Ok what I am I doing wrong!? Every time I try to use lustre or shimmer dust it does nothing! No sparkly sheen no light reflecting glisten no iridescent hint of colour...nothing, nada, zilch!!
WHY! WHY! WHY!!
Please help me I really want my fondant baby shower cake this weekend to be shiny purple!!
TIA!!!

I used lemon extract, drop, to my shimmer (Wilton brand) this weekend and it gave it a shine. Look at my photos for the baptism cake and it is it. I have used the gold luster dust on cakes and used water to moisten it. I think the lemon extract works better.

How are you using it? Are you mixing it with vanilla, lemon flavoring for painting? Plain dust?

I have tried all of those methods! I am using the wilton brand

Try brushing the pice in vodka and letting it almost dry so it is bearly damp and then with a dry brush brush on a good amount of dry powder. Do it over a dish you can catch and re-use the dust that falls off.

Just a thought but you buy the shimmer dust (long thing cylindrical tube) or those crushed cake sparkles (small round tub)? the ones in the small round tubs don't have any shine. If you want purple I assume you bought the shimmer dust though......

I did mine wet and brushed it on the surface I wanted on the cake. Gave a good shimmer. The long cylinder tube of the Wilton product.

I use pearl dust and a cosmetic brush. Wilton puts out several different colors so match your fondant color with the correct pearl dust color. I use a dry brush and apply soon after i cover the cake.
Good luck,
Mrcake01

I have the same problem. No matter what I have done, I never get any different finish. I have tried vodka, water, dry, extract on fondant, BC, and in and on molded chocolates. Nothing makes a difference. I posted this issue last week, but had no responses to my posting. Could it be the colors? I have the silver, gold and white, and all I really expect is a slight shine, but have had no luck with any of them...

OK so I just took out a piece of white fondant and dry brushed on some of the violet Wilton Shimmer Dust and it is ...well shimmery and violet. I wonder if your environment has something to do with it??? Too humid maybe?

IMO - it the product you are using, if you try one of the other name brand dusts, it will behave a lot different than the wilton product. I also use vodka for painting with the luster dusts - the higher the alcohol content the nicer it behaves (the alchohol evaporates)

I live in Alabama and right now it's 95' and 70% plus humidity, and i haven't had any issues. Make sure you apply the Pearl Dust soon after you cover your cake before it dries out and use a cosmetic brush this will insure an good even coating and be liberal with the dust. You may want to try to find a class in your area, or maybe a good bakery for help. Anyways don't give up you will get it. Also try are some good books out there that may help. Go to your local book store to find the right one before you buy.
Good Luck,
Mrcake01

Could it be I am just not using enough? Do you have to kind of really pack it on the brush, or go over it many times to get a buildup of color? I usually just brush it on once or twice.

I have used the Wilton luster dusts and they do not have the same shine that the tiny pots of luster have but they do shine and you should see it while looking against the light.

I always get better results painting on fresh fondant with dry powder and nothing else. But if a piece is dry I wet it with vodka and let it almost dry and then generously brush on a lot of dry powder. When I tried using the wet methods of mixing vodka or vanilla with the luster it came out muddy with only a slight sheen.

Why don't you try a little experiment?

Get some nice brushes, really soft artist ones. I think like in make up that the brushed can make a difference.

Roll out a thin ribbon piece of fondant and let it dry over night.

And then have your luster ready to use both with the Vodka and dry.

Apply just one brush strokes width across your fondant so you can see the difference of naked fondant to the luster applied both like paint and dry.

Roll out a fresh piece of fondant and apply the luster both ways

. Now compare your results and see what you like.

Good idea. I will spend time experimenting some more under varying conditions, and see if I can get any result at all. Thanks!

I wanted to ask you and please don't take this wrong if you wear glasses? Are you wearing your glasses to look at the results? Maybe cleaning them might help? Maybe blurry vision is keeping you from seeing the slight shimmer? Bad lighting? My luster always looks more vibrant in natural light during the daytime. And look at it from an angle towards the light source in the room. Try a magnifying glass.

Good point, but no one else sees it either! Maybe it's the Emperor's New Clothes, in reverse! Haha...

i've done this (using pearl dust) twice, both for doll cakes. so you can tell i'm a newbie at this.
i used wilton's, together with the lemon extract (not wilton brand, can't recall the brand). and both times it gave a lot of shine on the fondant.
it's humid all year long where i live, and hot too. the temp here range btwn 85deg to above 100deg all year round, never below. so i'm sure humidity isn't the reason for it not to shine

Thanks these are some good tips! I only have access to wilton in my town and I don't have time to order....I'm also in canada so if I order from online I pay more and more shipping! so a $2 thing of shimmer dust costs $15!!
I don't wear glasses....well I do but I do cakes with my contacts
What is the better one to use of the wilton I also have the white gold and silver dusts? I expected the white to give the shimmer? Would the violet in the long tube be better?
Ok I am just going to have to try it all out on practice strips I guess!
Thanks for all your help!