brass ·
copper ·
finger green ·
gold plated ·
green neck ·
jewelry ·
jewelry care ·
oxidization ·
plated jewelry ·
silver plated ·
storing jewelry ·
tarnish ·
tarnishing ·
How to keep gold-plated jewelry from tarnishing.
We all want the new and trending hoop earrings or link necklace without it breaking the bank. We can achieve this through fashion jewelry, a guilt-free and affordable option. Materials used in fashion jewelry are gold or silver plated with a base metal of copper or brass. Sadly, these pieces won’t last forever but we can minimize signs of wear and increase their longevity by properly taking care of them!
Why does gold and silver plated jewelry tarnish?
All plated jewelry is capable of tarnishing or turning your neck or finger green over time. Don’t panic, it isn’t harmful to you or unsafe to wear your jewels. When jewelry comes in contact with water, moisture, oils, and acids there is an interaction (called oxidization) with the metal (copper or brass) which in turn causes the piece to tarnish.
How quickly jewelry tarnishes is dependent on many factors such as how you care for them, what they come in contact with, how they are stored, the air and your skin composition.
Below are three helpful tarnishing tips that can encourage the prolonged life of plated jewelry so you can wear your beautiful pieces time and time again!
1. Keep Your Jewelry Dry
The fastest way your plated jewelry will tarnish is if it comes into contact with moisture or liquids. This includes perfume, body lotion, sanitizer, washing your hands and even sweating. So when you’re getting ready in the morning, let your lotion, perfume, or cologne dry first for a few minutes before accessorizing.
2. Store Your Jewels Properly
Moisture in the air can cause plated jewelry to change color and fade, so it’s important to store them properly. All jewelry you receive from us comes in a little velvet or suede bag that your jewelry should always go back into when not in use. If you want to turn it up a notch, place your jewels in a ziploc bag and remove as much excess air as possible. The lack of oxygen in the bag will help keep the plated jewelry last longer!
3. Try A Jewelry Protectant Spray
Give your favorite plated pieces a protective shield to fight tarnishing. It can also protect extra sensitive jewelry lovers from irritation, rashes and hives. Tarnish Me Not is a great spray to try. It's also 100% hypoallergenic and cruelty-free.
Fashion or plated jewelry is prone to tarnishing, it's inevitable. Alternatively, you can always invest in our Unsalted Forever Collection for cool, classic pieces that will last a lifetime that are still at an affordable price! Either way, taking care of your jewelry is important and most definitely a form of self-care. :)
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