Here's the short version, which I fondly refer to as the 4 S's: sunlight, swimming, sleeping & storage. In practice, this basically means keep them out of direct sunlight, take them off before swimming (or showering, bathing, sweating - anything that can get you wet!), take them off before you go to sleep, and store them somewhere sensible. Those are the basics pretty much covered.
If you want more detail, or prefer your instructions to come with a little more explanation - especially because your earrings were handmade and you'd like them to stay in top shape for as long as possible - here's everything you need to know.
Swimming
Polymer clay itself is completely waterproof. It's an oil based PVC, so it doesn't dissolve or deform in water at all. However, the paints and sealants that are used to add those finer details to your jewellery isn't designed for repeated soaking. While I make sure to only use high quality stainess steel or 925 sterling silver findings for your jewellery, it's also best to keep the metal away from water as much as possible too. Any time you'll be submerged in water, or prone to getting a sweat on, it's time to take the jewellery off. It takes only a few seconds to start building the habit, but it makes a huge difference to the longevity of your jewellery over time.
That isn't to say the earrings will immediately crumble if you get caught in the rain or accidentally forget to take them off before you wash your hair - they'll be fine. Just dry them off and try not to make a habit of it!
Sunflower Statement Earrings – Silver →
Sunlight
This one tends to catch people off guard. UV exposure can fade the colour of the clay over time. Given that sunflowers are famously sun-obsessed, this one feels a little bit ironic, but it's generally a good idea to keep your jewellery away from direct sunlight when you can. As well as the possibility of fading, some of our earrings also use UV resin in the design process to add gloss, and repeated, prolonged exposure to the sun can cause yellowing, especially here in New Zealand where we have such strong UV levels.
The solution is very simple - just don't leave them on the windowsill. A drawer, jewellery box or cute catch-all tray tucked away somewhere are all better options. If you like to display your jewellery, just keep it in an area in the room that doesn't get sun-soaked as the day moves along.
Sleeping
This one is more of an issue for the metal findings rather than the polymer clay. Sterling silver is a fairly soft metal and being pressed into a pillow each night will gradually cause stress and bending. This is less of a risk for stainless steel earrings because they're a harder metal, but it's always best to remove the risk entirely. The way that we secure our stud posts onto the polymer clay studs means that they're very unlikely to snap off in your sleep, but bent earring posts are a problem you can do without. Just take them off, and that way you'll have earrings that keep their shape and style for much longer - not to mention you won't be wasting any time looking for earring backs in your sheets!
Storage
The cotton pouch or gift box that your Arias order comes in is actually a good earring storage option. The small pouches are soft and protective, and keep pairs together so you don't end up with a pile of solo earrings that can't be worn. Otherwise, a jewellery box or case works well. The main thing is to avoid the earrings all jumbling together with other pieces of jewellery (especially pieces made solely with gold or silver, or set with precious stones) to lessen the chance of any scratches or damage to the polymer clay surfaces.
Generally speaking, it's better to store your polymer clay earrings flat rather than hanging. This just keeps the stress off of the connection point between the clay and the findings that happens when the earrings are hanging.
Cleaning
Let's be realistic here. Your earrings are close to your face, and this means you may end up with a little bit of product build-up from make up, or hair products that transfers over to your earrings. Luckily, because polymer clay is such a forgiving material, it's super easy to get them back to their former condition. Just use a soft, barely damp cloth and wipe any marks away gently. Pat them dry straight away, and then let them air dry completely before popping them away for storage. That's it!
Don't use any kind of jewellery cleaning solutions on the clay portion of your necklaces and earrings. These are typically hardier products formulated for metal and can damage any paints or sealants on the clay, and on some occasions can start to erode the clay and cause surface damage. If you need to polish up the findings themselves, a gentle buff with a dry cloth is the way to go.
Let them thrive!
We haven't made this jewellery to sit in a box. It's literally designed to be worn, repeatedly. Through all of the ordinary days that most of us live, as well as those special occasions where you want to look your best. They exist to be worn, not preserved! The care instructions are there to provide some guidance to make sure that they can keep being worn, for as long as possible.
Browse the sunflower jewellery collection here →
Want to read more about our sunflower jewellery?
What is it about sunflowers? →
How to actually wear sunflower earrings →
