Holidays & Entertaining Holidays Halloween A Guide to Glow-in-the-Dark Paint for the Most Lit Halloween Ever Give your Halloween decor a real glow-up this year! By Lisa Milbrand Lisa Milbrand Lisa Milbrand has more than 20 years of experience as a lifestyle writer and editor, writing thousands of articles on topics that help people live better and healthier lives for Real Simple, Parents, and dozens of other top publications. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Published on September 29, 2021 Share Tweet Pin Email Glow-in-the-dark-paint is your secret weapon for really wicked-looking Halloween decor. You can add a little to highlight key details, like a creepy skeleton or ghost—or add a lot to create a festive, no-carve pumpkin that still lights up the night. You can find a lot of luminescent options, from glow-in-the-dark spray paint to glow-in-the-dark Mod Podge you can apply over any object. Outdoor Decoration Ideas for Every Part of the House Your objects will glow for years, though fluorescent glow-in-the-dark paint only works if you shine a black light on it. You'll want to spring for phosphorescent paint if you want something you can "charge" with exposure to sunlight and have it glow through Halloween night. Check out the best glow-in-the-dark paint ideas to make your Halloween. Learn how to make your own glow-in-the-dark paint Amazon.com While there are tons of premixed options out there for you, you might want to DIY your glow-in-the-dark paint. If you're wondering how to do it, it's easy—just add phosphorescent powder to acrylic paint, epoxy, or another medium of your choice. Mix in the phosphorescent powder at a rate of `1 part powder to 5 or 6 parts paint—you can do more than that for extra glow, but that will thicken the paint. Get creative with glow-in-the-dark pumpkin paint Jaderbomb You can always put a spooky face on your pumpkin, but don't let the idea of a traditional jack-o'-lantern box you in. Create fun patterns like polka dots, cubes, or rainbow stripes, using an array of glow-in-the-dark paint colors. Pro tip: Use the paint on an artificial pumpkin, and you can create a cool, crafty decoration that you can pull out year after year. See the craft at I Love to Create. Create DIY glow-in-the-dark eyes One Savvy Mom Glowing eyes are a Halloween staple. You can paint the eyes of any decorations with glow-in-the-dark paint (imagine them peering out from a mummy or a skull!), or make your own eyes for your bushes on the cheap using skewers, styrofoam balls and discs, and black paint for the eyeballs. See the craft at One Savvy Mom. Add glow-in-the-dark paint to mimic a potent potion Country Chic Cottage A touch of glow-in-the-dark paint makes a simple black plastic cauldron look like it's been used for one potion too many—and the creepy hand coming out from the center may make trick-or-treaters think twice about grabbing too many goodies. See how to make it at Country Chic Cottage. Add a little glow to your outdoor decor Craft Box Girls Glow-in-the-dark paint can make your spiderwebs extra creepy. This one is easy to make with a little cotton twine and some paint. Get the details at Craft Box Girls. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit