5 Ways to Keep Your Handmade Jewelry Looking Fabulous (Summer Edition)

If you're anything like me, leaving the house without jewelry is like leaving the house without pants - it just doesn't feel right! 😉 Through my experience, these are the 5 simple approaches that I use to keep my jewelry looking their absolute best.

Here are some tips that can help you:

Tip #1 - Keep 'em clean

This might sound obvious but it is extremely important. About 95% of the jewelry I make is safe to wash with soap and water so giving them a nice bath every once in a while can be really helpful to keep any oils from building up. Be sure to let them dry completely before wearing.

**NOTE: PLEASE do not submerge your opal or selenite jewelry in water! Opals absorb water and can crack or lose their beautiful inner fire. Selenite is a very soft mineral and can start to dissolve if exposed to water.

Tip #2 - Polish it up!

Each piece of jewelry comes with a complementary polishing cloth to help keep the metal shiny! For me, I like to polish mine right before wearing so that they're always looking bright and new. It's also a good idea to wipe them down after removing each piece as well to remove any oils that may have rubbed off your skin and onto your jewelry!

Tip #3 - You love the beach, but your jewelry does not!

Humidity, salt water, prolonged sun exposure and sunscreen are a combination that will quickly oxidize your jewelry and potentially fade some crystals. If you do happen to wear your jewelry to the beach, refer to Tip #1!

Tip #4 - Store your jewelry properly

Make sure your jewelry is clean before storing. Storing in an airtight or tarnish-resistant box is always ideal, but at the very least, be sure to store them in a dark, cool place.

Tip #5 - Smudge your jewelry!

Okay, so this isn't going to keep it LOOKING clean, but it will absolutely have it FEELING clean- energetically speaking, of course. The metals and crystals used to make your jewelry absorb a lot of heavier energy (so that you don't have to!). It's a good idea to grab some Sage or Palo Santo and cleanse each piece to remove whatever energy needs to be released every once in a while. I like to think of this as "taking out the trash".

If you've been experiencing more stress than usual, have been feeling under the weather, or have just been near some generally grumpy people, its better to smudge more often than not. Trust your intuition!

With proper care, your jewelry should last a very long time! Remember, make sure you put your jewelry on after all your beauty and body products. The least exposure to chemicals and moisture, the better!