Make The Most Of Your Cheap Jewellery

My Jewellery Saving Tips & Tricks!(For costume jewellery)
I feel like I haven't done many fashion related posts and when it comesto jewellery, especially the cheaper costume style, I am a bit of an expert.Having worked and managed a store full of the stuff some years ago.I have had plenty of experience and learned a lot during that time, before we moved to the big smoke and had our little kiddly winks! 
The most common cheap jewelry is made out of the following materials.Copper & Plastic.
Copper is a pliable, soft metal that is cheap and can be made into any shape.The down side to this is that is tarnishes easily and a lot of people's skincan get a negative reaction to the high nickel content contained in it.
As you have most likely experienced after wearing your cheap silveror gold jewelry a few times, it most likely has started to discolourand doesn't look all shiny and new anymore.This can be extremely frustrating and annoying especially if you're on a budget and want to make the most out of your jewellerycheap or not.
The main factors which cause cheap, copper jewelry to tarnish are -*Water*Sweat*DustBest to try to avoid your jewelry getting into contact with these elements.
My top tips are.*Remove your rings when washing your hands, swimming or doing the dishes, etc*Avoid wearing cheap jewelry when playing sport or working out.*Store your jewelry away in jewelry boxes. I recommend what actually works best are keeping them in clear snap lock plastic bags.These keep your jewelry free from all the elements in the air which age your jewelry prematurely.  Do this and your cheap $2 earrings will still look like new years later.
This brings me to my next big tip - Maintenance! If you begin to notice your silver turning gold or your gold turning a yellow tone,then it's time to invest in some polishing cloths.I recommend cloths over a liquid solution as liquid jewelry cleaners aremade for cleaning and maintaining real silver and gold, so best to saveit for your expensive treasures as the liquid will only damage yourcheap jewellery, ruining the silver or gold coating turning it to rust.
Cloths are amazing at removing any discolouration and bringingyour cheap jewelry back to life again.
Just do not wash them! Once they are dirty, just buy a new one.
If you wash it, you're also washing out all the cleaning agents in the cloth.
If your jewelry peice has lost its silver or gold coatingIt's unfortunately beyond repair and there is nothing you can doto fix it unless you get the copper re-dipped and with cheap $2-$5jewellery, it just isn't worth it.Cut your loses and chuck it out.
A great thing about copper is how soft a metal it is.If you find the links in your costume jewelry or charms/pendantsfalling off or coming apart, simple invest in a pair of craft pliers. They should cost you no more than $10 max and can be used to easilyrepair your pieces. You'd be surprised how simple it actually is to doif you just take a few minutes to try rather than just throwing something away. You can also easily remove some pretty stones or pendants off one or twonecklaces and put them onto some earring hooks to completely createanother jewelry peice without having to go shopping.It can save you money too!Get creative!
As I mentioned earlier copper jewelry can sometimesleave a rash, turn your skin green or cause pain in piercings. The most common causes of the rashes are sweat.The odd green shade most commonly noticed with cheap rings is caused by water.Pain in piercings are due to people not being educated about cheaper jewelry.Also known as costume jewellery, it should be treated like just that. A costume, to be worn for a few hours at a time, a day max!
Leaving copper in your ears, nose, navel or wherever on your body,will only start to slowly rust from the moisture in your skin.As mentioned earlier, water and sweat are cheap jewellery's biggest enemy!Wearing cheap body jewelry is fine, but don't treat it like your good stuff.It is not the same and will not react the same way as silver, gold and copperare completely different materials and there is a reason they'reworth what they are. 
Real gold and silver jewelry can be worn indefinitely and is unlikely to cause rash, irritation or pain.Unless of course you're unlucky enough to be allergic.
The good news is, all this negatively with cheap, copperjewellery has caused a lot of manufacturers to startproducing hypoallergenic copper jewellery, whichcontains lower amounts of nickel which is the main culprit of people's allergic reaction to copper.
Just be mindful though that these claims often don't make all thatmuch of a difference, so don't get sucked into pushy sales assistants,trying to convince you you can wear their body jewelry 24/7.I don't recommend it.
Another positive with costume jewelry are all the other wonderfuland beautiful, creative materials they're made from.Plastic, semi precious stones, wood, glass, ribbon, the list goes on!
These materials are much easier to look after and often last a lotlonger without much looking after.I love plastic because it will never tarnish. It might fade if left stored in the sun,but for the most part it's great. Doesn't discolour your skin or irritate.Colour shades available are endless and come in millions of stylesfor all ages and occasion.
Semi precious stones are gorgeous, but are often over priced becauseof their name, but are pretty much worthless.Don't get sucked in!
Wood is one of my favs. A timeless material that lasts.Never fades, discolour or irritates.Comes in beautiful styles and tones and suits all skin, hair and eye colour, etc.Can also be worn with just about anything!
I've seen some really creative and beautiful prices made from glass,but the downside is, it's glass and can break.Obvious more fragile, but if you can get your hands on realglass beads over plastic, the difference is huge as glass ones have anincredible shine and never scratch or wear easily, therefore lasting longer.
Ribbon is a really versatile material.Added to necklaces and linking brackets won together can add a subtle, feminine touch with minimal effort and can be switched and changedaround with different sizes, colours and even textures.One of the cheapest materials and easiest to DIY.Even wrapped around your hair/head can create added, effortless glamand make any old hair style instantly more interesting.
So that pretty much sums up my tips, tricks and advice on caring forand maintaining your cheap jewelry.
I love how interesting and creative jewelry can be createdand really add something special to and complete an outfit oroverall look.
Watch my How-To Jewellery video below!
I hoped this post was somewhat useful!
Love Candy! 
xo