Ok for many of you this may be a silly question, but I have never used the dusts before and I am going to try them out but want to make sure of what I am buying before I do. I am going to use it for painting fondant so I need the best stuff. I found petal dust for 1.99 a jar compared for 3.25 a jar on luster dust so being there is such a big price difference I know there must be a difference if the quality.

Any help?

What brands are you talking about?

If you are talking about Wilton's 'pearl' dust, then to me that is actually luster dust, because of the colors.

Pearl dusts in general are usually white/pearl looking with a iridescent color in the back ground.

Luster dusts are usually the metalic looking colors with shimmers.

Petal dust is used to give depth and color to a flower and is matte finish with no shine whereas Luster dust or pearl dust gives a sheen look and pearl dust gives a pearlized look. Holdon I'll find a link for this info.........http://www.baking911.com/decorating/dusts.htm

HTH's

Chippi

If you are painting on fondant that is not going to be eaten (flowers, people) then don't bother with the petal dust.

Scott Clark Woolley recommends buying some non toxic chalk at the craft store, and grinding it up. It is the same thing, but much much cheaper. I think I got like 50 colors for $10 and they are all two ounces. I just ground them up in a bowl with the back of a spoon, and store them in empty baby food jars.

Luster dust is just that, shiny, full of luster. Use it to make fondant look like satin, etc.

Are all of theses dusts edible?

well..... they say that they are "non-toxic". I mostly use chalk and dusts for flowers.

If I am painting a cake, I will use liquid food coloring mixed with vodka (to help it dry faster) The colors stay bright and vibrant. I have also mixed the food color, vodka and some powdered sugar to make it thicker and easier to use. See my fair entry cake for examples. The sides were hand painted with several different colors of the color/vodka/ps combo.