How to Get In on the #WaterTok Trend Without Breaking the Bank

If you’ve spent any time on TikTok lately, there’s a good chance you’ve come across at least one #WaterTok rundown or recipe. This leads to the inevitable question, “What is WaterTok?” Much like #BookTok (all about books) and #CleanTok (for the cleaning obsessed), #WaterTok is all about water. But not just any water. This is trendy water, people.

It’s among the newest corners of TikTok where people gather to share all kinds of so-called water “recipes.” Essentially, creators behind the movement explain how flavoring their water has helped them reach their water intake for the day, as well as avoid other sugary drinks like juice or soda. And WaterTok is full of colorful sips, including concoctions coined as Mermaid Water, Unicorn Water, and Ocean Water. Videos using the WaterTok hashtag have collectively garnered over 94 million views and counting.

How does one make something like Unicorn Water, you ask? The answer is simple: You grab your Stanley Adventure Quencher Tumbler, fill it with water and ice, and then you get creative. Dump in a selection of syrups, flavored powders, and liquid flavor enhancers until you make a drink like no other.

You can get in on this trend without spending too much money. I’ll share where you can find #WaterTok supplies (including the viral Jordan’s Skinny Mixes, water pitchers, and more) for cheap.

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What is #WaterTok? It’s where users share recipes for water on TikTok.

The answer to “What is #WaterTok? is really simple. It’s a place on the ‘Tok where people post water recipes and share videos. To get on #WaterTok (if you’re not already), just type in “WaterTok” to the search bar on TikTok. From there, you can follow #WaterTok creators, check out videos, and learn how to make recipes.

 

There are countless #WaterTok recipes, but the “magical” ones are the most popular.

Because this trend has blown up so much, there are hundreds (and I mean hundreds) of #WaterTok recipes. However, there are some that are super popular, and for good reason. Mermaid Water, Unicorn Water, the Pink Drink, and even dupes for Herbalife loaded teas are all the rage. But really, if it’s named after a mythical creature, chances are people are loving it.

Basically, Mermaid Water is any drink that’s bright blue, Unicorn Water is any drink that contains Skinny Syrup’s Unicorn Syrup, the Pink Drink is a delicious spin on traditional lemonade, and Herbalife dupes taste just like the originals. I’ll give you the best and cheapest recipes for these drinks in just a minute.

 

Find budget-friendly cups at Target and Amazon.

OK, if you want to make a #WaterTok drink like everyone else, you’re going to need the viral $45 Stanley Adventure Quencher Tumbler. Now that is hardly cheap, but if you’re willing to fork over the dough, you can find this cup in a range of colors on Amazon, Stanley, REI, and Dick’s Sporting Goods. However, if you don’t want to spend $45 on a cup (I get it), you can opt for a Stanley tumbler look-alike. For example, the Ozark Trail 40-Ounce Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Tumbler is $15 at Walmart. The Embark Stainless Steel 30-Ounce Lidded Tumbler is even less — just $10 at Target (though, obviously, also 10 ounces smaller than the other two). Check out our full guide to see other options.

However, if Stanley cups aren’t your vibe, you can opt for an affordable, more traditional water bottle like a Nalgene ($16) or Camelbak ($16). Both of these options have clear bottle colors so you can see the color of your drink through them.

 

Find syrups for less at Walmart, Ross, Marshalls, Home Goods, T.J.Maxx, and Home Goods.

Perhaps the most important part of #WaterTok lies in the syrup selection. To make these colorful drinks, people rely on pumps of bright syrups. The most popular ones for #WaterTok drinks are undoubtedly from the brand Jordan’s Skinny Mixes. These have zero calories, zero sugar, and zero carbs. They come in all kinds of flavors including Mermaid Syrup, Cotton Candy Syrup, Cookie Dough Syrup, and more. All syrups bought on skinnymixes.com are $7.99, pumps are $4.99, and shipping costs $12.95. To get free shipping, you have to spend over $50.

However, you can find them for cheap at places like Ross, Marshalls, T.J.Maxx, and Home Goods. They’re usually $4 or $5 at these stores, as opposed to $8 on the Skinny Mixes website. I will warn you: you might have to hunt around at these stores since they sell out fast. But you can always call your local store to see if they’re stocked up before making the trip over.

You can also buy Skinny Mixes at your local Walmart store. However, some Walmart locations charge $12 for Skinny Mixes. So again, it’s best to go to the retailers I mentioned earlier for better prices.

Another popular syrup is from the brand Torani. If you buy them from the website, they’re $10.19, and the pump costs $4.99. You can find Torani syrups for around $7 at World Market, Ross, Marshalls, T.J.Maxx, and Home Goods. Pro tip: World Market is usually stocked up on these, so check there first.

