Add Stardust to Everything: Pentel StarFlake Glitter Brush Pen Review (Gold, Silver & Blue)
Sep 06, 2026
Some finishing touches change everything. A single pass of the right pen can transform a hand-lettered card from beautiful to breathtaking, or turn a plain illustration into something that catches the light and stops people mid-scroll.
The Pentel StarFlake Brush Pen is that finishing touch — a limited edition glitter brush pen from Pentel filled with clear, colorless ink suspended with fine glitter particles. Brush it over your letters, your illustrations, your cards, your journal pages. The glitter catches the light. The stardust effect appears. Everything gets a little more magical.
Available in Gold, Silver, and Blue. Starting from $13.
How the StarFlake Works
The StarFlake is not a colored ink pen. It contains clear, colorless ink with fine glitter particles suspended throughout. This is the key to what makes it genuinely versatile:
- Layer over any color: Because the ink base is transparent, the StarFlake adds sparkle without obscuring the color beneath it. Apply it over black ink lettering and the letters gain gold shimmer. Apply it over a watercolor illustration and the colors glow through the glitter.
- Adjustable shine intensity: One pass gives a subtle, light shimmer. Two or three coats build to a more intense, fully glittered effect. You control the level of sparkle.
- Stardust-like particle finish: The fine glitter creates a scattered starfield effect rather than chunky glitter — refined enough for professional lettering work, playful enough for craft projects.
Key Features
- Clear Glitter Ink: Transparent base with fine suspended glitter particles — adds sparkle without covering or altering the underlying color, ink, or media.
- Brush Tip: A flexible brush nib gives you variable line width — light pressure for fine highlight lines, heavier pressure for broader glitter coverage across larger areas.
- Layerable Shine: One coat delivers subtle shimmer; multiple coats build intensity. Full creative control over the glitter effect.
- Limited Edition: The StarFlake is a limited release from Pentel — part of the StarFlake Blush series. Once stock is gone, it’s gone.
- Three Glitter Colors: Gold, Silver, and Blue — each with a distinct character and a different set of pairing possibilities.
- Compact Dimensions: 60 × 200 × 18mm — fits comfortably in a pen case or craft supply organizer.
The Three Colors
Blue — $14
Silver — $13
Gold — $13
What to Use It With
Because the StarFlake’s ink is fully transparent, it works beautifully over virtually any medium once dry:
- Hand lettering & calligraphy: Apply over finished letterforms to add a glitter highlight that follows the stroke without obscuring it. Gold and Silver work especially well over black ink.
- Watercolor illustrations: Brush over dry watercolor washes to add a magical shimmer layer. Blue StarFlake over indigo or prussian blue creates a particularly striking night-sky effect.
- Brush pen lettering: Use as a finishing layer over completed brush lettering pieces for social-media-ready shimmer effects.
- Greeting cards & card-making: Transform a handmade card with a StarFlake highlight across the design — the effect photographs beautifully and impresses in person.
- Journal & planner decoration: Add sparkle to headers, borders, seasonal spreads, and decorative elements in bullet journals and planner layouts.
- Gift wrapping & packaging: Brush across kraft paper tags, envelope seals, and gift labels for a premium handmade finish.
Who Is the StarFlake For?
- Hand letterers & calligraphers who want a glitter finishing tool that works with rather than over their letterforms
- Watercolor artists who paint botanicals, night skies, galaxies, and other subjects that benefit from a light shimmer layer
- Card makers & paper crafters who produce handmade greeting cards and stationery for personal use or sale
- Bullet journalers & planner enthusiasts who create seasonal and decorative spreads
- Stationery collectors who appreciate limited edition Pentel releases and Japanese pen culture
- Gift-givers looking for a unique, creative gift for the artist, journaler, or stationery lover in their life
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the glitter ink have a color, or is it truly clear?
The ink base is genuinely clear and colorless — only the glitter particles carry color (Gold, Silver, or Blue). When applied over white paper with no underlying color, it dries with a subtle shimmer. When applied over colored ink or artwork, the glitter sparkles while the colors beneath show through fully.
Can I use it directly on paper without applying over another medium?
Yes. On white or light-colored paper, the StarFlake leaves a visible glitter trail — particularly effective for decorative borders, backgrounds, and accent strokes where glitter-on-paper is the desired effect.
How do I control the intensity of the glitter effect?
Apply one coat for a light, subtle shimmer. Allow to dry and apply additional coats to build intensity. Two to three coats produces a fully glittered, high-sparkle effect. The brush tip gives you control over coverage width as well — light pressure for fine lines, heavier pressure for broad washes.
Will the glitter smear or flake off after drying?
The glitter particles are suspended in the ink and bond to the paper surface as the carrier dries. On standard paper, the finished glitter layer is stable for normal handling. Like all glitter-based products, avoid heavy rubbing or direct contact with adhesive surfaces after application.
Is this a limited edition product?
Yes — the StarFlake Blush series is a limited edition release from Pentel. Stock is finite and will not be replenished once sold out. If you’re considering adding all three colors to your collection, now is the time.
What paper works best with the StarFlake?
Smooth papers produce the clearest glitter effect — HP Premium, Rhodia, Clairefontaine, Tomoe River, and similar fountain-pen-friendly papers work beautifully. On textured or heavily absorbent papers, some glitter particles may sink into the surface and the shimmer effect may be less pronounced.
Limited edition. Unlimited sparkle.
Shop the Pentel StarFlake Brush Pen — from $13 →
