Caring for your Breastmilk Jewellery
To ensure your precious keepsake stays in great condition and continues to look its best, follow these simple care instructions. You'll also receive a copy of these instructions along with your finished jewelry piece for future reference. These care instructions apply to all 925 Sterling Silver Jewelry and 9K Yellow, White, or Rose Gold pieces.
Avoid applying hand sanitizer to the inclusion part of your ring as it may cause clouding or yellowing. Use it freely but avoid contact with the resin part of your ring or jewelry.
Always put on your jewelry last when getting dressed, after applying perfume, makeup, and hair products. These products can damage your jewelry over time, causing it to dull or tarnish. Be cautious with necklaces to avoid contact with perfume.
Remove any rings before engaging in manual labor, housework, gardening, or exercise, to avoid accidental scratches or damage.
Keep your jewelry away from household cleaning products, especially bleach and highly reactive solutions, as they can cause yellowing or clouding.
Protect your jewelry from extreme temperatures and humidity to prevent the inclusion stone from popping out.
Remember to remove necklaces before going to sleep to prevent strain on the chain, which could cause it to break.
Remove your jewelry before washing your hands, taking a bath or shower, and be cautious around hot tubs or swimming pools where other chemicals may be present. Resin is water-resistant but not waterproof.
Use the provided polishing cloth to shine the metal part of your jewelry if it looks dirty or dull. We also offer a jewelry cleaning service and high-quality polishing cloths for purchase.
Considering the nature of our jewelry, it's important to be mindful of young children grabbing and pulling. For added security, consider using a necklace/bracelet safety chain to prevent chain breakage and protect your setting.
While minor scratches are normal signs of everyday wear, following these care instructions will ensure your jewelry lasts for years and years.
All jewelry is "top-coated" with a protective layer of clear resin over the breastmilk area. This not only gives it a shiny appearance but also provides protection. If damage occurs to the inclusion stone, the top coat can be removed and reapplied to keep your precious inclusions safe.
Please remember that I cannot be held responsible for how you choose to wear your jewelry, but I'm here to offer advice on getting the best out of it. If you follow these care instructions, your jewelry will remain in excellent condition for years to come.
In case of damage, feel free to get in touch, and I can arrange a repair for a nominal cost. To proceed with the best fix, please inform me about the cause of the damage or any chemicals it may have been exposed to.
If you ever need help or advice, don't hesitate to contact me through email (olivialaurajewellery@gmail.com) or any of my social media pages.
While some customers may not follow the care instructions and have no issues, it's always best to be cautious with something as precious as your jewelry. Remember, I'm here to assist you, so don't hesitate to reach out if you have any concerns or questions.
Smoking: Direct contact with smoke, especially for rings, can cause yellowing. Thus, it's advisable to avoid smoking with the hand your jewellery is on.
Chemicals: Harsh chemicals and cleaning products can be detrimental to your jewellery. Refrain from exposing your jewellery to substances such as hand sanitiser, perfume, hair spray, cleaning products, nail polish remover, chlorine, etc. Hand sanitiser, in particular, can completely ruin your jewellery, giving it a yellow or cloudy appearance. If you frequently wear a ring from us, take care to avoid applying hand sanitiser directly to the inclusion stone area.
Yellowing: It's a common misconception that breastmilk jewellery will yellow over time. In reality, with proper care, breastmilk jewellery can last for many years without yellowing. Yellowing is usually a result of aftercare rather than the brand or type of resin used, or the preservation process of the breastmilk. We can verify the preservation process of your stored breastmilk to ensure it's not a preservation issue, though this has never been an issue before.
If you requested your leftover preserved breastmilk back, we can't guarantee its condition as we don't know if the optimum storage conditions were met.
Dullness & Scratches: If your jewellery appears dull or has been scratched or scraped, we can add a new top coat layer, which typically restores its shine. If that doesn't work, we can remove and start again if needed.
For charm beads, replacing the entire piece may be simpler as removing the core can damage the bead.
Scrapes: Handle your jewellery with care to avoid bumping or scratching the inclusion area, as this could damage the piece. It's best to remove your jewellery when using tools or engaging in manual labour.
Water: Remember that resin is water-resistant but not waterproof. So, it's essential to remove your jewellery before activities like showers, washing dishes, swimming, or being in hot tubs (chlorine can also damage the inclusion stone). However, if you happen to forget and wear your jewellery during these activities, make sure to dry it thoroughly afterward.
Heat: Keep your jewellery away from high temperature fluctuations. Extreme heat can cause elements inside the jewellery to separate or lead to yellowing.
Sunlight: Store your jewellery away from direct sunlight when not in use. Prolonged exposure to direct sunlight can cause the resin to discolour, yellow, or soften. Avoid leaving your jewellery on windowsills, car dashboards, or any place with direct sunlight. Regular, everyday wear with some exposure to sunlight is perfectly fine.