 

Get powder packets for cheap online or at the dollar store.

What do you get when you mix syrup with a flavored powder pack? A true #WaterTok creation. There are a bunch of powder packets you can get, including some from name brands like Welch’s, Gatorade, Propel, and Crystal Light.

I found that you can get the most bang for your buck buying these powder packets on Amazon. A pack of 12 Welch’s powders with six sticks in each pack (72 packets altogether) goes for $20 on Amazon. That means each packet is only $0.28. Plus the prices often drop, so keep your eyes out for daily deals.

Additionally, if you have a dollar store by you, there’s a good chance that you can find packets for low prices. Just know the ones from dollar stores come with fewer packets than the value boxes on Amazon. You’ll usually get one set with six packets for about $1.

Walmart also has pretty low prices on powder packets. However, it’s best to shop online because these items in store can be opened or tampered with. (This often happens to products at my local Walmart, so thought it was worth the mention.)

 

Bonus: There are flavored water packets without aspartame.

If you’re deep on #WaterTok like I am, you might’ve heard about aspartame. This is an ingredient (aka an artificial sweetener) that’s often found in water packets which some people want to avoid. Luckily, there are packets that don’t contain aspartame, like all Welch’s, Celsius, and Pure Boost packets. Plus the Crush Watermelon packets don’t, either (though other Crush flavors do).

 

 

These are the best #WaterTok recipes you can make at home for cheap.

The fun thing about #WaterTok is that the drink combinations are endless. Ready to make your own? Let’s get started.

Pitchers

If you’re making a water recipe, you might as well go big. Create your concoction in a pitcher or jug so you can sip on it all day without having to make multiple batches. Consider this Drink Dispenser ($22.77, Amazon). However, if you don’t want to spend money on a jug, simply use the cup you have and refill it when it’s empty.

 

Mermaid Water

If you want to make the TikTok-famous Mermaid Water, here’s how:

1. Fill a 1-gallon jug or pitcher with water.
2. Add three Skittles Tropical Passionfruit packets.
3. Use six pumps of Skinny Mix Mermaid Syrup.
4. Mix and enjoy!

@takingmylifebackat42

☀️👙#water #healthyrecipes #yum #weightloss #drink #recipe #mermaidwater @skinnymixes @skittles #lifehack #summervibes #sugarfree

♬ Paradise – Bazzi

Unicorn Water

Like the sound of Unicorn Water? Me too.

1. Grab your Stanley tumbler and fill it with water.
2. Add one pink or blue Starbursts water packet.
3. Then add a dash of Skinny Mix Unicorn Syrup.

@kris10waine

Tried the UNICORN WATER #YUMM #unicornwater

♬ original sound – 🪩Travelin Babe Cave🪩

 

The Pink Drink:

Enjoy a refreshing twist on lemonade with this recipe.

1. Grab a large glass or tumbler.
2. Fill the glass with water and ice cubes.
3. Stir in one Crystal Light Lemonade Packet.
4. Add a splash of raspberry syrup (either Skinny Mixes or Torani) and stir.
5. Enjoy!

 

Herbalife Loaded Tea Dupe

Make a copycat of the famous Herbalife loaded teas with this recipe that’s the most ingredient-heavy one on the list.

1. Grab your Stanley tumbler.
2. Dump one citrus and one orange 4C Energy Rush Packet into the tumbler.
3. Add ¼ teaspoon of Waka peach green tea.
4. Next add ⅛ teaspoon of guarana powder.
5. Then add 5 ounces of hot water.
6. Add 1 ounce of Skinny Mixes Peach Syrup.
7. Stir.
8. Fill the cup with ice.
9. Add two ounces of aloe vera juice to the ice.
10. Separately, mix 1 ounce of Skinny Mixes Pina Colada with one ounce of Skinny Mixes Cherry.
11. Add 8 ounces of cold water to the pina colada and cherry mix.
12. Pour the concoction over the ice.

@silverlininglessons

Hall of Fame using skinny syrups! 🍑🍒🥥So easy. #teatok #watertok #drinktok #loadedtea #skinnysyrup #flavoredwater #watergoals #loadedteasathome #diyloadedtea #loadedteagirl #caffeine #greentea #instanttea #wakatea

♬ original sound – silverlininglessons

 

Need more #WaterTok inspiration? Follow these TikTok accounts.

Want more? Get #WaterTok recipes from these well-hydrated creators:

• @silverlininglessons
• @takingmylifebackat42
• @caliwonderland