DIY Color Powder: Is it worth it?

Color powder has become a popular staple for color runs, festivals, and events large and small.  With its bold color and playful applications, it’s no wonder many are tempted to make their own. But is the DIY route really worth the time, effort, and potential mess? Let’s explore what it takes to create color powder at home and see if it’s right for you.

How To Make Color Powder For Color Run

There are endless blog posts with variations of color powder recipes, most come down to a 1:1:1 ratio. We will use a 4-pound total because it is the most efficient use of supplies (4 color dye bottles in a pack – foil packs come in twos, etc) which gives us the most cost-effective recipe. 

What Are The Ingredients In Color Run Powder?

You’ll need a few basic grocery store items plus a few kitchen staples:

• 4 pound cornstarch $3.96
• 1 package of food color dye $3.69
• 4 Foil pans $6.58
• Disposable gloves $5.99
• 4 cup tap water (minimal)
• Mixing bowl + spoon ($0 if you use something from home)
• Food processor ($0 if you have one on hand)

Is DIY Color Powder Cheaper?

Putting a total cost of materials at $20.22 plus tax. For reference, Color Powder Supply bulk powder is $6.25 for 1lb, making 4 lbs $25 plus tax. So DIY-ing it saves you about a dollar per pound – unless you also count the time needed to actually make the color powder. 

How To DIY Color Run Powder (Realistically) 

This is an (only somewhat dramatized) guide on how to make your own color powder. 

Start by clearing a workspace. Clear the area of anything you don’t want to be covered in a fine layer of cornstarch powder. Lay down old newspapers or tablecloths to protect surfaces.

Assemble your materials. 

Next, mix the cornstarch and water in a bowl until it forms a thick paste. Add more water if needed to create a paste. Getting the right consistency and color saturation can take some trial and error. Think peanut butter thick – not pancake batter thick. 

Pour the cornstarch carefully and stir slowly unless you want to inhale a few teaspoons worth of airborne cornstarch.

Slowly mix in food coloring. Start with a few drops and stir. Keep adding a few drops at a time until you get the desired color. Be careful, food coloring stains everything it touches including your hands, your clothes, and your countertops. 

Spread the paste onto your baking sheets in a thin layer. Place your baking sheet right up against your bowl to minimize the mess.

Preheat your oven to the lowest setting and place the sheets inside. This should take about an hour, but keep checking. 

Depending on how much water you used, this could take several hours. This step is crucial and can take several hours or even overnight. If the mixture isn’t dried properly, it can remain sticky or, worse, mold over time.

Once dried, break the hardened paste into pieces and then crumble them into a powder using a food processor or blender. Be careful when breaking down the pieces to minimize the color powder dust from wafting onto surrounding surfaces. 

Note that your food processor or blender may end up with a color stain – especially if using red or blue dyes.

The entire process, from mixing to drying and grinding, can easily span a couple of days if you need a lot of color powder for an event.

Getting a uniform, fine powder that disperses well can be challenging. Homemade batches often have varying textures.

While the ingredients themselves might not seem expensive, the cumulative cost of multiple batches, potential wastage, and time spent making and cleaning up can add up.

DIY Color Powder Tips:

• Use Protective Gear: Gloves and eyewear are a must. Consider a mask to avoid inhaling the fine dust.
• Expect Stains: Wear old clothes and cover any surfaces you care about. 
• Be Patient: The process is time-consuming and messy. Expect a thorough cleanup.

Why Making Your Own Color Powder May Be Worth it

While there are several cons to consider, there are also some appealing advantages to making your own color powder. Here are a few pros:

1. Lower Cost: The basic ingredients for making color powder are relatively inexpensive if making small batches. If you already have these items at home, you might save money if you don’t include your time. 

2. Creative Process: The process of making color powder can be a fun and creative project, especially if you enjoy DIY activities. It’s a chance to experiment with different ingredients and techniques.

3. Family/Group Activity: Making color powder can be an educational activity for families or groups, providing a hands-on learning experience about color mixing and chemistry.

4. Controlled Quantities: If you only need a small amount of color powder, making it yourself allows you to produce just the right quantity without worrying about leftover supplies.

Why Buying Color Powder Might Be a Better Option

After considering the effort and potential pitfalls of making color powder at home, purchasing pre-made powder can look like a more appealing option. Here’s why:

1. Consistency and Quality: Achieving a uniform, fine powder can be challenging with DIY options, often resulting in clumps or uneven texture. Homemade color powders might not be as vibrant or long-lasting as high quality commercially produced options.
2. Convenience: Buying color powder in bulk saves you hours of time and effort. You can focus on planning your event rather than spending days in the kitchen.
3. Cost-Effective: When you factor in the cost of ingredients, time, and clean-up, purchasing ready-made color powder often turns out to be more economical, especially for large events.
4. Clean-Up: Commercial powders are often designed to be not only safe, but easy to wash off from clothes, skin, and surfaces. This is particularly important for events involving children or large groups.
5. Safety Concerns: Without proper knowledge of ingredients and their interactions, there’s a risk of creating a product that might cause allergic reactions or skin sensitivities. Improperly stored color powder can clump or become moldy, leading to wasted efforts and materials.
6. Environmental Impact: Improper disposal of color powder, especially if it contains synthetic dyes, can harm the environment. It’s essential to know the environmental impact of the ingredients used. DIY color powders can stain surfaces and are difficult to clean up, potentially causing damage to property.
7. Compliance with Regulations: Commercial color powders are often subject to safety and quality regulations. Homemade powders might not meet these standards, leading to potential legal issues if used in public events. If someone is harmed by your DIY color powder, you could be held liable for medical expenses or other damages. This includes both physical harm and property damage.

So, Is It Worth It To Make Your Own Color Powder?

While making color powder at home is completely doable, the experience does have its challenges. The time, effort, and potential mess involved often outweigh the benefits for most people.

If you’re planning a big event, it may be worth the extra dollar per pound to let us handle your color powder manufacturing. We can offer you finer, more pigmented, safer color powder in endless color variations in bulk, packets, and squeeze bottles.

Don’t just take our word for it. We’ve had a few rush order requests from customers who tried to DIY it and weren’t happy with the results scrambling for their event.

While we love saving the day, we’d rather save you some stress by recommending letting us handle your color powder needs – especially for larger orders. Use our quick calculator to get an accurate estimate for your next event.