re: How is the gold so GOLD and the silver so SILVER?

Can I brush on airbrush colors? I need a light gold. I saw a video about brushing Crisco on the cakes & then the lustre dust. I do have edible golds but not a white one which I need for 2 tiers. I was going to do the gold on ivory but thinking maybe it should be white. I’m afraid of my airbrush machine plus I do cakes in my house and don’t want the mess. I try to buy only the edibles now & save my old dusts for dusting flowers.