $5

Materials

  • 1 litre OR Quarter Gallon White School Glue
  • 8-10 cups shaving cream (less than a full canister)
  • 1-12oz bottle contact lens (saline) solution - this is the brand I used
  • Food dye, optional

OR for a smaller portion:

  • 1 cup glue
  • 3 cups shaving cream
  • 5+ Tablespoons contact lens solution (this will need to be adjusted based on your slime - things like humidity and type of shaving cream will mean you need more or less)

Tools

  • Mixing bowl
  • Spatula
  • Measuring cups and spoons

Instructions

  1. Empty your glue into a large bowl. Add glitter or food dye as desired and stir it in.
  2. Start adding in the shaving cream. We emptied most of our 283g shaving cream canister into the slime mixture - but just keep adding until you don't feel like there is any "just glue" left. It will continue to get thick and puffy.
  3. Next, add in the contact solution. We added it in slowly, but we ended up using an entire bottle so you can definitely add 1/2 cup of solution at a time, and then start adding smaller amounts towards the end. The contact solution serves as your "slime activator."
  4. Keep stirring everything with your spatula and adjust as needed.
  5. Once the slime is cohesive, no longer sticky or appearing to have any liquid in the mixture, start kneading the slime - this is going to help it be less sticky (just like making homemade play dough).
  6. Knead the slime for at least 3 minutes before adding any more ingredients to adjust.
  7. When the slime has been thoroughly kneaded and adjusted, give it to the kids in a clean, wide-open area that you don't mind getting a little messy.
  8. ...And stand back.

Notes

Tip: the contact solution must contain boric acid as an active ingredient. I linked the brand I used above. Contact solution is a diuretic so please don't let young kids handle it and ensure your child washes their hands after playing with the slime as a precaution.

Second tip: slime is not something you can reliably measure. It's by look and feel, so go slow and adjust as necessary.

Third tip: I highly advice ordering your glue online because stores are currently experiencing a shortage - my store only had 3 tiny bottles when I was there yesterday. If you're in a pinch, hardware stores sell it in bulk!

Pin this Project for Later

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

I hope your kids (and you) love this easy 3-ingredient fluffy slime recipe – and if it gets on clothes or hair, it will come off really quickly with just a little bit of vinegar, just like all of our other slime recipes.

A couple of blogging friends have also tried contact solution and eye drops in their posts. Shelley made a stretchy slime with saline solution and Sarah made a stretchy slime with borax.

For more fun sensory play ideas, be sure to check out our full collection of Slime Recipes:

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122 Comments

        1. Hi Sherry – what’s confusing you? The point of making slime?
          Or is the recipe unclear?
          RE: making slime, the point is just having some fun sensory play. Similar to why one should bother with play dough, it’s just a different substance that allows for different sensory stimulation. Sensory play is important for stimulating young brains to make connections about their world.
          If slime is a bit too out there for you, water play, play dough, or a sensory bin are other ways to achieve the same results.

          1. 1 cup glue
            3 cups shaving cream
            5+ Tablespoons contact lens solution (this will need to be adjusted based on your slime – things like humidity and type of shaving cream will mean you need more or less)

    1. It lasts for quite a while (so far a week for us) – we’ve been experimenting this week with ways to transform it into new types of slime.
      We always keep ours in tupperwear containers for reusing.

    2. Yes I have made slime before and it lasts for a few months or weeks depending on how well you handle and put it away. But otherwise it’s so fun!??

    1. Yes – the texture will be slightly different but it will work 🙂 We have a new version coming up next week that uses borax because some people are having trouble finding that contact solution.

      1. How much borax and water is needed? I have everything and the kids and I are desperately searching for the recipe with the borax included. ?

        1. Hi Cat –
          This recipe doesn’t call for borax. Are you looking to use the borax in place of the contact solution??
          If using it in place of the contact solution (which won’t have quite the same results), dissolve 1/2 TABLESPOON of borax in 1/2 CUP HOT water. Let cool before proceeding with making the slime.

      2. As much as I’m not a fan of Walmart. They carry the equate brands. At least they do where my parents live.

    1. It is – but you can just wipe your hands against each other to remove it. (Similar to how oobleck stays on skin but is super easy to wipe off without a towel or washing, if you’ve ever played with that.)
      If you want it to be less sticky, add a bit of liquid starch, I just wanted to make a recipe without it. (I’ll have a more play-dough like slime posted next week.)

