PenBBS - 226 June Pearl

PenBBS - 226 June Pearl - Ink drop

This is PenBBS No. 226 June Pearl. PenBBS don’t often do simple, standard inks. Almost every ink they create is unusual in some way, and sets itself apart. Their shimmer inks are some of the best available, and June Pearl is a great example of the delicate beauty that typifies them. Pearl is the traditional birthstone for June, and I think the name perfectly captures this soft, sophisticated ink.

PenBBS - 226 June Pearl - Shimmer bomb!

Visually, June Pearl is a rich, yet soft, satiny lilac plum. The base color is a rose-purple, but this ink shows lights of delicate, pale, pink lavender, and powdery plum-purple darks. PenBBS shimmers are beautifully fine-particled, and they create a luscious blanket of shine and sparkle. June Pearl’s shimmer is a brilliant platinum, and above the lavender-plum there is a timid hint of baby blue. There’s no sheen or true halo, but nothing is needed or missed with such a delicate beauty.

PenBBS - 226 June Pearl - Ink swatch card

As a writing ink, June Pearl is as comfortable as it looks. Flow was smooth, and it didn’t lead to any clogging or cleaning problems. Strokes were sharp with no feather on my test premiums or office copy. Shading is mild, but it was seen on all six papers tested. It blends smoothly from dark to light, and gently complements the base colorations. Despite the swatch card performance, this is actually a very quick-drying ink. In fact, it’s one of the faster drying inks that I’ve tested! Premiums dried in 5-10 seconds, and office copy was well under 5 seconds. It’s a very nice writing ink.

This is a beautiful, luxurious ink. If you’re a bit scared of shimmer inks, this is a great ink to help you get started. I highly recommend it!