If you’ve talked to a 12 year old in the past couple of months, you’ve probably heard all about the slime craze. Gaining its popularity through social media, people, especially elementary and middle schoolers are obsessing over online videos that teach you how to make slime. Although slime recipes vary, they nearly all require mixing glue and borax as a base, before adding in additional ingredients to make the slime unique.
So what’s the hype all about? For starters, making slime is super meditative. Just like any arts & craft, this activity is pretty simple and relaxing to make. Not only is the process therapeutic, but feeling the slime is too. There are tons of varieties of slime–sparkly, thick, edible, crunchy, etc.–each of which are oddly satisfying in their own way. You can squeeze it, poke it, pull it, the opportunities for playing with it are endless. But slime isn’t just oddly satisfying to touch, it’s also oddly satisfying to watch other people make it. And now, more and more Youtubers are jumping on the bandwagon and making their own slime videos.
One of the pioneers of the slime craze, 23-year-old Karina Garcia, started her channel in just 2015, but already has nearly 6.5 million subscribers. Complete with DIYs, hacks, and challenges for all things slime, Karina’s channel has made her into a Youtube sensation overnight. But it’s not just a hobby. In fact, Karina says she makes six-figure salaries every month, primarily from companies who want to advertise on her channel. With this money, she was not only able to retire both her parents, but she also bought a new six bedroom home, complete with a studio for her slime videos. Today, she’s continuing to make slime videos, touring the country, and working on her second book (earlier this year she published Karina Garcia’s DIY Slime).
So, whether you’re looking for a side job to make some (potentially serious!) cash, or just want a good stress relieving craft, slime might be worth checking out. And even if you aren’t the next Karina Garcia, you may find yourself obsessed with this new hobby.