  1. So simply do not use this recipe and look elsewhere. No need for the negative comment in this thread full of positive vibes!

  2. My daughter thoroughly wishes she had been born into you family! 🙂 I don’t let her make this stuff very often and she loves it lol.

  3. I was going to make St. Patrick’s Day clear slime with confetti last week and NO ONE had clear glue! I called Michales, two Hobby Lobby, Target and three Walmarts. I was so disappointed!
    It was too late to order online for my students. There was white glue though. Very odd.

    1. I know – it’s insane! We’ve been making slime for about 3 years and it’s really a craze now. If you can order it, that’s definitely easiest but I’ve been told that hardware stores sell PVA glue in bulk so next time, you can try calling your local hardware store and checking?

      1. My friend and I were making this…..turned out way too sticky….tried to add more saline….didn’t want it to get hard

        1. Hi Abby,
          If you read the post I do say that this is stickier than our typical slime but it should wipe off hands and all surfaces very easily. You can add a bit of borax-and-water solution or liquid starch if you don’t want it at all sticky.
          We used a full bottle of the saline solution (which MUST contain boric acid) to make our slime. It won’t get hard.

          1. My daughter’s and I have made this a few times and to make it less sticky just add more shaving cream. It helps with the stickiness and makes it more foamy.

          2. Thanks for sharing, Ashley!
            Yes, I used a FULL 283g bottle of shaving cream. I tried to give measurements but I also said in the post that it takes a bit of experimentation and adjustment because different products, the humidity in your house, etc, will all lead to slightly different results.
            I’m sad that some people didn’t get our results, so I appreciate comments like yours – when you come back and let us know which adjustments worked for you so that people understand that a bit of adjustment will lead to some awesome results.

          1. OMG I am very sorry , my son was using my laptop for slime recipes and I see that he has written a comment! He won’t get away with this disrespectful behavior without punishment!!!! Very sorry and the recipe is great!! Thank you and sorry again

            Kind regards
            Nelson ??

  4. How to make a quick and easy fluffy slime with just 3 household ingredients. This is one of the fluffiest, stretchiest and squishiest slimes we have ever played with!

    1. Hi Cynthia,
      Try taking out a cup of liquidy slime and focus on getting that slime-y by adding the contact solution. It will come together more quickly so you know that the recipe works and don’t feel like you’re wasting time with the bigger batch (double check that it has boric acid as an active ingredient). You can also add a bit of liquid starch or borax (dissolve 1/2 Tablespoon in 1/2 cup HOT water) if you want it to come together quickly.
      It’s easier to do it as a smaller batch than a big batch – the big batch took almost 10 minutes to really come together because I kept adding the contact solution slowly.

  5. Wow! This looks like so much fun to make and to play with, can’t wait to have a go!
    If I put it in a sealed container will it last? Regards Sheila

      1. What else did you have to do to make the sun catchers? Did you have to heat them- or just let them dry overnight?

    1. Their clothing would have to be soaked in water or vinegar for the slime to come off (I just soaked her clothes in a bucket of water because she kept rubbing it in the front of her shirt) so if you have access to plastic painting smocks, those would be ideal.

    1. Hi Ruth,
      Maybe it goes by a different name in Australia – it’s the liquid/solution that people soak their contacts in at night. It can be found in pharmacies and major grocery stores, most likely.

    2. Hi I live in Australia. I know Coles and Woolworths sell the contact lens solution because I have seen it; I think it is near tooth paste etc. Borax is often used in gardening or for cleaning too. I have seen it in supermarkets too; I think in the cleaning isle.

  6. This formula is amazing! On my first try, I made super pretty pink slime with a good consistency. Thank you so much for posting this!

  7. Is the slime very sticky?? Does it stick to your hands?? Also love that there’s only three ingredients I will have to try it, but here in Australia Elmers glue is pretty expensive so I will have to see where I can find it. Thanks for the recipe!! 🙂

  8. I love your fun “messy” projects. I’ve run a home-based preschool since 1998 and as it evolved, I learned that making our products are way more fun than buying them. It gets the kids involved in the process so they can appreciate their concoctions more thoroughly. I just recently had to close our preschool (19 years later) due to an illness and I’ve been toying with the idea of running a co-op enrichment class that varies on times and days. Your site gives so much inspiration. If I use any of these fun activities, I will be sure to post pictures and share with you to let you see just how much fun you are providing other’s children. Thanks for the images along with the easy instructions. It will be a fun change for us to move from a 12 hour a day business to a 2-4 hour a day business, with parent’s help. Thanks again for your great blog. Patty

    1. Aw thank you – and I hope you do pursue the co-op. I’m trying to find balance between my preschool and my “job that pays the bills” but it’s hard to give up what they add to my day <3 I think a short, 2-4 hour program is perfect!

