Dusting to take the shine off sealant?

The one thing that bothered me about my plant project was the shine the sealant gave the base. I've been brainstorming ever since, trying to come up with some way to seal a project but keep the rocky finish. I'm working on a foam/grout insert for the back of Amoré's cage, and I have an idea I want to try out.

I was inspired by the idea of sprinkling sand on the last coat of sealant for traction (mentioned on Lizard-Landscapes.com). If you can sprinkle sand, what about something finer, like a powder, on the last coat to stop the shine? It would need to be puffed on for a very fine coat versus sprinkled in blobs. Luckily, there are tools made that do just that, powder dusters designed for applying insecticides:
Amazon.com : Pest Pistol - Used to Kill Bed Bugs - Insert Diatomaceous Earth : Home Pest Control Products : Patio, Lawn & Garden

I tried to think of a non-toxic material and decided on kaolin clay for the time being. The color is a little light, but it might be okay. Plus, I have some on hand to try it with. My plan is to try to puff clay over the project while the last coat of sealant is still drying. Once it's completely dry, I'll rub it off to remove any excess. I'm hoping the dusting will stop the sealant from shining.

Any feedback or suggestions would be appreciated. I'll let you guys know how it works out...

Okay, I tried this out. While the dusting with clay didn't completely kill the shine, it did give the structure a dusty, weathered appearance. I'd say this was a success, and I'll be using this technique on other projects. Basically, I added the third coat of sealant, sprinkled a bit of sand on the areas that needed traction for climbing, and then used the pest pistol to squirt clay everywhere. I'm going to take a dry brush, a toothbrush, and a rag to it to clean off all the loose particles before I add this to my gecko cage.

Before, with two coats of sealant:




After, with dusting of sand and clay: