Here's a question we often get: what is the difference between incandescent and halogen light bulbs? Read on to answer that question and some of your most frequently asked questions regarding this light technology!

What is the difference between an incandescent light bulb and a halogen light bulb?

If you need a refresher, the incandescent light bulb (sometimes referred to as Edison bulbs) uses electricity to heat a filament until it is hot enough to glow and produce visible light. 

Incandescent (and halogen!) are considered to be the healthiest, most natural form of lighting available. Take this filament and encapsulate it with a halogen gas to make the light more efficient and whiter in color temperature, and now you have a halogen light source! 

So, while a halogen light bulb is still technically an incandescent light bulb, the main difference is the capsule within the bulb and the resulting whiter color temperature and light spectrum. This capsule allows the filament to work more efficiently and burn brighter, translating to a whiter color temperature. In other words, halogens are simply an enhanced version of incandescent!

Any difference in benefits? 

Both incandescent and halogen light bulbs feature a pure and high-quality light spectrum and are what we lovingly call "analog" light sources. In addition, both are equivalent in health and well-being, just slightly differing in light appearance and usage, as we'll see below.

What are the uses of halogen light bulbs?

The whiter color temperature of halogens means the light spectrum shifts towards blue, making them perfect for daytime usage. So precisely speaking, we recommend using incandescents in the evening and halogens during the daytime, though you could get away using either whenever you'd like! Just be sure to dim those lights as the evening progresses! (Thankfully, both incandescent and halogen are universally dimmable for the most part!)

What is the appearance of halogen? 

In terms of our own Chromalux® bulbs, the Enhanced halogen versions have a more vivid and pure appearance, while the incandescents have a more soothing, colorfully vivid appearance.