Jewelry Care

How to care for your jewelry

As a jewelry business, we always receive these questions; Will your jewelry turn my skin green? Does your jewelry tarnish? Are your jewelry water-resistant? etc. And other jewelry business owners will agree with us on this. First, let us share some knowledge with you. 

Most, if not all jewelry can be seen in gold or silver. However, pure gold and pure silver are too soft to withstand the stresses of everyday wear, they can easily bent or scratched. That's why they are commonly alloyed with different metals, to give it strength and durability. This is where different caratages and sterling silver comes from. As well as how white gold and rose gold are formed. The lower the carat, the less pure gold present. As for sterling silver, 92.5% of pure silver is present and the other 7.5% are metal alloys. These alloys include metals such as silver, copper, nickel, zinc and etc.

So will our jewelry turn your skin green? Well, let's clear up some confusion. Discoloration from jewelry that can leave a green or black stain does not mean that the jewelry is made from cheap materials, nor is it permanent or harmful. It is caused by a phenomenon reaction called oxidation. With jewelry, oxidation happens when alloys, especially copper, react to the acids in our skin. Other factors that can contribute to oxidation are harsh chemicals from cleaning agents, excess perspiration, chemicals from beauty products and hormonal changes. This is why we recommend care tips because no matter how pure or expensive a jewelry is, a reaction can still happen. It just depends on how the person takes care of their jewelry.

So does our jewelry tarnishes? The answer is it can. Eventually, all jewelry will tarnish unless they are made from solid gold. However, we have to take a look at the materials used, to know what's the best jewelry for us. In Lustr Aesthetic, most of our products are made from Stainless Steel that are PVD plated with 18K gold. PVD or 'Physical Vapor Deposition' is the process of 'blasting' the gold onto another metal at a high temperature, which makes the jewelry more durable, more sweat-resistant and water-resistant than regular plating. Plus, our stainless steel itself is nickel-free and lead-free, which are metals that can cause discoloration as well.
Several of our pieces are made from 925 Sterling Silver that are usually rhodium plated. Rhodium plating gives sterling silver extra strength and luster, it does not corrode, scratch or tarnish easily. So, unless the plating wears off, you won't have to worry about your silver pieces from oxidizing. In time, these pieces will require expert maintenance or even replating. However, here are some tips to help your jewelry retain its beauty.

Stainless Steel Jewelry

  • Wipe jewelry with provided cloth after every use
  • Keep in the jewelry box provided and place in a low humidity area
  • Remove jewelry when showering, swimming and doing physical activities
  • Let perfumes, colognes, make-up and lotions set first before wearing jewelry

Stainless Steel jewelry can be worn in water. However these tips, when practiced properly, will keep your Stainless Steel jewelry from fading quickly.

925 Sterling Silver

  • Wipe jewelry with provided cloth after every use, dip cloth in soapy water before wiping to remove signs of tarnishing
  • Keep in the jewelry box provided, separated from jewelry made from other materials, and place in a low humidity area
  • Remove jewelry when showering, swimming and doing physical activities
  • Let perfumes, colognes, make-up and lotions set first before wearing jewelry
These tips, when practiced properly, will keep the plating on your sterling silver pieces and prevent oxidation from happening.