Ban Mi Macaron Rose

[yazeh]

Ban Mi Macaron Rose

 

Ink Review # 242

 

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🧾 Description

 

Ink: Macaron Rose

Brand: Ban Mi

Country: China

Bottle size: 15 ml

 

Macaron Rose is a pale pink from Ban Mi’s waterproof pastel series. The ink comes in a tiny 15 ml bottle reminiscent of nail polish. 

 

 

 

Despite the hot pink colour in the converter and bottle, the ink is illegible with most nibs.  Lubrication is slightly below average. Cleaning was more or less easy, though I didn’t keep the ink for long in my pens. Because it’s a waterproof ink and uses a pink dye, both notorious clingers, I soaked the feeds in cleaning solution for good measure.  

 

I did not enjoy writing with this ink. At times it felt like writing with invisible ink. However, I’m sure someone might find a use for this colour, for example, writing letters to people they don’t like.  

 

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🧪 Chroma

 

 

 

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✍️ Writing Samples (photos LED and daylight)

- Pens Used: Pilot Kakuno EF, Lamy (EF/F/M/B/ stub 1.1), Jinhao 450 fude nib, Brause dip pen.

 

Translations from language are provided for reference only and may differ from published versions.

 

JEF stands for Japanese Extra Fine.

 

Rhodia dotpad

 

“A little fragrance always clings to the hand that gives the roses.”

Chinese proverb

 

 

 

Iroful

 “After one night of wind and showers, / How many are the fallen flowers!”

Meng Haoran (689–740), Chinese poet

I had a problem with the blotting paper: it leached onto the page.

 

 

Midori MD Codex

“Flower groves have shed their spring red halo;”

Li Yu (937–978), Chinese poet and ruler of the Southern Tang
 

 

 

Tomoe River 68gsm (Taroko Design Notebook)

Note: Tomoe River used here is 68 gsm, not the thinner 52 gsm version commonly referenced in reviews.

“At ease and I see osmanthus flowers falling—”

Wang Wei (701–761), Chinese poet, painter, and musician

 

 

Hammermill 20lb copy paper

“Just that once you are gone, there is no other flower to follow.”

Yuan Zhen (779–831), Chinese poet and prose writer

 

 

Closeup

 

 

 

 🔍 Comparison

Col-O-ring swatches. Scans are approximate.

 

 

 

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 💧 Water Test

 

 

 

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 🎨 Artwork

Chef Macaron

Ban Mi Macaron rose, Jacques Herbin Rouille d'ancre (background), Strathmore watercolour paper.

 

 

K-Drama Crash!

Cat & Mouse crash a K-drama set.

Ban Mi Macaron Rose, Robert Oster Smoke Screen (Purple black), Taccia Fukaku Hanada, Canson Mixed Media Paper. 

 

 

 

 

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- Writing Experience: Awful.

- What I Liked: It’s waterproof. I would’ve preferred something darker. 

- What I Did Not Like: I couldn’t see anything while writing.

 

 🧷 Ink Characteristics

- Shading: Extreme. 

- Ghosting: None. 

- Bleed Through: None.

- Flow Rate: Watery. 

- Lubrication: Below average. 

- Nib Dry-out: Did not notice. 

- Start-up: No problems. 

- Saturation: Non-existent.

- Sheen: None.

- Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice.

- Nib Creep / Crud: Did not notice.

- Staining (Pen):

- Clogging: No.

- Cleaning: Ok. It’s a pigment ink. I don’t know how it’ll pan out overtime. 

- Water Resistance: Excellent.

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 🛒 Availability

 

- Available in 15 ml bottles from Aliexpress or similar outlets. 

 

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 💬 Closing

It’s hard to review an ink when it’s too subtle for its own good.

 

No fountain pens were harmed in preparing this review.

 

Please don’t hesitate to share your experience, writing samples, or any other comments — the more the merrier.  

 

[Lithium466]

Thank you for your review and efforts @yazeh!

I absolutely love K-Drama Crash! 😻

(But the ink...meh)

[yazeh]

8 minutes ago, Lithium466 said:

Thank you for your review and efforts @yazeh!

Welcome!

8 minutes ago, Lithium466 said:

I absolutely love K-Drama Crash! 😻

 

8 minutes ago, Lithium466 said:

(But the ink...meh)

 

[LizEF]

Hmm.  I would have preferred the hot pink on the page... 😎

 

Chinese proverb very wise.    I like the change to putting the quote above the page it's on. 

 

Well, the shading is nice, but holy paleness, Batman!  IMO, pale, muted pink is not a good color for ink.  Flowers, sure, but not ink.

 

The swatches make it look like a near match for Here Kitty Kitty.

 

Oh dear.  Is that a kitty burger in the water test!?   Meanwhile, it aces the water test...

 

Hmm.  Chef Macaron?  I think I'd prefer Baker Macaroon.  

 

Phew!  K-Drama Crash! offers some relief.  That looks like a fun story going on there.  (PS: Both drawings are wonderful!)

 

Thanks for another fantastic review, @yazeh!

[yazeh]

47 minutes ago, LizEF said:

Hmm.  I would have preferred the hot pink on the page... 😎

 

47 minutes ago, LizEF said:

Chinese proverb very wise.    I like the change to putting the quote above the page it's on. 

I'm refining as I go.  

 

47 minutes ago, LizEF said:

Well, the shading is nice, but holy paleness, Batman!  IMO, pale, muted pink is not a good color for ink.  Flowers, sure, but not ink.

I guess the only way to make this work is add some black ink. Though, personally I prefer Rouille d'ancre. Much better behaved in general.

47 minutes ago, LizEF said:

 

The swatches make it look like a near match for Here Kitty Kitty.

Near match. I think this is less legible. The other one had too much shimmer.  

47 minutes ago, LizEF said:

 

Oh dear.  Is that a kitty burger in the water test!?   Meanwhile, it aces the water test...

t was supposed to be a Macaron. But I know Makhabesh’s love of cheeseburgers has kind of rubbed off on you.  🍔

47 minutes ago, LizEF said:

 

Hmm.  Chef Macaron?  I think I'd prefer Baker Macaroon.  

Potato, patato, pastry chef. 😛 

47 minutes ago, LizEF said:

Phew!  K-Drama Crash! offers some relief.  That looks like a fun story going on there.  (PS: Both drawings are wonderful!)

Thanks! I had fun with it. However, one needs a nice contrasting colour to make it work in drawings and washes.  

47 minutes ago, LizEF said:

 

Thanks for another fantastic review, @yazeh!

Most welcome! 

[inkstainedruth]

@yazeh Definitely NOT an ink for me (even if it's waterproof) because it's so pale I really do NOT understand why companies are coming out with inks that are so illegible on the page these days).  But thanks as usual for the comprehensive review -- and especially the artwork.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

[yazeh]

6 minutes ago, inkstainedruth said:

@yazeh Definitely NOT an ink for me (even if it's waterproof) because it's so pale I really do NOT understand why companies are coming out with inks that are so illegible on the page these days).  

They have 12 inks in this shade. I think they might be destined for brush calligraphy, art or flex/ B nibs. Or they might be a novelty thing, because they look 

6 minutes ago, inkstainedruth said:

But thanks as usual for the comprehensive review -- and especially the artwork.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

Most welcome. Glad it was enjoyable.

[LizEF]

36 minutes ago, yazeh said:

was supposed to be a Macaron

Ooooh!  I had to google.  Now I see.  This is my ignorance of the name of said cookie.

 

37 minutes ago, yazeh said:

But I know Makhabesh’s love of cheeseburgers has kind of rubbed off on you.  🍔

More likely the other way around.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Holy Invisible Ink, Batman!  My eyes!  😱

 

The only things I liked about this ink:

A. The artwork!  👏🏻

B: Your presentation, @yazeh.  
 

Thanks so much for taking me on these InkVentures with Kitteh and Mousie.  They're so much fun to read.

[yazeh]

1 hour ago, LizEF said:

Ooooh!  I had to google.  Now I see.  This is my ignorance of the name of said cookie.

They've been quite a rage for sometime. The "bun" is meringue-based. It's quite sweet. Not my thing.

 

1 hour ago, LizEF said:

 

More likely the other way around.

 

[yazeh]

1 hour ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

Holy Invisible Ink, Batman!  My eyes!  😱

One needs a magnifying glass for this one.

 

1 hour ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

 

The only things I liked about this ink:

A. The artwork!  👏🏻

B: Your presentation, @yazeh.  

Awww.  🙏

1 hour ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

Thanks so much for taking me on these InkVentures with Kitteh and Mousie.  They're so much fun to read.

Most welcome!