Black lights have ultraviolet bulbs or UV-LED bulbs that emit a special blue-ish purple light that doesn't just bathe a room in atmosphere but picks out whites and neon colours, giving them a distinct and effective glow.
Black Light Lamps
The mysterious light produced by UV lights causes certain colours and surfaces to fluoresce, which makes anything from your teeth, the white T-shirt you picked out, or the neon paint on the wall glow. UV lights are perfect for club dance floors, Halloween parties, or in fact any event in need of a specifically spooky atmosphere. Besides fun stuff, UV light is used for trace detection during criminal investigations, or to check that a bank note is real. If you already have a black light and need some fresh bulbs, you'll find them in our spare UV bulb section.
Black Light Parties
If you're planning a party or event and want to pack it out with the atmosphere that only back lights can give you, make sure to look out for any 'blind spots'. These are the points in the room where the UV light can't reach so they miss out on the black-light-effect. So, make sure to kit out the space with black lights that give you the perfect amount of coverage. when working with black light, the space also needs to be well sealed off from normal light so that it's dark enough for the UV light to take effect. You also might want to think about getting a few glow-in-the-dark or neon accessories for your party-goers to play with.
Back Light Paint
Black light paint - also known as neon paint or glow-in-the-dark paint - contains fluorescent phosphors which react under UV light and reflect back white light - hence the glow, or luminescence. White T-shirts and teeth also contain traces of these magic phosphors. This special paint is also useful during black-outs, since it can be used to mark out a route to the nearest exit.
LED Black Lights
Almost any UV light that you can pick up at Bax Music will be an LED black light. The same is true of the strobe lights that we stock. These flashing light effects are often teamed up with black lights to polish off the party vibe. LED lighting is not just cheaper, but more energy efficient and therefore more sustainable than most traditional light bulbs like gas-discharge bulbs, halogen bulbs or TL-light, for example.
Picking the Right Black Light
When picking out your black light, you'll want to get something that will work in the space it'll be used in. So one model will work better in a large club while another will work better in your living room. Luckily, we have a range of different black light models to choose from, including black light strobes or UV lighting bars from brands like Beamz - which are particularly popular since they're really effective and pretty fairly priced.
Black Light Friendly Clothing
To give a UV-lit party an extra boost, the right clothing is a must. So bright or neon colours are recommended, or clothing that features colourful prints. Blue or purple also work really well under UV light, but if in doubt, you can always just wear white.
Black Light Friendly Contact Lenses
To really push things to the next level, you could get a pair of contact lenses that glow under UV light. UV-contacts look like white contact lenses in daylight, but as soon as you stick them under a black light, you're transformed into a freaky vampire or zombie and you're outfit really comes alive... or undead.
Battery-Operated Black Lights
If your UV-partying life is more spontaneous and you're throwing a garden party on the fly, or planning an event in a more awkward location, then there are also battery-operated black lights that don't even need a power socket or any cables. These models are usually much easier to travel with as well and can be set up wherever they're needed. Of course, if you want to use UV light indoors at a venue or club, then a mains powered model will be a better idea.
E27 Black Light Bulbs
You can also just get a UV bulb with a standard E27 fitting so it can be screwed into any light fixture at home, setting up the living room for a glow-in-the-dark party.
Disco Black Lights
Black lights are really popular in clubs and on dance floors. Black lights are often combined with flashing strobe lights to really intensify the effect, so the place is suddenly packed with glowing people dancing in slow-mo.
Frequently Asked Questions About Black Lights
How many black lights will I need?
In a space that's around the size of a basketball court, you'll need about four black lights, but if you're throwing a glow-in-the-dark party in your living room, then you'll just need one.
Where can you get black lights?
Here at Bax Music, we have plenty of black lights to browse through starting at around £20 and going up from there.
What is a Glow-in-the-Dark Party?
A glow-in-the-dark party is just a party - but with a twist. When you're invited to a glow-in-the-dark party, make sure you're wearing white or bright neon colours and maybe some glow-in-the-dark body and face paint so that the UV lights will really make your outfit pop and glow. Glow-in-the-dark parties will also be covered in neon paint and full of neon objects. Some people will even go the whole hog and turn up wearing UV contact lenses.
What kind of clothes glow under UV light?
White clothing will always glow under UV light, but also bright colours and special neon colours. Blue and purple also work well under UV light. Whether it's clothing, T-shirt prints, wall or body paint or even your teeth, the bright colours activate the UV light, making it reflect white glowing light - especially if the room is pitch-dark.
