Fluorescent pigment turns clear epoxy into neon resin that looks bright in daylight and explodes with colour under a blacklight. It is perfect for UV-reactive coasters, jewellery, river tables and blacklight art.
Fluorescent resin behaves differently from glow in the dark resin, though. This guide covers how much pigment to use, how to mix it, and how to get the most vivid result.
Fluorescent vs Glow in the Dark Resin
- Fluorescent resin shows strong neon colour in daylight and glows brightly under UV light - but only while the UV light is on.
- Glow in the dark resin is pale by day, stores light and keeps glowing after the lights go off.
If you want the glow to last after the lights go out, follow our glow in the dark resin guide instead.
What You Need
- Clear epoxy resin and hardener
- Fluorescent pigment powder
- A digital scale
- Mixing cups, stir sticks and a mould
- Gloves and a well-ventilated space
- A UV flashlight to check the effect
How Much Fluorescent Pigment to Add to Resin
Start with fluorescent pigment at around 2–5% of the total mix by weight - roughly 2–5 g of pigment in 95–98 g of mixed resin. Fluorescent powder is ultra-fine (2–5 µm) and very strongly coloured, so a little goes a long way. Adding too much can make the resin cloudy, harder to pour and slow to cure.
- For translucent neon (light passes through): stay at the low end.
- For solid, opaque neon: work up gradually, testing as you go, and stay within your resin brand's limit for additives.
Note: the 20–30% ratio you may see for paint applies to acrylic mediums, not resin.
How to Mix Fluorescent Pigment into Epoxy
Step 1: Mix the resin
Combine resin and hardener exactly as your resin brand instructs, and mix for the full time.
Step 2: Make a small colour concentrate
Fine powders can form tiny clumps. Pour a small amount of the mixed resin into a separate cup, add the weighed pigment, and stir it into a smooth paste first.
Step 3: Blend the concentrate into the rest
Add the paste back to the main batch and stir slowly until the colour is completely even, with no streaks.
Step 4: Check under UV before pouring
Shine your UV flashlight on the cup. If the neon effect looks weak, add a little more pigment. If it already looks strong, pour.
Step 5: Pour, de-bubble and cure
Pour slowly, remove bubbles with a quick pass of a heat gun or torch, and let the piece cure fully. Fine particles tend to settle more slowly than coarser glow pigment, but resin thickness and curing time still matter, so check your piece during the early cure.
Tips for the Most Vivid Neon Resin
- Back it with white. A white layer behind or under the fluorescent layer usually makes the neon colour look more vivid, especially under UV.
- Test colours under your UV light. Each colour reacts differently, so make small test pours first - for example magenta next to a blue - and use the strongest ones for your main areas.
- Use a strong UV light for display. A wide-beam light such as our 100-LED UV flashlight lights up larger pieces evenly.
- Darken the room. The darker the room, the more dramatic the neon looks.
Limitations to Know
- No afterglow. The colour stops glowing the moment the UV light is switched off.
- Sunlight fades it. Fluorescent colours fade over time in strong direct sun, so neon resin is best kept indoors.
- UV-resistant resins can dull the effect. Some resins contain UV blockers to stop yellowing. These can also weaken the blacklight reaction, so test your resin first.
- Epoxy can yellow over time in sunlight, which shifts lighter neon colours. Another reason to keep pieces indoors.
Combine Neon and Glow in One Piece
You can pour separate layers or sections - one with fluorescent pigment and one with glow in the dark pigment - to get neon colour under UV and a glow after the lights go off. Avoid mixing both into the same layer: the coloured fluorescent powder dims the glow. Test the combination before a big pour.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much fluorescent powder do I put in resin? Start with about 2–5% of the total mix by weight, and add more gradually only if you need stronger colour.
Does fluorescent resin glow in the dark? No. It glows only under UV light. For resin that glows on its own in the dark, use glow in the dark pigment.
Will fluorescent pigment sink in resin? The particles are very fine (2–5 µm), so they tend to settle more slowly than glow pigment, but thin, slow-curing resins can still let them settle. Check during the early cure.
Which UV light is best for neon resin? Any UV blacklight between 365 and 395 nm works. A 395nm flashlight is the easiest to use.
Why does my fluorescent resin look dull? The room may not be dark enough, the pigment amount may be too low, or your resin may contain UV blockers.
New to fluorescent pigment? Start with our guide on how to use fluorescent pigment powder.
Written by the GlowThatWows team - specialists in glow in the dark and fluorescent pigments.
