Jewelry Care

Complete Guide to Jewellery Care by Aurora Lux Jewellery.

For something so simple, costume jewelry can change an entire look which is why we are so fond of the many designs and accessories. From necklaces to rings, bracelets to earrings, they give a new lease of life to previously outdated clothes. However, they sadly don’t last forever and they eventually break, scuff, and lose their sparkle. Today, we have six simple tips that will ensure they pass the test of time.

1. Use Them Carefully - With costume jewelry, they only have a certain amount of uses so give them a break every know and then. Although it might be tempting to wear pieces every day, this will quickly lead to discolouration. Since they are affordable, there is nothing wrong with buying two or three necklaces, for example, and having them on rotation. This way, they will last that little bit longer.

2. Avoid Creams/Lotions - In order to prevent dry hands, we tend to use cream or lotion but this has a negative impact - tired-looking jewelry. Whenever you use any sort of lotion, cream, or even perfume, the jewelry will start to lose its shine. With metals, they will lose colour so take your jewelry off before applying. After, wash your hands, put them back on, and be happy that you have prolonged their life.

3. Keep Them Clean - At first, this will seem like a significant amount of effort but you can dramatically increase costume jewelry’s life by cleaning. After wearing, it could even be a simple wipe with a cloth to remove cream, perfume, or soap. However, always avoid cleaners with alcohol, vinegar, acid, or even ammonia as this will speed up the damage. If you clean and dry your jewelry before putting it back on the stand, it will stay in good condition for a longer period of time.

4. Jewelry Storage - Where do you currently store your jewelry? Whilst some people use a drawer, others use boxes or pouches but what is the best solution? In truth, you can prevent knots, tarnishing, and chipping if you store them individually. For necklaces, they prefer hooks and you should always keep costume jewelry away from the expensive items if you want to prevent corrosion. Currently, it isn't expensive to buy or even make yourself a DIY jewelry box or hanging system to keep everything safe and in good condition.

5. Take Them Off - If you have a use for your costume jewelry, that’s great…but what if you don’t? As well as avoiding wearing pieces every day, you also shouldn't be wearing them for the sake of it. For example, a really bad habit is falling asleep with everything on. Not only will this reduce the life of your jewelry, there is a serious risk of causing injury to yourself.

Furthermore, you also have no need to wear your jewelry when you go swimming, to the gym, or even just for a run. When you see green marks on your skin, this comes from the chemical reaction between skin and metal. If you add sweat or chlorine water to this mix, it amplifies somewhat and gets even worse.

6. No Coating - Finally, you should also steer clear of coating your jewelry with nail polish. In the future, the coating will come off and you will be left with tarnished jewelry. This being said, you can limit green traces on your skin by wiping, cleaning. A product we've found works great is Alchemy Jewelry Spray.

As they say, all good things come to an end but these six tips will allow you to keep hold of your favourite items for a little bit longer!