Last month I decided to fit hypo-allergenic ear wires to my existing earring stock. I’ve decided to implement this as standard on my future earring makes wherever possible. On doing so rest assured your ears will be relatively fine in my new surgical grade stainless steel range. These come in 3 magnificent colours, Gold Plated/Copper Ball & Coil/Bright Silver. I also do a short ear wire in plain silver colour without the ball and coil giving you better options for mixing and matching to suit your existing jewellery range.
The amount of time I’ve heard ladies worrying about skin sensitivities; whether they will come out in a rash if they wear this or that i.e standard copper and brass plated ear wires, really got me thinking. I must offer customers something they can feel at ease with putting into their ears. There is no one metal suits all, as we all react differently to various metals…Though I can bet that some of you will have skin like a rhino and can pretty much wear whatever you choose! Bracelets and necklaces tend to not be so much of a cause for concern, it is generally wherever there is a piercing. I myself endured endless red lobed experiences with nickel laden posts/wires through the years – hell yeah all in the name of fashion! Well before the EU Directives were in place. You’d possibly manage a couple of hours wear – if you were lucky, then itchy lobes, seen on many a gal was usually the norm. I even tried the plastic jobbies way back in the 80’s – lol – who remembers those? So generally, growing up I was somewhat limited; stuck in the rota between the same silver/gold tired old ear posts, somewhat visually lacking in a bead ‘splosion department!
These days most people are generally safe to wear surgical grade stainless steel which although an alloy (a mixture of elements) does have an extremely low nickel content and favourable properties which are extra corrosion resistant within the body.
Now at last I find I can finally wear my own hypo-allergenic range with ease for as long as need be, all day without any red or itchiness, even every day if I like! Those that are not able to wear these may opt to try 925.5 silver. Though some of you can’t wear this either. You may get black or even green (hulk) marks, this is due to the copper/silver alloy reacting to gases in the air tarnishing the silver and rubbing off on your skin. Other options to try besides gold are commercially pure titanium or niobium which are both inert, therefore hypo-allergenic, they don’t tarnish and are used regularly in medical procedures. The latter comes in some truly beautiful hues, (through the metal been anodised) producing some phenomenal colours that you can really strut your stuff in.
X Della Marie.