Jewelry Care

If you want your jewelry to last, it is essential that it is properly cared for. There are a few main things you can do to keep your jewelry strong and new like the day I made it.

• Limit water exposure.
  Contact with hard metals or chemicals in water can compromise the enamel or clear coat on your jewelry over time. For hair jewelry especially, if water becomes trapped behind the jewelry, it can also cause damage to your hair, or possibly even mold issues. It just isn't a good idea to keep it in during washing.
  
• Remove jewelry during sleep.
  Unnecessary friction as you move in your sleep can cause bending, breaking, or compromised connections over time. This will weaken your jewelry and can cause designs to break. While I make my jewelry to last, it is not completely impervious to constant wear and tare.
  
• Limit exposure to body care products.
  Most metals are sensitive to chemicals. Body care products such as hair sprays, hair gels, perfumes, etc, can cause raw metals especially to patina rather quickly.

Unsealed metals such as copper and brass will change color and tarnish naturally due to environmental exposure. The speed of change will depend on type and duration of exposure (i.e. saltwater, body care products, etc...).

This is a desirable change for those looking for an earthy, natural aesthetic. If you do not wish to wear tarnished metal jewelry, consider purchasing one of my designs with the option of a clear coat sealant. 

• Raw Copper will darken, and can eventually develop a green patina.
• Raw Brass will darken into a bronze and in some cases, an almost black patina.
• Raw Aluminum is extremely slow to change or tarnish and is the metal I recommend for those who do not want an earthy aesthetic or do not want to remove jewelry regularly. If you work a job or participate in a sport where your jewelry is exposed regularly, aluminum is the metal for you. I have worn the same aluminum beads for 5 years and have still not experienced a finish change. 

If you purchase metal jewelry with the "sealed" option, this means you are purchasing a design that is sealed with a clear coat protectant. Other than a slight natural warming to the color of the metals, the protectant will prevent the natural process of patina and color change from occurring as long as the seal coat remains intact. This is why I recommend day wear only for all sealed jewelry. If properly maintained, your sealed jewelry will keep it's high polish for many years.

If your crystals and shells have become dull from exposure or friction, you can spruce them up a bit by wiping them with a small amount of mineral oil using a paper towel or a cloth. Make sure to wipe off all excess oil.

Wood and bone items are strictly day wear only. These are naturally porous materials, so I don't recommend any water or chemical exposure at all. Because I work with several different types of finishes for wood and bone items, all specific care tips for will be included in the listing descriptions of the items you purchase. If you have any additional questions, you are welcome to contact me.

All my feather items are strictly day wear only. Feathers are a natural organic material and must be treated with care. If removed during showering or sleeping, your feather items will last for many years.

If an accident occurs and something is spilled on a feather item, the feather can be gently washed with warm soap and water and laid out to dry. You can use a soft bristled tooth brush to comb the feather out flat so that it sets properly as it dries.