  9. This was a huge hit with my second grade class today! Thank you for giving an easy recipe that they could follow along with me; first batch, I made by myself – the second batch, they were able to tell me the ingredients and mix everything up together.

    Thank you again! <3 Definitely sharing your recipe with other teachers.

  10. Could you make this and play with it in a sealed plastic bag? I’ve done other types of sensory play with paint and hair gel/glitter etc. I was thinking this would also work, but wasn’t sure how this in a bag resulted into play. Thoughts?

  11. This seems like a fun one to try with my guy.

    For future recipes that call for “diaper crystals” you can actually purchase by the bucket from your local hardware store in the paint department. It’s the same crystal in products to dry up paint to make it safe to dispose.

  12. Saline solution contains Boric Acid—which is the same ingredient as Borax.

    If you truly want Borax free—look for food grade slime.

    1. The boric acid in contact solution is a completely different compound than borax.
      We also have several edible (boric acid-free, borax-free, liquid starch-free) slimes on the site, but that wasn’t the purpose of this recipe – it was to provide a fluffy slime without the use of diaper crystals

  13. As I am an adult with no children I will be making this for myself. Also I used to work in a diaper lab and the crystals (SAP or super absorbent polymer) is kind of totally harmless. You could eat it and you would be fine. It probably wouldn’t taste especially good but I think I’ve heard that it’s used in some diet pills as an appetite depressant (it swells and fills your stomach)

    1. Awesome, you’re going to love it!
      We loved our diaper slime – the link is at the top of the post – and I personally had no issues with it but we’ve had requests for years now to develop a fluffy slime that doesn’t use it so I figured it was time.
      (And that’s really cool to know!)

  14. Hi Jen: I do not see your recipe for measurements and would like to try in class. Do you have this recipe? I would love to make it. Thank you.

    1. Hi Susan,
      The measurements are on the printable recipe – just under the picture of my daughter plunging both hands in where it says: “Grab your free printable for our easy fluffy slime recipe:”

  15. This looks fun so I tried to buy the slime book. My paypal went through but the link wouldn’t download because it was on my phone. Could the link be emailed so I can download to my laptop and enjoy all the recipes?

  16. HELP!
    What do you do if it’s too runny? Add more shaving cream? Or glue? I may have added too much contact lens solution….

      1. Did so — used a bottle and a half of contact solution, and kneaded a few times.
        Ah well. 🙂 I don’t have the touch for this slime. Not this time, anyway.

        1. Aha!! This is what I didn’t know about the contact solution. I found this on another recipe:

          **Important: your brand of contact lens solution must have boric acid and sodium borate in the ingredient list. This is what interacts with the glue to form the slime. If slime does not form it is typically due to the contact lens solution not having these ingredients. Check your label and see the recommended brand above in our ingredient list.

          1. I actually say it twice in this post, too :O LOL

            “Tip: the contact solution must contain boric acid as an active ingredient. I linked the brand I used above. Contact solution is a diuretic so please don’t let young kids handle it and ensure your child washes their hands after playing with the slime as a precaution.”

  17. Too messy, sticky for our crew…made this with my four grandkids…will try a different recipe another day!

    1. Hi Jacqueline,
      Did you try making the “single serve” version first as suggested in the post? The BIG batch is hard to get right if you’re not used to making slime, which is why I suggest starting with the smaller batch to make sure you know to make it before attempting the big one.
      If it was messy or sticky, it may have needed more kneading, or more contact solution. I always knead first for a couple of minutes before adding additional contact solution. It’s like play dough in that regard – you have to knead it well.

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  19. This turned out to be so much fun!!! I wish I could share pictures. We have the supervised version pictures and the unsupervised version pictures!!! My girls loved it. They wore old clothes thank goodness but I’m still trying to save them in the wash?. Ended up spraying them with the water hose afterwards!!! Definitely was a messy project but could easily be a neater one! However, how often do you plan on making this at home so go all out and let them have a fun mess!!! Anyhow, thanks for the recipe!

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