Slimes used to be an intentionally disgusting toy or prank. Nickelodeon’s classic green slime was many peoples’ first introduction to the material in the late 1900’s and early 2000’s. It was used by Nickelodeon as a way to shock players or as a fun penalty. Slime was slipperier than Play-Doh, colored like a toxic waste that oozed out of a comicbook, and had a very distinctive scent. Imagine my surprise, when I started seeing slimes sold in stores that looked kind of pretty. Suddenly slimes were gorgeous blue-purples with cosmic glitter swirls, some had stuff floating in them like sprinkles and glow in the dark stars, and then I saw honest to goodness artisan slimes. They claimed they smelled like flowers, fruits, a sunset breeze. These were slimes that broke my mind. They looked beautiful. I had to try some.
Elmer's Gue
First, I needed to try a baseline for this new world of playful slimes. I opted for a 5 pound bucket of clear Elmer’s Gue. I got it partly because I liked the nameplay. Elmer’s Glue was the staple glue for every school project. Seeing Elmer’s drop the “L” to make Elmer’s Gue made me giggle.
Elmer’s Gue acted NOTHING like the slimes from my childhood. It was clear and very cohesive. It was extremely satisfying to play with once I figured out the trick. Pull the clear slime fast, and it came off super easy. Be at all cautious on a pull and it would stretch and cling to everything. Slimes from the 90’s were designed to make an absolute mess. This new slime honestly cleaned up pretty nicely. I did make the newbie mistake of getting slime in my hair. Good news, it comes out easily enough if you drench your hair in vinegar. The vinegar breaks the slime down and makes it super duper slid-y and it goops off with water.
I discovered I really, truly do not like inclusions in my slime. The plain Jane clear stuff was awesome. Adding in sprinkles drove my fingers nuts. All in all, I would rate Elmer’s Gue an 8/10. It was far more satisfying than I expected, smelled fine, was easy to work with, and I definitely got a lot of slime for my money.
Elmer’s Gue - 8/10
I learned a few lessons for future use.
1. A person should always wash their hands before playing with slimes. I also put my hair up in a ponytail to prevent loose strands from getting in the mix. This increases the lifespan of the slime. It’s no fun running into grit or hair the next time you pull your slime out.
2. Store slimes away from sunlight. Clear slimes are especially susceptible to UV radiation and will turn colors.
3. Store slimes in a tub that seals tight. This keeps them from drying out and withering.
4. Clean up slime by slapping more slime on it. It sounds counter-intuitive, but the mass of slime grabs the little remnants and lifts them off.
Momo Slimes
Armed with new knowledge, I decided to order from an incredibly high-end artisanal slime company that makes small batches and posts them up weekly. I ordered from Momo Slimes. I couldn’t help myself! Their youtube channel is absolutely addicting. They claimed so many different texture, scents, sounds, and interactions. I had to at least try.
I purchased three different styles on a restock; Rainy Day, Butterfly Pea Sorbet, and Fairy Soda. A small cardboard box arrived with three little tubs of slime. These are definitely not the economy Bucket o Slime. For comparison, a 5 pound bucket of Elmer’s Gue cost less than $20 with free shipping. The three little slimes I ordered from Momo cost a total of $68.44 with shipping.
The bar was set. Did I enjoy these fancy slimes more than a bucket of Gue?
The first thing I noticed was that the inclusions for most of the slimes were bagged separately. I really appreciated this as I am just not texturally happy with a lot of materials and like the feel of “just slime.” By having them separated, I can experiment with adding a little in to a sample piece, before doing an entire batch.
Rainy Day
This was the one I was most worried about. I’m not a fan of hard plastic-y bits in slime. The color was absolutely gorgeous. The cloud came in a separate container. Rainy Day is designed to have the cloud be mixed in with the rain by the owner, extra toppings are completely optional. Honestly, I was very pleasantly and unpleasantly surprised by this slime.
Unmixed, the slime is a beautiful blue color. The hard “rain” inclusions are actually really nice. The slime texture coats them and makes them not too abrasive. The rain ends up feeling like a scrub or like those toys from the 1990’s that were a bag full of little round beads that you could gush around. The unpleasant surprise actually came from the odor. Unmixed, the slime had a distinctly “bathroom powdery scent” as its front notes. Under that was a nice semi-floral clean scent. The slime is on the slightly wetter, stickier side.
So then, of course, I had to mix the cloud into the rain. I started with just a tiny chunk of both to make sure I would enjoy it before committing to the the entire slime. Right off the bat, I noticed the sharp powdery smell completely get neutralized by the cloud. The hand mixing process was super fun, but once that cloud is folded in there is no going back. The color shifts to look more like a cloud loaded with raindrows which is super cool. The texture becomes very fluffy marshmallow-y, it no longer feels wet at all. The raindrop inclusions become a lot more subtle and tricky to feel. I honestly liked both the pre-mixed version and the mixed version.
Rainy Day before mixing - 7/10
Rainy Day after mixing - 8/10
Fairy Soda
Fun fact, I actually ordered the wrong slime! I thought I ordered Fairy Water to test out a water slime, but I ended up ordering Fairy Soda instead. Water slimes will have to wait for another day, haha.
Unmixed, this is a fantastic slime. It’s a stunning crystal clear blue. The elderflower scent ends up smelling like a very nice watermelon scent. It acts just how you would want a clear slime to behave, the texture is superbly glossy. I love it to pieces.
Mixed, is another story entirely. I am so glad I mixed only a small sample section. I am sure, this texture and visual combo appeals to some people. The mixing agent is a white gooey, liquidy, styrofoam-ish thing. The mixing agent does smell strongly of apples and berries. When added to the beautiful crystal clear sapphire slime it turns into a messy, stringy, goop. The color mutes to a grey tone. The scents get muddled, I could not pick out the apple scent of the mixer nor the nice watermelon scent of the base. I am not a fan.
Fairy Soda before mixing - 9/10
Fairy Soda after mixing - 2/10
Butterfly Pea Sorbet
I love this slime very, very, much. Butterfly Pea Sorbet arrived as a two tone slime. The colors are STUNNING. The smell is incredible, just a wonderful sweet fruity scent. The scent is not overpowering, it’s not delicate, it just is very present and delightful. I was a little concerned to mix the colors but the end result is a gorgeous lilac. The texture is everything mixed Fairy Soda wanted to be, but better. There are inclusions of tiny butterflies but I could not bring myself to add them, even for reviewing purposes, because I love this slime so much as it is.
Butterfly Pea Sorbet before mixing - 10/10
Butterfly Pea Sorbet after mixing - 10/10
All in all, I was highly satisfied and deeply impressed with my Momo Slimes order. They are definitely a very different experience from something like Elmer’s Gue. The cost is still worth mentioning, these little tubs are not easy on the pocketbook. I would not recommend Momo Slimes for a generic kids’ party. However, if you have a kid who REALLY likes slime, a teenager, or an adult who absolutely loves sensory toys, these are definitely worth it. For generic play, go for the bucket o’ slime.
