If you find you're allergic to costume jewellery - you feel itchy or come out in a rash - it is most likely to do with nickel being a part of the materials that make up the jewellery.
This can be very upsetting when you want to buy some fun accessories and not want to splash out on precious jewellery each time. It can also be a concern when choosing a gift for someone else as you might not know if they're allergic to nickel or not.
Here's some alternatives to help you when choosing jewellery:
Search for items that are labelled Nickel-Free or Hypoallergenic.
Search for jewellery made from these materials: Titanium, Niobium, Argentium Sterling Silver, Pewter, Platinum or Fine Silver.
Be wary of these types: Sterling Silver, Surgical Stainless Steel, Gold under 14 Karat.
If you're feeling creative, make your own jewellery using beads and elastic.
Why not Sterling Silver or Gold?
I've often had customers ask me for Sterling Silver when I've attended events and overlook the nickel-free items. Sterling silver is a great and affordable gift but it's not always nickel-free. It's 92.5% silver and so the remaining material could contain nickel.
Gold is a soft material and is often mixed with other materials to harden it at a more affordable price. Nickel is sometimes used in lower karat gold.
That's not to say you should avoid these entirely, they're great gifts and are often nickel-free but just be wary that they're not always. If you can find out what other materials the item was made with and it wasn't nickel, then you should be absolutely fine.
Hopefully the above information has been a handy guide for you in finding affordable jewellery that doesn't leave you itching!
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