Slimitiser.
“Slimitizer” is a self-initiated project and my foray into this glittery and rainbow-coloured world. Polymer slime is a popular toy among tweens that can be squished, stretched and rolled from hand to hand for a calming effect.
During April of 2020 I watched as many studios began self-initiated projects to tackle issues caused by Covid-19.
In September I decided to do the same, attempting to overcome “Covid-fatigue” in a fun way.
The result was a tub of hand-sanitising slime developed and packaged to appeal to 8 -15 year olds.
Research and Process:
After speaking to Aila, an 11-year-old slime expert and working in my “lab” (see above), I had two key insights:
1. Slime loses its stretch and becomes brittle once it has been played with for a while.
2. Alcohol prevents slime from forming in the first place if it is added too early.
My solution came when I learnt that alcohol (particularly hand sanitiser) is also recommended as a way of revitalising tired slime. The result was my first concept: a polymer based slime, housed in a tub of hand sanitizer. This would keep it soft, forcing the user to manipulate it for one or two minutes before it became a stretchy toy. In the process, their hands would also be sanitised.
Result:
My second concept rose from a discussion I had with Camilla, a 14 year old slime expert. I learnt that slime has to be “fed” with borax powder to continue being usable beyond two weeks. This reminded me of another retro toy, Sea Monkeys.
Following a similar model, I included a packet of “slime food” (borax) and “slime drink” (hand sanitiser) along with the original tub of Slimitiser. If your “pet” slime is consistently fed with small amounts of hand sanitiser and borax, it can last for months. The point of it is to keep it alive, adding hand sanitiser and massaging it in until it’s a happy ball of sanitising slime, glitter optional.
