Information to Help you Decide on a Metallic Spritzer
and instructions for mixing your own
If you have experience with some of these spray inks,
I'd invite you to rank my review in terms of accuracy
and add your own comments or findings including information
about metallic spritzers that we didn't review.
Product
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Spritz Bottle Quality
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Shimmer
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Staying Power
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Cost
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Fair-Poor - It is hard not to get large droplets
when you're attempting to mist. The spray mechanism
clogs. Attempts to unclog as recommended by the
manufacturer rarely works my in my experience.
You also have to store a lot of large bottles
if you want many colors.
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Very Good - I've gotten bottles that didn't have
enough mica powder but in general these are very
shimmery and if you have a collection of Pearl
Ex you can always add more if you like.
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Good - A little rubs off when you run your finger
across it but it doesn't reduce the shimmer effect.
This was one of only 2 that could be used on glossy
paper, though it pools quite a bit so you can't
get a true mist.
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$6.95 for 2 fluid ounces.
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Excellent - The mini mister probably gave the
best misting without large droplets. Adding gum
arabic increases the chances of clogging but hasn't
seemed to be much of an issue.
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User controlled - add as much or little as you
like. It doesn't take much, maybe a mini scoop
or 1/8 teaspoon for a mini-mister full of water.
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Good - A little rubs off when you run your finger
across it but it doesn't reduce the shimmer effect.
This was one of only 2 that could be used on glossy
paper, though it pools quite a bit so you can't
get a true mist.
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$1.75 for the Mini Mister. If you already have
gum arabic and Pearl Ex you won't deplete your
stock by any noticable amount. If you use Perfect
Pearls, you might use 25 cents worth.
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Fair-Good - It wasn't as easy to get a nice even
mist. Glass bottles containing things that stain
carpeting aren't welcome in everyone's craft room.
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Poor - The worst. Hardly any glimmer at all.
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Very Good - but there wasn't much shimmer to
rub off.
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$4.50 for 11 ml (about 1/3 fluid ounces).
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Good - Not quite as even as the mini-mister but
very nice.
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User controlled - add as much or little as you
like. It doesn't take much, maybe a mini scoop
or 1/8 teaspoon for a 8 ml spritzer.
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Fair - if you're creating artwork that will be
handed a lot this might not be the best solution.
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$2.70 for an 8ml (about 1/4 fluid ounces) spritzer
plus the nominal cost of Pearl Ex
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Good - Not quite as even as the mini-mister but
very nice. I did experience a little problem after
leaving this out overnight uncapped. I unscrewed
the top and screwed it back on and it worked good
as new so maybe there was a little vacuum.
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Excellent - Although this is user controlled,
even two drops of Opalite reinker made for the
most shimmery mist we could imagine. Sterling
Silver gives a beautiful pearl mist and a little
dye reinker added in can make it any color you
like.
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Good - We got slightly more shimmer off by rubbing
it than the Glimmer Mist and Water/Pearl Ex/Gum
Arabic mix but there was a lot more shimmer to
start with on this one than any of the others.
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$2.70 for an 8ml (about 1/4 fluid ounces) spritzer
plus about $0.50 worth of Opalite Reinker.
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*Adding a drops from a dye reinker will give some underlying
color but that is optional. You may want just the shimmer
without any color.
Summary:
If you want no muss, no fuss, no mixing, we recommend
Glimmer Mist. It is a better product and a better value
than Smooch Spritz, the other ready-made product we
reviewed.
If cost is your primary concern, go with the Water/PearlEx/Gum
Arabic mix or the Water/Perfect Pearls Mix. You can
add reinkers to these to make as many colors as you
want. The color of Pearl Ex or Perfect Pearls affects
the color of the metallic shimmer only, not the underlying
color.
If you want real shimmer and don't mind mixing, the
Ink Potion #9/Opalite Reinkers is probably more cost
effective than the Glimmer Mist unless you really will
get through the whole bottle of Glimmer Mist and is
definitely more shimmery. If you really like these you
can save money on making refills by getting the 2 ounce
bottle of Ink Potion #9 and reusing your spritz bottles.
Mixing your Own
Water/PearlEx/Gum Arabic
 Starting
with a mini-mister, which is about 1/3 of a fluid ounce
add 1/8 teaspoon or less of Pearl Ex mica powder and
1/8 teaspoon of gum arabic. Fill with water to the top
and shake. Add 3-12 drops of a reinker if you wish.
The aqua spritz on this image was created using 3 drops
of Broken China Distress Reinker with Duo Blue-Green
Pearl Ex.
Ink Potion #9 with Pearl Ex
Add 1/8 teaspoon of Pearl Ex to an 8ml bottle of Ink
Potion #9. This does not create a lot, so you may use
it up on one project. For refills, you will want to
reuse the same bottle add more Ink Potion from the 2
ounce bottle. This is far more economical. You may also
add dye based ink to color the fluid.
Ink Potion #9 with Opalite Reinkers
 Add
about 4-5 drops of Opalite Reinker to an 8ml bottle
of Ink Potion #9. This will not add color, just the
shimmer of the mica powder in the Opalite Reinker. You
may wish to add a dye based reinker. In the project
to the right we added Sterling Frost Reinker with 3
drops of Wild Plum Adirondack Reinker and 5 drops of
Distress Broken China Reinker.
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