Skip to Main Content
Back to FAQs

What dyes are used in Crayola Markers?

The basic ingredients in Crayola® Markers are water and dye. A common experiment is to use paper chromatography to separate the dyes. When performing this experiment, you will find that not all Crayola Marker colors separate into different colors due to the nature of dyes utilized in creating marker colors. (Brown, violet and green markers work best). For example, only one dye is used to make our red color marker, but a number of dyes are used to make our brown color marker. In a chromatography experiment, the brown will separate into different colors; however, the red will not.

If you have additional questions, we would love to hear from you! Feel free to call or text us at 1-800-CRAYOLA weekdays between 9 AM and 4 PM Eastern Time. If you would prefer to send us an email, visit our contact us page.

Related Questions

Explore answers to common questions, helpful stain removal tips, and creative ideas for making the most of our art supplies and free resources!

Can't Find What You're Looking For?

We're here to help!

Support