Glow products, whether they’re fun glow sticks or exciting glow in the dark products, are unique and enjoyable, and they’re an ideal way to celebrate any occasion – but there’s so much more to them than just something to wave around in the air. Glowing products are such a big part of many people’s lives and it makes sense to have them at your next event, large or small.

Where Did Glow Products Come From?

Most people associate glow products like glow sticks with partying, and that’s definitely why they’re famous, but they started out life very differently, and they were actually much more practical than you might think, especially considering we use them for fun in the modern day.

Like many other products we use on a regular basis, it’s the military we have to thank for glow in the dark sticks and other products. When there was a blackout or low light during World War II, glowing sticks were used to help people see – they were bright enough to get around by their light, but not so bright that the enemy would be alerted.

Unlike the plastic sticks of today, these were made of glass – not very safe! The glass vials contained chemicals and when those chemicals were mixed together, a glow in the dark effect was produced.

The poor glowing sticks were basically forgotten after the war ended. Well, no one needed them anymore, did they? That was until around the 1960s and 70s when they were rediscovered and became a big part of, well, lots of things! They were used for camping and emergency lighting, for example, and then the 80s happened and glow products were everywhere because after all, if there was ever a time that appreciated neon, it was the 1980s.

Since then, they’ve never really left, and people rely on them to make any party or event complete.

How Do Glow Products Work?

Using a glow product is an easy thing to do – snap it and it starts to brighten up in various neon colours, from yellow and orange to blue and purple. The thing is, we often take this clever invention for granted; what is it that actually makes it do that and how do they work without the need for heat?

It all starts with the ingredients. Of course, exactly how they’re made is often a highly guarded secret, and different manufacturers will have different recipes, but in general, the mixture contains fluorophores (organic dyes that make the colours), peroxide (the activator), and phenyl oxalate ester (which delays the reaction meaning the glow lasts longer). Add all these together in a plastic tube (or any other container) and with a snap, you’ve got glow.

That glow comes from a chemical reaction called chemiluminescence. When the plastic is snapped, tiny barriers inside it break apart so all the things we listed above can mix together and you’ll get a fun, visible light that lasts for quite a while.

Glow Products Or Sparklers?

If you’re thinking of buying fireworks (which you probably are because you’re browsing our pages), you might be considering buying some sparklers to liven things up. Sparklers are certainly a lot of fun, and they really can make any event better, but not everyone likes them – it’s the fizzing heat of them that can put people off and they don’t want to hold them. So why not look at glow sticks for sale instead? That way, no one has to miss out and everyone’s happy. In fact, there are a number of reasons why you might prefer glowing sticks to sparklers.

The first is a matter of safety, and this is why a glow product will really shine. Sparkers are gorgeous, and there’s nothing quite like them, but they do pose a fire hazard if they’re not handled in the right way – and especially if they’re not disposed of in the right way. Even with the best safety precautions in place, accidents can happen, especially if in a crowded place or when the wind is blowing. When you have glow in the dark products instead, that’s not a problem anymore – there aren’t any open flames to worry about, and they don’t get hot, so they’re not going to burn anyone or start a fire!

They’re also not as scary as sparklers can be. We love them, of course, but they spark and jump in our hands, and that’s not always the most fun thing when you’re a little child or nervous about fire and burns. With no heat at all, glowing sticks stay nice and cool to the touch, so even the tiniest babies can enjoy waving them around (although make sure they’re supervised if they do as they shouldn’t put them in their mouths; chemicals aren’t good when they’re ingested).

When you compare glow products to sparklers, you’ll find that the glowing ones are much more versatile and can be used for a lot more things. Firstly, you can get them in lots of styles, from sticks to silly necklaces or glasses, but on top of that, they really can be used for an occasion. Even if the place you’re in has restrictions on using fireworks, glow products shouldn’t be a problem. You can even use them inside (in fact, they look great on the dance floor!)!

If you happen to be using them outside, however, the fact that glow products are weather-resistant is important to think about. Wind and rain can dampen even the best and brightest sparkler, but that’s not going to happen to your glow products – they’ll keep glowing no matter what the weather’s doing, so even in an unexpected downpour, you’ll still have your glowing products to turn to.

There are many reasons why glow products are a better choice compared to sparklers, and the fact that they last a lot longer is just one of them. Sparklers last for a few minutes – often not even that – but glow stick products can last for hours and hours and a few more hours after that. The great thing is, though, that whereas sparklers need constant supervision the whole time they’re alight (and afterwards if you don’t have a bucket of sand or water to dispose of them in), glow products don’t. You can leave them wherever you want and when you come back to them, they’ll still be glowing, and they’ll still be safe.

When You Could Use Glow Products

It’s obvious that glow products can become an important part of any firework display, but surely that can’t be the only reason to check out Galactic Fireworks wide range of glow in the dark items? Of course it’s not! There are loads of different reasons you might want to use glow products.

Have you ever sat outside with your friends and family, perhaps after a barbecue has ended and you’re just chilling in the garden, for example, and you realise it’s become so dark you can’t see anything or anyone anymore? You could get lots of expensive lights for your outside space, or you could just get plenty of glow products for people to have fun with but also that gives off enough light to see by. It’s the perfect win-win. 

Or what about using them at children’s parties? You can make the moment even more magical when you give all the little ones glow products to use and wear. You can even throw some into their party bags so they can take the magic home with them.

Of course, if you’re heading to a concert or festival, it’s glow products you’ll want with you. If you’ve ever seen a big audience all waving these glowing sticks in the air or wearing glowing hats and glasses and having a great time, you’ll know exactly why you need to have a stock of them in your bag.

We know that glow products are a lot of fun, but you might have noticed they’re practical too because the light they give off really is nice and bright. If you go for evening or nighttime walks and runs, they can be a nice addition to your equipment. The light isn’t as harsh as you might find from a torch or headlamp, but it still does a great job. That’s why they’re also a good thing to take on a camping trip – whether you want to save them for emergency lighting or they’re your main source of illumination, the point is they’re highly useful to have around.

Browse Our Range Of Glow Products Today

At Galactic Fireworks we’re experts in all things glowing, and we’ve got plenty of glow sticks for sale for you to look at and choose from. Check out our page now and you’ll see what we mean; the choice is exceptional.

If you need any help or have any questions, our expert team is on hand to guide you. They can give you plenty of information and all the assistance you might need to make your choice, ensuring that your event or party has all the fun elements you could want.