Home » Crafts » 2-Ingredient Silky-Smooth Play Dough
We’ve had 3 snow days this year. The first two were fantastic. We stocked up on treats and wore our coziest clothes all day and stayed inside and read and played games. It was like something out ofGilmore Girls.
Well.
Our third snow day was not so perfect. I had one sick kid, a toddler in a terrible mood, and the third just bouncing off the walls. I was tired and sore from working out and we were all just kind ofoff a notch or two.
Turns out all we needed to make two of the three happy (the third needed Sprite and saltines) was making this play dough. I used to make this way back in my babysitting days and it was just as fun as I remembered it. We have a plethora of unused beauty and personal grooming products from my husband’s work, plus a plethora of cornstarch from that time Iwaaaayoverestimated how much cornstarch I was going to need for a recipe (plus a plethora of piñatas, but that’s irrelevant here), so we had everything we needed.
Let’s make some cornstarch conditioner play dough!
You’re going to need some hair conditioner and cornstarch.
There’s no need to use anything other than the cheapest (or free-est) stuff–save your Bumble & Bumble for your hair. But I would use something that smells good to you because this play dough will have a strong scent and it will stay on your hands.
Place the cornstarch in a large bowl and add your conditioner.
As I should know by now (and as you guys may have noticed), I perpetually underestimate how large my mixing bowls should be and I end up transferring them to a larger bowl later on. It works wonders for my dirty dish workload. So use a bigger bowl than you think you’ll need, and don’t think that only a Pyrex measuring cup will do the trick, because it won’t. Mix in the conditioner with your hands–it will just start coming together and it will be pliable and very, very smooth.You may need to add more conditioner as you go).
Use food coloring to color as desired. Keep in mind that food coloring may discolor skin, which is troublesome to some people. It’s non-toxic and will come off soon, but you might want to be mindful of it when deciding to add color or how much color you want to add.
Keep covered when not in use.
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2-Ingredient Silky Smooth Play Dough
This silky-smooth 2-ingredient play dough can be made in just a few minutes with stuff you already have in your house--hair conditioner and cornstarch!
Ingredients
- 2 cups cornstarch
- About 1 cup inexpensive hair conditioner
- Food coloring optional
Instructions
Place the cornstarch in a large bowl.
Mix in the hair conditioner with your hands--it will just start coming together and it will be pliable and very, very smooth. If desired, add a drop or two or food coloring.
You may need to add more conditioner as you go. Use food coloring to color as desired. Keep covered when not in use.
Notes
- Don't use the expensive hair condition or lotion, but I do recommend something that is either scent-free or a scent that you/your kids like.
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FAQs
Instructions. Place the cornstarch in a large bowl. Mix in the hair conditioner with your hands--it will just start coming together and it will be pliable and very, very smooth. If desired, add a drop or two or food coloring.
What is the best homemade playdough recipe? ›
how to make the world's best homemade play-doh. You'll need 3 cups of white all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons cream of tartar, 1 cup + 2 tablespoons of table salt, 3-4 tablespoons of any cooking oil (start with 3 and add more if necessary), 3 cups HOT water, and food coloring.
What is the secret ingredient in play dough? ›
With this recipe the key is to really make sure you knead the dough well to avoid ending up with an end product that is too sticky or wet. The glycerine is a secret ingredient that makes the playdough extra stretchy and fun!
Why does 2 ingredient dough work? ›
Two-ingredient dough consists of self-rising flour (a combination of all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt) and Greek yogurt. That's it. The baking powder in the self-rising flour gives the dough its quick rise; yogurt makes it tender and pliable for easy rolling.
How to make fluffy playdough? ›
Light and fluffy play dough! Mix flour, salt and cream of tartar in a large sauce pan. Add oil and water and mix until well combined. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until a large doughy ball forms.
Can you make playdough with just flour and water? ›
bag. Knead water into dough to refresh. 1-cup flour ¾ to 1-cup water 1 bag of cotton balls (any color) Mix flour and water together until you get a smooth paste.
Why cream of tartar in playdough? ›
In fact, baking powder is a mixture of baking soda and cream of tartar. It is slightly acidic, and because of this, it affects the gluten structure of the playdough to make it more elastic. Tartaric acid acts as an emulsifier, so it helps prevent any added oil from separating.
What is the secret recipe for Play-Doh? ›
Ingredients for Super Soft Playdough
- 3/4 cup flour.
- 1/4 cup baby powder (this is the secret ingredient! If you don't like using baby powder, corn starch is a good alternative)
- 1/4 cup salt.
- 2 tsp cream of tartar.
- 1 tablespoon of baby oil.
- 3/4 cup of water.
- food coloring (I used gel food coloring)
Instructions
- Add the cornstarch and the conditioner to a bowl.
- Mix together with your hands and gradually add ½ to 1 cup water as you mix and knead until it forms a ball of dough.
- Add 1-3 drops of food coloring to color the play dough if desired. ...
- Play!
Start off with a little conditioner or shampoo in the bowl. Mix in some flour or corn starch and start folding the two ingredients together. Add in the food coloring of your choice. Keep mixing, rolling, and experimenting with the flour and conditioner until the dough comes together!
In fact, baking powder is a mixture of baking soda and cream of tartar. It is slightly acidic, and because of this, it affects the gluten structure of the playdough to make it more elastic. Tartaric acid acts as an emulsifier, so it helps prevent any added oil from separating.
What can you add to playdough for texture? ›
Cream of tartar helps to give your playdough that perfect body and texture. Yes, you can make playdough without it but your mixture will have more elasticity if you leave it in. Fresh playdough is basically salt dough. The cup of salt is there to help preserve it and to keep the mould out.
What ingredient makes playdough less sticky? ›
My playdough is sticky? No worries, just add a bit more flour a tiny bit at a time. Too much flour will give you soft, yet crumbly playdough, boooo. Sometimes just leaving the playdough uncovered for a few minutes will do the trick and dry up that extra water that's making it sticky.
