Guide
How to beautify your basics with just a glue gun and some thread
by Laura Scholz
How to clean your pearl jewellery
8.7.2019
Translation: machine translated
Grandma's pearls are durable, but not exactly easy to care for. I'll tell you four tricks that will help you enjoy your jewellery for a long time.
I have to admit that my pearl phase is a bit behind me. Back then, as a teenager, it made me feel incredibly grown-up. And I wanted to use pearls to distract from the fact that I looked younger than I was. And that's also the crux of pearls: they make you look older, as they have a staid touch.
For this reason, I took a break from my mother-of-pearl jewellery until recently. Until I realised while looking at street style pictures from Milan that this all-time jewellery favourite looks anything but frumpy when worn correctly: In future, I will tie a long pearl necklace around each of my ankles and showcase my grandma's earrings with a pair of casual sunglasses. [[image:26060039]]Fashionistas prove that pearls can look stylish at Fashion Week in Milan.
Four things you should avoid
When planning future styling options, I think about the right way to care for pearls. They are not that easy to care for.
Cosmetic products
What makes you look prettier has the exact opposite effect on your pearls. The active ingredients contained in make-up, hairspray and perfume attack the pearl substance of your jewellery and make it look dull. In the worst case, they may even stain it. So only put your jewellery on after applying make-up or styling it. You also need to be careful when cleaning. It's therefore best to give a pearl-studded ring a break when you're cleaning your home.
Other jewellery
The surface of pearls is anything but scratch-resistant. That's why I recommend wearing them on their own around your neck and storing them separately in your jewellery box. A pretty box lined with velvet is suitable for this. If you only have one jewellery box, you can put it in a velvet or silk bag with the other precious metals. This will prevent them from coming into contact with other pieces of jewellery.
Long periods of sunbathing
Are you spending a day at the pool or by the sea? Not a good idea for your pearls. Chlorine and salt water not only attack the pearls themselves, but also the thread of your necklace or bracelet. As a result, it tends to break prematurely. However, if your jewellery does get soaked, lay it on a cloth to dry, keeping it away from your heater and the sun. Blow-drying is also taboo, as intense heat destroys the chemical structure of the pearls and makes them brittle.
Sweating
If you wear your necklace over a jumper or top, you're in the clear. On bare skin, however, as is always the case with earrings and bracelets anyway, you need to clean the pearls as soon as you take them off. Take a soft cloth and rub them carefully. You should also take your jewellery off when you sleep, as rubbing it against your pillow etc. is not good for it.
Have you got any other pearl tips up your sleeve? Let me know in the comments column. You can follow my bundled fashion guides by clicking on the button on my author profile. Click here to go to the beads range.
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When I’m not exploring the depths of the sea as an open water diver, I enjoy plunging into the world of fashion. On the streets of Paris, Milan and New York is where I keep my eyes peeled for the latest trends. And I’ll show you how to take them from the catwalk to your everyday life.
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