If you suffer from sensitive skin or a condition such as eczema, you will naturally be careful about anything near your skin. However, scientific research shows that sensitive skin can be caused by many external factors, including weather, clothing, cleaning products, and the jewelry you wear. You might not realize you have a sensitivity until you find a gorgeous pair of earrings, only to notice later that you’ve broken out in a rash. If you experience this, you are likely allergic to the material and shouldn’t continue to use it.
It can feel disheartening if you don’t know what jewelry you can wear, but the trick is learning what your skin doesn’t mind, so you always have your go-to metals. Follow this guide for finding beautiful jewelry for sensitive skin.
Find your skin-friendly metals
The key to irritation-free jewelry is knowing precisely what you’re allergic to. This might be going to a dermatologist or getting an allergy test.
Nickel is the main culprit for skin irritation, but cobalt, copper, and chromium are potential causes. Leading dermatologists recommend wearing jewelry made from titanium or platinum. Platinum is 95% pure, with the other 5% being another non-irritating metal, such as palladium. However, these can be considerably more expensive, so if this isn’t within your budget, at least ensure it is labeled nickel-free! If you are sensitive to nickel, it’s a good excuse to purge your collection (you could donate it to a charity shop) and treat yourself to some new necklaces and rings.
Gold is usually skin-friendly, but it’s important to note that because pure gold is too soft to wear daily on its own, it is alloyed with other metals to make it stronger. For example, an 18k gold ring is only 75% gold and 25% another material, such as silver or zinc. Sterling silver is slightly purer and is made of around 92% pure silver. Knowing this will help protect your skin because you can always ensure you understand what is going into the remaining percentages of your jewelry.
