Article: How to care for costume jewelry properly? A guide
How to care for costume jewelry properly? A guide
Proper care of costume jewelry: how to keep your favorite jewelry beautiful for a long time
Costume jewelry is fantastic! It allows us to pick up on current trends, vary our outfits and add individual accents without having to dig deep into our pockets. But who hasn't experienced this? Your favorite earrings tarnish, your necklace discolors or the shine on your bracelet wears off. The good news is that you can significantly extend the life of your treasures with a few simple fashion jewelry care tricks.
The correct handling and storage of costume jewelry is crucial to avoid unsightly discoloration and wear and tear. This guide is your comprehensive guide to jewelry care. We'll show you how to clean, protect and store your costume jewelry so that it stays with you for a long time and always looks like new. Discover our tips and make sure your favorite pieces keep their shine!
Your path to long-lasting costume jewelry:
Why care is so important for costume jewelry
Costume jewelry often consists of base metals such as brass, copper or zinc alloys that are coated with a thin layer of gold, silver or another finish. These materials are more sensitive to external influences than real jewelry.
- Tarnishing & discoloration: Contact with air, moisture, sweat and chemicals can lead to oxidation, causing the jewelry to tarnish or turn greenish.
- Abrasion of the coating: Frequent wear and friction can wear away the thin coating, revealing the metal underneath.
- Loss of shine: Residues from cosmetics, dirt and skin oils can make the jewelry appear dull and lackluster.
Careful fashion jewelry care minimizes these effects and ensures that your jewelry stays beautiful for longer and that you can enjoy it.
Basics: What you should know about costume jewelry
To take optimum care of your jewelry, it is helpful to know the typical materials. Costume jewelry is incredibly diverse, but some basic materials are common:
Typical components of costume jewelry:
- Base materials: Often alloys of brass, copper, tin or zinc. Sometimes also stainless steel (more robust) or plastic.
- Coatings (platings): A thin layer of gold (gold-plated), silver (silver-plated), rose gold, rhodium or other metals that provide color and shine.
- Gemstones: Mostly glass stones (rhinestones), zirconia, synthetic resin or synthetic pearls.
- Other elements: leather, textile straps, enamel.
The sensitivity depends heavily on the quality of the plating and the base material. In general, the more careful the handling, the longer the pleasure.
The golden rules of costume jewelry care
With these simple rules of conduct, you can effectively protect your costume jewelry from premature wear. Incorporate them into your daily routine!
Put on and take off correctly: The order counts
Principle: Jewelry goes on last and is taken off first.
This is how you do it right:
- Only put on jewelry after dressing, styling and applying make-up, perfume or hairspray.
- Always take them off before undressing, showering, bathing or going to bed.
- Also remove during sports and housework (cleaning, gardening).
Reason: Avoids direct contact with chemicals and mechanical stress.
You should avoid this:
- Sleeping with jewelry (friction, bending).
- Wear jewelry when applying lotions or sunscreen.
- expose jewelry to tension or pressure (e.g. when putting on and taking off tight clothing).
Reason: Reduces the risk of damage and contact with harmful substances.
Avoid contact with moisture
Principle: Water, sweat and high humidity are the main enemies of costume jewelry.
This is how you protect your jewelry:
- Remove before showering, bathing, swimming (chlorine & salt water!) and taking a sauna.
- Also remove rings and bracelets before washing your hands.
- After sweating heavily, remove the jewelry and pat dry.
Reason: Moisture accelerates oxidation and can attack coatings.
This will damage your jewelry:
- Store costume jewelry in the bathroom (high humidity!).
- Simply leave wet or damp jewelry lying around.
- Wear jewelry unnecessarily long during sports or on hot days when you sweat a lot.
Reason: Permanent contact with moisture almost always leads to discoloration.
Especially delicate chains or earrings with fine details quickly suffer from moisture - be extra careful here!
Be careful with cosmetics & chemicals
Principle: Perfume, hairspray, lotions and cleaning agents can attack the surfaces.
This is how you proceed safely:
- Always apply cosmetic products (perfume, hairspray, creams) first and allow to absorb/dry well before putting on jewelry.
- Avoid contact with hair dyes, bleaching agents or aggressive cleaning agents at all costs.
Reason: Chemical ingredients can decompose or discolor metals and coatings.
You should refrain from doing this:
- Spray jewelry directly with perfume.
- Use creamed hands immediately afterwards to put on jewelry.
- Wear jewelry while doing housework or handling chemicals.
Reason: Direct contact with aggressive substances leads to rapid wear.
The right storage: dark & dry
Principle: Separate, air-protected storage prevents scratches and tarnishing.
Ideal storage:
- Store each piece of jewelry individually in small cloth bags (e.g. velvet, cotton) or softly lined jewelry boxes with compartments.
- Airtight containers or special anti-tarnish strips can help.
- Store in a cool, dry and dark place.
Reason: Prevents scratching by other pieces of jewelry and reduces contact with air and light, which promote oxidation.
Unfavorable storage:
- Several pieces of jewelry loose together in a drawer or box.
- Hang on open jewelry stands in damp rooms (bathroom) or in direct sunlight.
- Storage in plastic bags containing plasticizers (may react).
Reason: Promotes mechanical damage, tarnishing and discoloration.
Gentle cleaning methods for in between
Even with the best care, costume jewelry can use a refresh from time to time. The important thing here is: Less is often more!
- Dry, soft cloth: It is often sufficient to wipe the jewelry carefully with a soft, lint-free cloth (e.g. microfiber cloth, glasses cleaning cloth) after wearing to remove skin oils and light soiling.
- Minimally damp cloth: For more stubborn stains, a cloth can be moistened very lightly with lukewarm water. Dry the jewelry thoroughly immediately afterwards!
- Special jewelry care cloths: There are special, very mild polishing cloths for costume jewelry. Use carefully and follow the instructions for use.
Important: Avoid aggressive cleaning agents, toothpaste, hard brushes or ultrasonic baths for your costume jewelry. These can damage the delicate surfaces or loosen the bonding of stones.
Professional tips for extra-long enjoyment
- Regularity is the key: make the above care steps part of your routine. A quick wipe after each wear works wonders.
- Beware of "DIY hacks": There are many tips for cleaning jewelry circulating on the Internet. Be skeptical, especially when aggressive home remedies are recommended. Always test on an inconspicuous area.
- Clear nail polish trick (with caution!): Some people swear by sealing the inside of rings or the back of pendants thinly with clear nail polish to prevent rubbing off onto the skin. Apply very thinly and allow to dry thoroughly. Not suitable for all materials.
- Pay attention to quality when buying: There are also differences in quality when it comes to fashion jewelry. A slightly thicker plating or a more robust base material such as stainless steel can be more durable. Browse our Lumoir collection for carefully selected pieces.
Conclusion: cared for with love, worn for a long time
Proper fashion jewelry care is not rocket science, but it does require a little mindfulness. If you follow the simple basic rules for cleaning, protecting against moisture and chemicals and storing correctly, you will find that your favorite accessories will retain their shine and beauty for much longer.
Remember: costume jewelry is there to give pleasure and underline your style. With the right care, you can ensure that this joy lasts for a long time. Discover the variety at Lumoir Jewelry and find new treasures that you can cherish and look after for a long time with these tips!
About the author: Robin Aebischer
As the founder of Lumoir Jewelry, I share my passion for unique fashion jewelry and the latest styling tips here. My goal is to inspire you and help you find pieces of jewelry that highlight your personality and bring you joy for a long time.
