How to Care for your Fashion Jewellery

To care for your jewellery – this should be your mantra…

“Your jewellery should be the last thing you put on and the first thing you take off.”

 

Fashion jewellery is fun and fabulous but, like some love affairs, it isn’t made to last forever. Before you reach for the tissues (or worse still the garbage bin), here are a few tips to help you get more years out of your favourite pieces……

 

LIKE A MARTINI, YOUR JEWELLERY IS BEST OFF DRY…..

 

Don’t Wash the Dishes or Do the Laundry With Your Jewellery On.

If you’re doing the housework, lose the jewels (and maybe try a pair of gloves to protect your skin as well). Many cleaning products that come in contact with your beautiful jewellery can take off the finish. Why? Because of the harsh chemicals.  Jewellery and housework are not good friends, make sure you don’t mix the two.

 

Don’t Wear Jewellery in the Pool or at the Spa.

Yes it’s great to look hot at the pool but the sad truth is chlorinated water can react with the metals found in jewellery causing your awesome bangle or necklace to change colour, erode and age.

If you love it, leave it behind.

 

Don’t Use Jewellery Cleaner.

Is your piece looking a bit worse for wear? Don’t reach for the cleaner. The sad truth is cleaner made for silver, gold, or platinum is way too harsh for fashion jewellery which is usually plated with these precious metals. Wipe your jewellery with a cloth but keep it chemical free.

You can use WD-40 on plated metal, acrylics and resins, but never spray directly onto the jewellery. Spray a small amount onto a polishing cloth, like an optical cloth, first. Gently wipe over the item with a soft circular motion.

 

Don’t Put on Lotion or Perfume with your Jewellery on.

Perfume and lotions can beautify your body but wreak havoc on your jewellery. Put on the lotion before the bling and you’ll give your jewellery a couple more years of life. Perfume contains alcohol, which for us, is pleasant, but for fashion jewellery is poison.

 

 

LAST ON, FIRST OFF

Clothes Before Jewellery, Jewellery Before Clothes. It is important to get dressed then put your jewellery on and then take it off before you take your clothes off.            

Doing this will ensure that your jewellery doesn’t get caught on your blouse or outfit during the clothing removal process.  An accidental pull of your necklace while taking off your shirt can cause a chain or string to break!

 

Remove Your Jewellery During Activities.  

When performing mundane (and fun) tasks, such as laundry, cooking, or gardening, remove your jewellery to prevent physical damage or exposure to cleaning products or sweat.  This was covered in point 1 but reiterated as it is REALLY important.

 

Put Jewellery On After Applying Hairspray and Makeup.                  

This goes back to the old rule of keeping your jewellery dry. Perfumes, hairspray, lotion and makeup usually contains harsh chemicals that can damage your beautiful jewellery. By waiting until you are all done with your beauty routine, you can avoid potential damage.

 

STORE WARS! Simple storage habits can prolong jewellery life:

Keep Your Jewellery Secure.                                                                                         

 If you have the space, opt for a silk or velvet pouch to store each item individually so that stones and pearls do not rub or scratch.

 

Avoid Air!

You can care for your jewellery by sealing it in a plastic zip lock bag. Jewellery discolouration occurs due to oxidation, which requires exposure to air to take place.  By storing your pieces in zip lock bags to prevent this you will keep your jewellery looking better for longer. Make sure to squeeze all the air out of the bag before sealing.

 

 

COAT IT YOURSELF

Seal the Deal!

You can paint the backs of costume jewellery with clear nail polish or use an acrylic sealer (aerosol can) found at all hardware stores, to prevent the copper in the *base metals turning your skin green, tarnishing and gold or silver wearing off. You can do this process every few months, depending on how often you wear your pieces. But be sure to clean them first with a soft microfiber cloth. This process can make a huge difference in the life of your favourite pieces.

 

Fashion jewellery is not meant to last forever, but why not try to make it last, as long as you can!

In a nutshell, before you do the dishes, hop into the shower, or go to the gym, take off all your fashion jewellery, including your favourite everyday pieces (no matter how much love them, actually because you love them). Costume jewellery plating is usually thin and can eventually wear off, so be careful!

 

We hope these tips assist you on how to care for your fashion jewellery, in order to give your jewellery collection the longevity that it deserves.

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*base metal

noun

1. a common metal that is not considered precious, such as copper, tin, or zinc.

“cutlery was available in silver or base metals”