Fairy Dust Safety

Best Practice Safety Recommendations

  • Use either Fairy Dust OR color additives, never both together.
  • Do not mix Fairy Dust into liquid fuels only apply to prop wicks.
  • Spin prop wicks off thoroughly before applying to avoid caking & projectiles.
  • Do not use Fairy Dust Original or Green indoors. 
  • Wear PPE to minimize risk.
  • Keep away from children and pets.

Fairy Dust Silver SDS

Fairy Dust Silver was designed for professional stage performers who often have to adhere to strict OSHA regulations. Click Here to download the full SDS for Fairy Dust Silver. 

Fairy Dust Original & Green

Fairy Dust Original & Green both contain Iron and Fairy Dust Green contains Copper powder. These ingredients can be more hazardous than pure titanium and it's not recommended for indoor use due to potentially harmful fumes.  Fairy Dust Green should be used sparingly, outdoors, and with proper respiratory precautions.  

Allergy Warning 

Fairy dust is a proprietary blend of fine metallic powders. If you are allergic to titanium, steel, or copper do not use this product. 

Do Not Mix Color Additives with Fairy Dust 

Mixing color fuel additives with titanium powder, which is in each formula of Fairy Dust, poses a serious combustion and explosion risk due to chemical reactivity, oxidizers, and extreme flame temperatures. Stick with basic hydrocarbon fuels like kerosene or white gas when using Fairy Dust for spark effects, and never combine with colored fire chemicals unless you're a trained pyrotechnic chemist operating under lab-safe conditions.

1. Chemical Incompatibility

Color additives often contain metal salts (e.g., strontium for red, copper (II) for green, etc.). Titanium powder is a pyrophoric metal, meaning it can ignite spontaneously in air when finely divided and is used in all Fairy Dust formulas.

  • Oxidizers in the colorants may accelerate combustion, leading to flash fires or uncontrolled reactions.
  • Some combinations may create unstable mixtures, potentially explosive when heated or exposed to flame.
2. Enhanced Reactivity

Titanium burns extremely hot and bright—over 3000°C. When colorants are added, they:

  • May not burn fully or evenly.
  • Can increase the flame temperature, making reactions more violent.
  • Might react violently if they contain chlorine (common in color agents like copper chloride).
3. Particle Size Hazards
  • Finely divided metal + oxidizer = potential for explosion.
  • This is essentially creating a flash powder-like mixture, especially if the additives are also in fine powder form.

Safe Fuels to Use with Fairy Dust (No Color Additives)

Fuel Notes
White gas (Coleman fuel) Clean burn, bright flame, fast ignition. 
Kerosene / Jet A Stable, long burn, low vapor pressure. 
Isopropyl alcohol (91%+) Clean flame, lower heat than gas but usable. 
Denatured alcohol Similar to isopropyl, slower evaporation. 
Lamp oil (paraffin-based) Longer burn, smokier flame.

Unsafe Fuels or Additive Combinations with Fairy Dust

Fuel / Additive Why It’s Unsafe
Color flame additives These often contain oxidizing agents that can react violently with titanium.  (e.g., copper chloride, strontium nitrate)
Methanol + Colorants Methanol is very volatile and burns invisibly; when combined with colorants and titanium, the reaction is unpredictable.
Nitromethane / Nitro fuels Way too energetic; with titanium, it can cause explosions.
Chlorinated colorants Titanium reacts violently with halogens, producing toxic fumes and possibly causing combustion instability.
Flash powder-style mixes Anything resembling oxidizer + metal (even inadvertently) can become explosive under flame or friction.

 

Fairy Dust Ingredient Toxicity

Metal Toxicity Level Combustion Byproducts Respiratory Risk Use Frequency (Safe)
Titanium Low Titanium dioxide (non-toxic) Low Frequent (with PPE)
Iron Moderate Iron oxides Moderate Occasional (well-ventilated)
Copper High Copper oxides, fumes High Rare/outdoor only, PPE essential