Mental Dust - Quique Marduk
$35.00
https://www.murphysmagic.com/product.aspx?id=71388

The Hype:

The spectator selects a card and write the number and suit on a sugar envelope. The magician opens the envelope, pours the sugar on the spectator's forearm and the selected card appears written on the skin.

It is the old and great "ashes on arm" trick but on the spectator's skin, and can be done with ashes, salt, sand, pepper or any dust.

You receive a special gimmick and a holder to get the trick always ready to be performed.

3 patterns available: 8 of Spades, King of Clubs or Waves (ESP cards)

Includes a video download with explanations and ideas.

My Take:

Sweet. One of the first really cool tricks a lot of us learned was the Ashes on Arm. The main problem is that you really had to do it on your own arm as the prediction had to be written in advance. Soap was suggested as the medium to use in most explanations. The problem was that it dried fast and once dried was useless. So this probably had to be the first effect in your show.

Quique has solved both problems. In the package you get a tube of lip balm (with his brand on it, but you can use any lip balm), a quality made plastic gimmick and a plastic holder for it. This allows you to keep it in your pocket for as long as you like (as lip balm really doesn't dry).

With this gimmick, your volunteer selects a card (yes, it has to be forced) and you have previously loaded the gimmick onto your hand. You take him by the arm (maybe using the same type of grip as you would Jim Pace's "The Web"). This allows you to press the gimmick onto his skin. This deposits a small amount of balm onto him in the shape of your card.

When most of us learned this, smoking was not such a four letter word (yes, I can count) so the alternative was to have him write the name of his card and then burn the paper. When he ashes are rubbed on his arm, then blown off, what remains is the name of his card. This has always played huge and this gimmick makes it tons more practical.

$35.00 may seem a lot but look at what you get. A sturdy plastic prop that is built to last and a system performing the Ashes to Arm any time and anywhere. And by keeping the gimmick in your pocket, you are ready at any point in your show.

Instruction is via a nine minute Youtube video. English is not Quique's native tongue and although he struggles his way through it, it is easy enough to understand and get the material that you need.

Should you get this one? If you like the effect and have had some of the above mentioned problems, I would give it a resounding Yes. Also, if you don't currently do the trick and want to either learn it or do it better, you get a yes.

A lot of companies would tell you that you had to use their balm and try to sell you another at a greatly inflated price. Not here. He is quite open about telling that it is ordinary lip balm. He also gives another couple materials you can use but none matches up to the balm.

Nice update of a classic that makes it easier to do and more effective (you get to use the spectator's arm). If you are somewhere where you cannot use fire and get your ashes, he also names a couple of alternates.

Recommended.

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