Glow in the Dark Powder: How to Use It in Resin, Paint & Crafts
Glow in the dark powder turns resin pieces, painted art and crafts into something that comes alive when the lights go off. Here's how it works, how much to use and how to get the brightest, longest glow.
What Is Glow in the Dark Powder?
Glow in the dark powder is a photoluminescent pigment. It absorbs light from a bright source such as sunlight, LED or UV, then slowly releases that stored energy as a visible glow once the light is removed. Mixed into a clear medium such as epoxy resin, clear acrylic medium or varnish, it glows for up to 3 hours after a full charge and can be recharged as often as you like.
Glow powder doesn't dissolve like a dye. It's a fine pigment that sits suspended in whatever you mix it into. That's why the medium matters so much: the light has to reach the pigment to charge it, and the glow has to escape back out for you to see it.
Glow in the dark glitter works the same way, just in a flake form. It adds sparkle in daylight and glow at night, and it's popular in tumblers, slime and nail art.
What You'll Need
A glow in the dark pigment powder & glitter 15 pack gives you 12 powders and 3 glitters to test colours side by side.
Epoxy resin, a clear gloss gel medium, varnish, clear nail gel or clear glue for slime.
Graduated cups, stir sticks and a small kitchen scale make ratios repeatable. See our resin accessories.
Any strong light charges the pigment. A UV light charges it quickly and makes testing at night easy.
How to Use Glow in the Dark Powder in Epoxy Resin
Resin is the most popular way to use glow powder because cured resin is clear, so light reaches the pigment from every side.
Mix your resin first
Measure and mix your resin and hardener exactly as the instructions say, scraping the sides and bottom of the cup. Getting the resin right first means the pigment won't throw out your ratio.
Add the powder at 1–5% by weight
Start at around 1% of the mixed resin weight (about 1g of powder per 100g of resin) and work up towards 5% for a stronger glow. Weigh it rather than eyeballing it so you can repeat the result.
Stir slowly and thoroughly
Fold the powder through until there are no clumps or streaks. Slow stirring keeps bubbles down, which matters because bubbles scatter light and dull the glow.
Pour, then watch for settling
Glow powder is heavier than resin and can sink in thin, slow-curing resin. If you want it spread through the piece, give the resin a few minutes to thicken before pouring, or stir gently once or twice early in the cure. If you want a glowing base, let it settle on purpose.
Cure, then charge
Let the piece cure fully, then charge it under sunlight, a bright LED or UV light. The longer you charge it, the longer it glows, up to about 3 hours.
Shop glow powder →How to Make Glow in the Dark Paint
You can't get a strong glow by stirring powder into ordinary acrylic paint. Coloured paint is opaque, so it blocks the light from reaching the pigment and blocks the glow from getting out. The fix is to make a clear glow layer instead.
Paint your base colour first
Paint the artwork as normal and let it dry. Light colours, especially white, underneath the glow layer bounce light back and make the glow look brighter. A coat of white gesso under the glow areas helps.
Mix powder into a clear medium
Stir the powder into a clear acrylic medium, gloss gel or varnish until smooth. Start with a small batch and test it before mixing more.
Apply in thin coats
Brush the glow mix over the areas you want to light up. Two or three thin coats give a more even glow than one thick coat. Let each coat dry before the next.
Charge and check
Once dry, charge it under light and check it in a dark room. Add another coat anywhere the glow looks patchy.
Other Ways to Use Glow Powder and Glitter
Any clear medium will work. The clearer the medium, the stronger the glow.
Make slime with clear glue and mix in the powder or glitter. Clear glue keeps the glow strong, while white glue mutes it.
Mix a little powder into clear nail gel, or press glitter into a clear top coat, then cure as normal.
Glow glitter suits tumblers. Lock it in under a clear resin coat so the flakes stay put.
A clear varnish with glow powder mixed in adds a hidden night-time layer to a finished painting.
Tips for the Brightest, Longest Glow
Charge it longer, and with stronger light
A quick flash under a lamp gives a short glow. A long charge under sunlight or a bright LED or UV light gives the longest glow.
Keep the medium clear
Don't mix glow powder with opaque pigments or mica in the same layer. If you want colour, put it in a separate layer behind the glow layer.
Put white or light colours behind it
A white or pale backing reflects light back through the glow layer, which makes it look brighter.
Use more pigment, not more coats of weak mix
If the glow is faint, increase the powder towards 5% rather than adding extra layers of a thin mix.
Store it sealed and dry
Keep jars sealed when you're not using them so the powder stays dry and free of dust.
Troubleshooting a Weak or Patchy Glow
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Barely glows | Not enough powder, or a short charge | Increase towards 5% by weight and charge for longer under strong light |
| Glows on one side only | Powder sank before the resin set | Let the resin thicken a little before pouring, or stir gently early in the cure |
| Patchy glow in paint | Glow mixed into opaque paint, or one thick uneven coat | Mix into a clear medium and apply two or three thin coats |
| Cloudy piece in daylight | Too much powder in the whole pour | Put the glow in a back or bottom layer and pour clear resin over it |
| Fades quickly | Weak light source when charging | Charge in sunlight or under a bright LED or UV light |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I activate glow in the dark powder?
Charge it under a strong light source such as sunlight, LED or UV light, then move it into the dark. It glows straight away and can be recharged as many times as you like.
How long does glow in the dark powder glow?
Our glow in the dark powder glows for up to 3 hours after charging. The longer and brighter the charge, the longer it glows. The glow is strongest in the first minutes and then slowly fades.
How much glow powder do I add to resin?
Start at about 1% of the mixed resin weight, around 1g of powder per 100g of resin, and work up towards 5% for a stronger glow. Weigh it so you can repeat the result.
Can I mix glow in the dark powder with acrylic paint?
Mix it into a clear medium rather than coloured paint. Opaque paint blocks light from reaching the pigment, which weakens the glow. For painted work, stir the powder into a clear acrylic medium or varnish and apply it as a top layer.
Can you mix glow in the dark powder with water?
Water on its own won't hold the powder in place once it dries. Mix it into a clear binder such as epoxy resin, a clear acrylic medium, varnish or clear glue so the glow stays where you put it.
Why does my glow in the dark resin look weak?
The most common causes are too little powder, a short or weak charge, powder that sank to one side, or opaque colour mixed into the same layer. Increase the powder towards 5%, charge under strong light, and keep the glow layer clear.
Is glow in the dark powder safe?
Our glow powder is non-toxic, but avoid inhaling it and use it in a well-ventilated area. It isn't intended for ingestion, and jars should stay sealed when not in use.
Glow powder is one of the easiest ways to add a surprise to resin and painted art. Keep the medium clear, weigh your powder, charge it well, and layer the glow where it counts.
Ready to make it glow?
12 glow powders and 3 glow glitters in sealed 10g jars, ready for resin, mediums and crafts.
