Uploaded June 2023 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
For those of you who have at some point purchased a tarot or oracle deck with a matte or rose petal finish on the cardstock, you may have noticed that sometimes, straight out of a new box, the cards stick to each other a bit, and don’t shuffle very well due to increased friction between the surface of each of the cards. There is an at-home solution for this. Let's talk about how you can make your own version of an anti-set-off-spray powder, which is what industrial printing presses use as a slip agent. Following the method instructed here can help to significantly reduce shuffling friction.
DEMO VIDEO, BEFORE & AFTER: youtu.be/DEbxuwmtKac
TIMESTAMPS:
00:23 Why matte and rose petal finish decks tend to have more friction
01:20 About anti-set-off-spray powder
02:35 Homemade “calcium carbonate” powder: eggshell powder
02:48 How anti-set-off-spray is used in the printing industry
03:24 Applying anti-set-off-spray powder to your cards will resolve the friction issue in your matte or rose petal finish cards
03:38 A case for why making your own anti-set-off-spray powder at home is better than trying to buy it
04:24 You’ll need: 1/4 tsp. of cornstarch + pinch of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). If you want to replace these ingredients with are starch flours, do research to confirm that the pH level of your final mixture is between 7 and 9
04:38 Caveat for making your own calcium carbonate powder (eggshell powder) at home
05:22 Personal findings: calcium carbonate not necessary; sodium bicarbonate is a good replacement
05:48 Why the baking soda works in this powder to help add slippage and glide to your matte finish cards
06:06 Fun incidental magical-mystical properties of using baking soda and/or crushed eggshells
06:30 Demonstration of the application process begins
08:38 Conceptualize application as gently rubbing lotion into the pores of that matte finish
10:46 White starchy powder does not have any negative impacts on the coloring of your cards
11:25 Another reminder to be meditative in your approach and to be gentle with the application
11:59 Continuously gather and separate the cards of the deck, and shuffling to get the powder evenly disbursed, rubbing any residual powder gently into the pores of that matte finish on your cards
13:26 Some more insights into the anti-set-off-spray powder and how it’s used during the paper printing and production process
14:02 Gently rubbing residual powder in between the edges of the gilding
14:36 Ingredients in the industrial commercial grade version of the powder is the same as the ingredients you’re using to make your own version of the powder
15:46 Showing immediate results of the powder application and how it has loosened the cards
16:03 This is also a great way to bond with a new deck, especially one that was initially unwieldy to shuffle or work with
16:13 Continued handling of each and every individual card to evenly disburse the powder and making sure it seeps into the pores of that finish
17:26 You only need to apply this process once to fix the friction issue, replicating a standard production process that might have been overlooked or under-applied at the factory (so take your time, be patient with the process, and do it thoroughly that first time ^_^*)
18:22 Reminder: Make sure you’ve removed all jewelry from your hands when you do this, so you don’t inadvertently scratch your cards
19:06 Final steps to the process to ensure that the powder has been fully absorbed into the finish of your cards
20:20 A few concluding tips and reminders
21:21 Why the initial slight friction and resistance in matte and rose petal finish decks is common and how this simple do-it-yourself powder can remedy that
For a video demonstration to see the “before” and “after,” see at this timestamp: youtu.be/CfrqfwohWA0?t=376
For those of you who have at some point purchased a tarot or oracle deck with a matte or rose petal finish on the cardstock, you may have noticed that sometimes, straight out of a new box, the cards stick to each other a bit, and don’t shuffle very well due to increased friction between the surface of each of the cards. There is an at-home solution for this. Let's talk about how you can make your own version of an anti-set-off-spray powder, which is what industrial printing presses use as a slip agent. Following the method instructed here can help to significantly reduce shuffling friction.
DEMO VIDEO, BEFORE & AFTER: youtu.be/DEbxuwmtKac
TIMESTAMPS:
00:23 Why matte and rose petal finish decks tend to have more friction
01:20 About anti-set-off-spray powder
02:35 Homemade “calcium carbonate” powder: eggshell powder
02:48 How anti-set-off-spray is used in the printing industry
03:24 Applying anti-set-off-spray powder to your cards will resolve the friction issue in your matte or rose petal finish cards
03:38 A case for why making your own anti-set-off-spray powder at home is better than trying to buy it
04:24 You’ll need: 1/4 tsp. of cornstarch + pinch of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). If you want to replace these ingredients with are starch flours, do research to confirm that the pH level of your final mixture is between 7 and 9
04:38 Caveat for making your own calcium carbonate powder (eggshell powder) at home
05:22 Personal findings: calcium carbonate not necessary; sodium bicarbonate is a good replacement
05:48 Why the baking soda works in this powder to help add slippage and glide to your matte finish cards
06:06 Fun incidental magical-mystical properties of using baking soda and/or crushed eggshells
06:30 Demonstration of the application process begins
08:38 Conceptualize application as gently rubbing lotion into the pores of that matte finish
10:46 White starchy powder does not have any negative impacts on the coloring of your cards
11:25 Another reminder to be meditative in your approach and to be gentle with the application
11:59 Continuously gather and separate the cards of the deck, and shuffling to get the powder evenly disbursed, rubbing any residual powder gently into the pores of that matte finish on your cards
13:26 Some more insights into the anti-set-off-spray powder and how it’s used during the paper printing and production process
14:02 Gently rubbing residual powder in between the edges of the gilding
14:36 Ingredients in the industrial commercial grade version of the powder is the same as the ingredients you’re using to make your own version of the powder
15:46 Showing immediate results of the powder application and how it has loosened the cards
16:03 This is also a great way to bond with a new deck, especially one that was initially unwieldy to shuffle or work with
16:13 Continued handling of each and every individual card to evenly disburse the powder and making sure it seeps into the pores of that finish
17:26 You only need to apply this process once to fix the friction issue, replicating a standard production process that might have been overlooked or under-applied at the factory (so take your time, be patient with the process, and do it thoroughly that first time ^_^*)
18:22 Reminder: Make sure you’ve removed all jewelry from your hands when you do this, so you don’t inadvertently scratch your cards
19:06 Final steps to the process to ensure that the powder has been fully absorbed into the finish of your cards
20:20 A few concluding tips and reminders
21:21 Why the initial slight friction and resistance in matte and rose petal finish decks is common and how this simple do-it-yourself powder can remedy that
For a video demonstration to see the “before” and “after,” see at this timestamp: youtu.be/CfrqfwohWA0?t=376
