Glow-in-the-Dark Charms

A charm you can find in the dark

A glow-in-the-dark charm is made with a material that takes in light and gives it back slowly once the lights go down. It is brightest just after dark and fades as the night goes on, and a spell in daylight or under a bright lamp charges it again. That makes it more than a decoration. A glowing charm is easier to find at the bottom of a bag, on a bedside table, on the floor of a tent or in a dark car, and many of the charms here clip onto keys or a rucksack as well as a phone.

What is in this range

• Star charms: resin stars on a short strap that hangs from the phone, in red, blue or green, and a five-pointed star lanyard charm in a run of colours, sold as a matching present for a couple or two friends. See star and moon charms and couples phone charms.
• Novelty charms: small resin figures that glow green, made as a keyring that doubles as a phone charm. See cute phone charms.
• Craft charms: little resin fruit and animal shapes sold in packs for jewellery making. They have no cord of their own, so you thread them onto a strap you make yourself, or onto a dust plug with a hole for a charm.

Choosing a glow-in-the-dark charm

Look first at how it fixes on. A charm on its own short strap ties straight onto a lanyard patch or a case with lanyard holes. A loose craft charm needs a ring or a cord adding, from charm rings and connectors, and the guide to making a phone charm shows how.

Then the glow itself. Each maker describes its own, and one craft pack here says that 20 to 30 minutes in direct sunlight gives up to two hours of glow. Take any figure as a guide: the glow is always strongest at first. In daylight these charms show their ordinary colours, so choose a colour you like with the lights on too.

Questions people ask about glow-in-the-dark charms

Does a glow-in-the-dark charm need a battery?

No. The charms here are resin, and the glow comes from the material itself after it has been in the light. There is nothing to switch on and nothing to replace.

Why has mine stopped glowing?

It has given out the light it stored. Leave it in daylight or under a bright lamp for a while and it will glow again.

Are these safe for small children?

They are not toys. The NHS warns that babies and toddlers put small objects in their mouths and can choke. Resin charms, beads and rings are small parts, so keep them out of reach of babies and toddlers, and pick up anything that drops.

How long does delivery take?

Delivery is included in every price and tracked to your door. Each product page says when it usually arrives.

More to look at

• Star and moon charms
• Cute phone charms
• Y2K phone charms
• Couples phone charms
• DIY charm kits
• Dust plug charms
• Guide: How to make your own phone charm