About UV and Phosphorescence

UV pigments are very expensive; prices I was quoted once were more than $800 per pound. This is why there is a large range in the quality of UV paints. Some of it is weak because the manufacturer doesn't put enough UV pigment in the paint. Unless noted otherwise, all the items we sell are top of the line.

Usually items that are phosphorescent will activate with UV light, so the two are included here and are considered to be interchangeable. Paint that is UV only will not glow in the dark after it has been charged with white light. Paint that is Phosphorescent will usually glow when exposed to UV light and will also glow after it has been charged with white light.

Many insects and body fluids will activate in UV light. People in Mexico use UV lanterns to find scorpions in their homes and yards. If you want to see if your maid has been doing her job take a UV lamp into your bathroom and turn off the lights. Explore around the toilet. Yuck! The good news is soap and water DO work.

Florescence The act of blooming like a flower. Has nothing to do with what we're doing here. Florescence is when you enter into a period of prosperity or success. SES is waiting to enter a period of florescence.

Fluorescent, Fluorescence The property of a substance of producing light while it is being acted upon by radiant energy such as ultraviolet rays.

Glow-in-the-dark Usually means phosphorescent.

Luminous, luminance The quality of giving off light. At one time watch dials were painted with luminous paint. This paint would glow in the dark without being charged by light. This paint was radioactive and resulted in the death of people who were exposed to large amounts of it. The unfortunate women who painted these watch faces suffered horrible cancers and passed away long before their time. Mantels where clocks of this type were placed are still radioactive to this day. Obviously we don't sell this kind of paint or makeup. Luminous is often confused with phosphorescent.

Phosphorescent, phosphorescence The condition or property of a substance of giving off a lingering emission of light after exposure to radiant energy such as white light or X-rays.

UV, Ultraviolet A range in the light spectrum that we can't see because our eyes are not sensitive to it. We can however see a small part of the beginning of it as a purple glow. Ultra Violet in the sense that is used here means a pigment that is activated with UV light.