Is Your Jewellery Turning Your Skin Green—And Can You Prevent It?

Think your jewellery’s turning your skin green? Learn why and how best to avert it.

Picture this: You start your day with some retail therapy and before long you stumble upon the most gorgeous ring or necklace. So, you buy it and vow to never take it off… It’s everything you wanted after all! But just as you’re getting comfortable, you glance in the mirror and notice your skin turning green. *Cue the gasps*

Does this image ring a bell? Because if so, don’t worry – it happens to the best of us!

Believe it or not, there are several reasons why you could get green skin from your jewellery and lucky for you, we know a few ways to avoid this pesky problem. Want to know more? Get comfortable and scroll on.

Why is Your Jewellery Turning Your Skin Green?

We pestered our experts for the answer to this question and according to them, there are two reasons why your jewellery’s making your skin green:

1. Oxidation

In case you missed a few science classes (don’t worry, we had to look this one up too), oxidation is a chemical reaction (like colour change) that occurs when a product is exposed to an oxidizing substance (for example, sweat). Here, the product in question is the copper content within your gold and silver accessories.
When exposed to sweat, lotion, perfume and other household products over a long period of time, the copper content in your piece can start to oxidize and this in turn, can result in your stunner obtaining a green film…just like that present on the Statue of Liberty made of copper (You didn’t think she was always green, did you?)

What’s more, this residue can eventually transfer onto your skin which turns it green. So, the next time someone asks you why their jewellery makes their skin green, you know exactly what to say.

2. Allergic Reactions

PSA for all the sensitive skin girlies out there: The metal mixture in your jewellery can make your skin green.

We can explain:

In their pure form, metals like gold and silver are too soft to withstand daily wear. So, they are typically combined with metals like nickel, copper, silver and palladium amongst others to gain strength. And while most people can wear the resultant alloy without any problem, the copper and nickel content present within the same can cause allergic reactions for some. This could appear in the form of green skin usually accompanied by a rash or an itching sensation. We know, yikes!

The Main Culprits:

a) Rose Gold

Created by combining copper and gold, rose gold jewellery will definitely make your skin green. So, if you’re prone to allergic reactions caused by jewellery, we recommend removing this metal from your wish list ASAP.

b) White Gold

Is your white gold coated with rhodium? Because if not, it may not be super safe to wear! *Whomp whomp*
Crafted by mixing gold, copper, silver and palladium together, white gold jewellery can also turn your skin green. That said, this issue can be easily resolved by plating your stunner with rhodium. Apart from creating a barrier between the copper content and your skin, this substance will also give your sparkler a spectacular hue that’s sure to make it all the more appealing. That’s a win-win in our books!

c) Yellow Gold

You read that right! Contrary to popular belief, yellow gold jewellery can also turn your skin green, depending on how impure it is. This is simply due to the high percentage of copper and nickel content that could be present in the same. NGL, we also cried when we found out about this tidbit.

d) Silver

Last but not the least on this list is silver. ICYMI, silver also gets its strength from the copper and nickel present within its chemical composition. So, if skin tends to turn green from jewellery, then staying away from this metal might be a good idea.

Does The Percentage Of Copper And Nickel Matter?

Great question! And yes, it does!

In terms of gold, the word ‘karat’ is a unit of measurement that is used to highlight the quantity of pure gold in a particular jewellery item. So, the higher the percentage of pure gold, the higher its karat level.

So, what’s the one good thing you can take away from this? Well, accessories made with a higher karat gold (18k and above) are less likely to make your skin green. This is because the percentage of copper and nickel within the same is too minuscule to do any harm.

Similarly, sterling silver (which features a 92.5% purity rate) is less likely to cause a green screen because of its low nickel and copper percentage.

Moral of the story: If you’re really married to the idea of wearing a gold or silver jewellery item, then opting for an 18k gold or sterling silver jewellery is pretty much guaranteed to do you no harm. Need we say more?

How Do You Prevent Your Skin From Turning Green?

1. Pick the Right Metal

Generally speaking, opting for platinum jewellery is your best bet if you want to avoid green skin. Not only is this metal non-allergenic, but its extreme rarity and durability make it a fabulous choice for earrings, bracelets and more. Apart from this, you can also opt for 18k gold, sterling silver and white gold with rhodium plating.

2. Storage is Everything

“Treat your metal the way you want it to treat you.” – That’s our official motto when it comes to avoiding green skin. This essentially translates to taking care of your accessory and more importantly, storing it the correct way.

To prevent yourself from getting green skin from your ring or other jewellery items, we recommend placing your sparklers in a velvet case or cloth bag and storing it in a cool, dry place like your closet, for instance.

3. Know When to Take it Off

We know, we know… it’s hard to remove a piece as beautiful as yours. But, if you don’t want your skin to turn green from your ring, then removing it at appropriate times is a must.
We recommend employing the ‘last on, first off’ rule. This means putting your piece on just before you leave the house and removing it the moment you return. This will limit the amount of contact your skin has with the oxidizing substances present in your perfume, lotion and other cosmetics.

Besides this, we also suggest setting your jewellery aside before taking a dip, going for a shower or performing any rigorous physical activities such as exercising or cleaning your house.

4. Don’t Forget to Clean

For healthy skin, we recommend washing your piece a few times a month with the steps mentioned below:

Step #1: Start by placing your accessory in a lukewarm soap solution. Let it soak for 5-10 minutes.
Step #2: With a soft-bristled brush, gently scrub away the rust and dirt. Pay attention to the edges of the piece and settings of the gemstones as that’s where most of the dirt lies.
Step #3: Place your accessory under running water to wash away the excess soap and leave your piece aside to dry.