Luster, shine, and sparkle are what you know and love about your jewelry. It adds that extra something to your look — and gives you a little more confidence as you show off your favorite Playa Luna pieces.
Unfortunately, jewelry tarnish can put a real damper on your vibe. Tarnish, which is when jewelry loses its lusters due to exposure to air and/or moisture, is a common experience. We feel your frustrations, and we’re here to say — you don’t have to deal with it. Jewelry tarnish can be avoided with the proper love and care.
Here’s the bad news: All fashion jewelry — including your rings, bracelets, necklaces, and earrings — is capable of tarnishing. And some will get there quicker than others.
The good news is that just because your jewelry is capable of tarnish doesn’t mean it will. Jewelry tarnish can be prevented, and we’re here to help you do just that.
Why Does Jewelry Tarnish in the First Place?
Your jewelry might be an essential part of your wardrobe, but have you ever stopped to think about what it’s made of? Before we get into why jewelry tarnishes, let’s go over this crucial part of jewelry-making.
In order to create more durable jewelry, gold and silver are often mixed with other metals. That’s because, while gold and silver are beautiful, they’re not very strong on their own. In fact, they’re so soft and malleable that they wouldn’t stand up to daily wear and tear. The addition of other metals makes your jewelry stronger, meaning you can wear it every day for life.
At Playa Luna, we pride ourselves on offering quality jewelry pieces at a smart price point. This means you’ll pay the least — but look the most. For instance, while some jewelry is plated over copper or brass (which can leave your skin that unsightly green color), our gold-plated jewelry is plated over sterling silver 925. This means that even if the gold does eventually wear off, your jewelry would just turn silver — never dark or green.
What does all this have to do with jewelry tarnish? Even though those strengthening metals are helpful, they’re also the culprit of jewelry tarnish. When some of these metals are exposed to elements like moisture (aka sweat or water), acids (aka cosmetics and perfume), oils (aka your own body), and even air (that one’s fairly obvious), they can wear down and tarnish.
This means that when you hit the gym, lather on lotion, wash your hands, or even put jewelry on your own body, your jewelry is at risk of that pesky tarnish.
What About Jewelry that Turns Your Skin Green?
Have you ever taken off a ring, only to realize there’s another ugly ring left on your skin — one that’s green and unsightly? If so, you’re not alone.
That green color is a result of the acids on your skin reacting to the metals in your ring. Not everyone has this reaction, but if you do, it’s not your fault (we promise). It’s just a part of your body’s unique chemistry.
Here’s the thing — the green ring is usually caused by jewelry made with copper. We use sterling silver 925, which will never leave you with green discoloration on your skin. That way, you can rest easy that you won’t accidentally be clashing an unintentional green ring with your outfit.
How Do I Keep My Jewelry From Tarnishing?
Enough of the bad news about jewelry tarnish — let’s talk about what you can do to prevent it.
First things first, invest in quality jewelry. Our jewelry makes this easy, as we invest in jewelry you can feel good in — without breaking the bank.
But preventing jewelry tarnish doesn’t stop at checkout. Just like you take extra good care of your favorite sweater or jeans, put in the effort to protect your jewelry to keep you sparking year-round.
Here are 3 tips to prevent jewelry tarnish.
1. Keep your jewelry dry.
Sweat, water, soap, lotion — there are a lot of culprits of jewelry tarnish that are just a part of our daily lives. Do your very best to avoid putting your jewelry through unnecessary water exposure.
Take off your jewelry before working out, washing your hands, putting on lotion, or even spritzing perfume. Pro tip: Keep a jewelry dish near all of your sinks to remind you to remove your jewelry before washing your hands (and to have a safe place to keep it).
2. Give your jewelry a break every now and then.
This one is a tough one, but it’s also important. Because your body, the air, and other unavoidable elements can cause tarnish, it’s best to give your jewelry a break every now and then.
The upside of this is that you get to invest in a number of stylish pieces to rotate in and out. And who doesn’t love a reason to shop for more jewelry?
3. Store your jewelry in the right way.
When you’re not showing off your favorite pieces, store them properly to keep them safe.
One easy way to do this is with airtight containers. This will keep your jewelry organized, tangle-free, and safe from that damaging air.
Putting in the Extra Effort to Keep Your Jewelry Tarnish-Free
While all of this might seem like a lot to avoid a little tarnish, we promise it’s worth it. And once you begin a tarnish-free routine, protecting your jewelry will become second nature.
We love our jewelry just as much as our customers do. While we take the time to use quality metals that resist tarnishing and green rings, we hope you’ll show your jewelry a little extra love at home to keep you sparkling year-round.
Read more about taking extra good care of your Playa Luna jewelry.
Explore our Playa Luna jewelry collections today to invest in quality jewelry at an affordable price.