Luster Dust... Really, I Can't Get It To Work!
Decorating By cakesbykitty Updated 9 Jul 2006 , 11:42pm by heyjules
I know this topic has been beaten to death... but i am sooooo frustrated! i have luster dust (silver, gold, pearl) and i want to use it to create the effects I see on on all these gorgeous cakes! I have tried it twice and it has been a nightmare! first on my fathers day cake where it clumped and was so gross i had to scrape it off, then last night on some candy molds (shells for a beach cake i am assembling today) and it didn't even show up! and i tried it dry first... wouldn't stick. i am using vodka. HELP ME! I AM READY TO SCREAM! thanks all..... I'll do some deep breathing, have another cup of coffee, sit back and wait for all the wisdom to flow in 
Are you sure you are using luster dust? I bought some wilton dust in a three pack thinking I was getting luster dust but it is actually shimmer dust. They are very DIFFERENT!! I had the same problem you are having and was about in tears over it. I just bought some silver and gold luster dust and used them on a groom's cake I just made for the buttons. I mixed it with tequila and it worked great. Would have used vodka but drank it all making the cake, LOL, just kidding.
Hope that helps!!
This is not going to be any help....but I had the same problem when I tried to use it on candy melts. I tried it dry and then wet (mixed with vodka) and it was just a mess both ways. I had a bit more success on dried gumpaste but it still was not great.
Sorry it does not help you, but just wanted you to know you are not alone.
Are you matching the icing or fondant color as close to the silver or gold that you are trying to color? That usually helps.
First make sure it is actually luster dust and not shimmer dust. Then what I do is mix it a little bit at a time with either vodka or clear vanilla extract then I paint with it. It took me a while to realize instead of dipping my brush into it that I needed to dip it and a even longer time to realize that I was using shimmer and needed the luster-lol. Good luck.
i just received the luster dusts i ordered and i used it immediately for pink fondant roses..it was my first time using luster dust and i was so nervous..i decided to use a few drops of lemon and it worked! u really have to get the consistency of paint..not thicker, not thinner.. the only problem i got was the avocado luster dust..when i painted my leaves with it, they became more like a golden green...and yes, i think its better if you use it to a color similar to the luster dust.. i have the wilton 3-pack luster/shimmer dust too..i haven't used it yet though..i got my other luster dust at wholesalesugarflowers.com .. i just found out about it from someone here at cakecentral while reading some forums..
ok, so now i have a question! lol I just bought the wilton shimmer dusts thinking it was the same as the luster dust that everyone does such beautiful work with. Can someone please explain the difference and what i could use the wilton stuff for since i already bought it??!
Hi alaskanmom!
I totally had this problem a couple weeks ago with dust colors (flat colors, not luster) and white candy melt shells. When I tried to paint them dry, the color barely showed up. It looked like I took a crayon and tried to draw on them. I let them sit overnight out of the refrigerator before dusting them, so they shouldn't have had moisture on them.
Anyway, I was really disappointed and ended up using colored candy melts to make my shells. I hope I figure out something to do with this dust though. It was $5 a container and I bought 6 colors!
Hope some tips that others have given you help. I'll be watching this thread!
Don't fret alaskanmom!! You have to get a feel for dusting with the luster dusts. With candy melts you have to wait long enough that they are dry but not too long after that or they don't show up or are just a plain mess. THat's what happened to you ogolds-I know I learned the hard way too! lol Overnight is too long to wait. I found it also make a difference with the brush you are using. Play around with different brushes. The size and shape do make a difference. I don't know why but that's been my personal experience! I didn't mix mine with anything for my shell cake. Try these and see if that helps! 
dori
The only cake I have posted uses luster dust on the rose edges and the leaves. It's really easy to work with once you get the consistency right. I add a couple drops of vanilla extract to the dust until it's like paint. If it's too thin, it won't sparkle very well, at least that's what i've found.
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