Originally used as part of the Hindu festival of Holi, colored chalk powder is now used by several popular races that use the rainbow dust to make their events unique and fun.
One of the major players in the 5K craze is The Color Run, also known as “The Happiest 5K on the Planet.” If you sign up to run The Color Run, you receive a color packet along with your registration and you can purchase additional packets at the race.
All colored chalk powder distributed by The Color Run and other reputable dealers is:
- non-toxic
- composed of baking soda and/or cornstarch and FD&C dyes, and
- free of all heavy metals.
Below, we list the reputable places to buy colored chalk powder.
Choosing Safe Chalk Powder
Be sure to double-check your colored chalk powder ingredients and keep in mind that breathing in a powder of any kind, even a non-toxic one, can still be dangerous.
It’s important to remember that if you have asthma or lung issues, breathing in powder is never a good idea and this might not be the best run for you. If you do attend, try using a bandanna around your nose and mouth to minimize the amount of chalk you inhale while running.
All of the powders listed in the companies below confirmed they are non-toxic and contain no heavy metals.
Physical Stores That Sell Colored Chalk Powder
Chameleon Colors
- Location:Â 1636 S 580 East, American Fork, Utah, 84003
- Ordering online as well? Yes
- Cost:Â $1.50-$99.00
- Quantity:Â 70 grams – 25 pounds
- Colors:Â Red, Magenta, Aquamarine, Navy Blue, True Blue, Pink, Purple Orange, Yellow, Green
- Shipping Cost:Â Shipping costs vary by state and quantity ordered. Free local pickup in Utah.
- Fun Fact: If you live near American Fork, you can attend the Festival of Colors celebration at the Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple a few miles away in Spanish Fork, Utah. The festival includes interactive dance, live mantra bands, DJs, yoga teachers, vegetarian food, and free hugs. The festival is March 25th and 26th, 2017, and the entry cost is $5.00.
- Shop Chameleon Colors’ colored chalk powder
Walmart
- Cost:Â $17.48
- Quantity: 6 lanyard chalk balls. These colored chalk balls can be easier to throw than the powder in the typical packages. They crumble upon impact.
- Colors:Â Pink, Yellow, Orange, Green, Blue, Purple
- Shipping Cost:Â Free shipping on orders over $35; $5.99 for orders under $35.
- Shop Walmart’s colored chalk balls
Online-Only Stores That Sell Colored Chalk Powder
Amazon
- Cost:Â $7.00-$194.00
- Quantity:Â 1.5 pounds – 50 pounds
- Colors:Â Dark Green, Light Green, Pink, Salmon, Orange, Yellow, Dark Blue, Light Blue, Red, Purple, Teal
- Shipping Cost:Â Costs vary by seller, but many of the featured products are eligible for Amazon Prime free shipping.
- Shop Amazon’s top colored chalk powder products.
Cool Glow
- Cost:Â $1.40- $137.79
- Quantity:Â 70 grams – 1 kilogram
- Colors:Â All Colors Are Ultraviolet, Blacklight or Glow Pigment (Invisible by Day, Glows at Night) — Â Purple, Red, Yellow, Orange, Pink, Green, Blue, White
- Shipping Cost: Free shipping on orders over $59.99, below that shipping varies based on location and weight of order.
- Shop Cool Glow’s colored chalk powder
DesiClik.com
- Cost:Â $1.00- $510.00
- Quantity:Â .5 ounce – 100 pounds
- Colors:Â Violet, Light Blue, Red, Green, Yellow, Orange, Pink
- Shipping Cost:Â Free shipping within the United States.
- Shop DesiClik.com’s colored chalk powder
Herbal Beauty Supply Store (on eBay)
- Cost:Â $5.99-$54.99
- Quantity:Â 10 bags/50 grams each to 6 bags/2 pounds each
- Colors:Â Red, Yellow, Pink, Dark Blue, Light Blue, Green, Purple, Orange
- Shipping Cost:Â Free
- Shop Herbal Beauty Supply Store’s colored chalk powder
Hippie Powder
- Cost:Â $14.90 (10 individual pack minimum at $1.49 per pack) – $97.00
- Quantity:Â 10 bags/70 grams each to 25 pounds
- Colors: Orange, Green, Blue, Pink, Yellow, Red, Purple, UV Glow
- Shipping Cost:Â Free
- Shop Hippie Powder’s colored chalk powder
Invisco
- Cost:Â $19.99 – $24,950
- Quantity:Â 10 bags/80 grams each – 5000 pounds (you can also special order more, if necessary)
- Colors:Â Blue, Green, Yellow, Pink, Purple
- Shipping Cost: Shipping varies by state and quantity ordered.
- Shop Invisco’s colored chalk powder
Krishna Color Sales
- Cost:Â $1.50 per packet up to 10 packets. $3.50 per pound up to 55 pounds. For exact prices, contact Krishna Color Sales for a quote.
- Quantity:Â 1 pounds – 55 pounds
- Colors: Orange, Yellow, Grass Green, Light Green, Sky Blue, Dark Blue, Purple, Violet, Pink, Red, Â White
- Shipping Cost:Â Shipping varies by state and quantity ordered.
- Shop Krishna Color Sales’ colored chalk powder
PurColour
- Cost:Â $8.00-$127.00
- Quantity:Â 75 grams – 25 pounds
- Colors: Yellow, Pink, Baby Blue, Orange, Green, Purple, Neon Yellow, Neon Pink, Neon Blue, Neon Orange, Neon Green, Neon Purple — each color can also be ordered mixed with glitter.
- Shipping Cost:Â Shipping varies by state and quantity ordered.
- Shop PurColour’s colored chalk powder
Wholesale Color Powder
- Cost:Â $10.00-$87.25
- Quantity: Up to 25 pounds. Individual packets are sold in sets of 10-2800 depending on what you need.
- Colors:Â Red, Orange, Yellow, Pink, Green, Blue, Teal, Purple
- Shipping Cost:Â Shipping varies by state. Wholesale Color Powder also ships to Canada.
- Shop Wholesale Color Powder’s colored chalk powder
How to Make Your Own Colored Chalk Powder
If you really want to save some money, you can create your own colored chalk powder with this simple recipe:
- 2 cups cornstarch
- 1 cup water
- 1 oz. food color paste or gel coloring (food dye)
- Large aluminum pans (1 per color)
- Disposable gloves (1 set per color)
Mix the cornstarch and water together (the best way to do this is by hand) in the aluminum pan. Once it’s fully mixed, add the color paste. To increase your recipe, double the cornstarch and water, but leave the food coloring quantity the same.
After fully mixing the cornstarch, water, and paste, let it dry out completely. You can let it air dry for a few days, stirring occasionally with a fork to break up clumps.
If you prefer to dry your colored chalk powder quickly, preheat your oven to 170 degrees. Bake the mixture for 60 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes to break up clumps. If the powder isn’t completely dry after 60 minutes, bake for an additional 20. Note: Sometimes this method can dull the color of your powder.
After whichever way you choose to dry out the mixture, dump it into a blender or food processor and blend until it becomes a fine powder.
For more DIY colored powder assistance, check out this great YouTube tutorial by Grace Stella on how to make DIY colored chalk powder at home. She uses the method outlined above, allowing the mixture to dry naturally.