I often get asked about what my earring posts are made from, are they hypoallergenic, will I be allergic... etc. So I thought I'd do a little post about posts, and explain which ones I use and why I use them.
First off, in case you didn't know, earring 'posts' (or 'stumps' as my husband calls them... ) are the stick part of the earring that goes through your ear and as a result are the part that people can have a reaction to.
Surgical Steel
Most of the posts I use are surgical steel. I spent a lot of time researching the different materials available and I discovered that surgical steel is an iron based alloy designed for use in, as the name suggests, surgical settings. If it's good enough for surgeons, it's good enough for me! It does contain traces of nickel, but these are so low your skin is unlikely to have a reaction, and it is the best choice for people with sensitive skin or allergies as it contains hypoallergenic properties.
Another quality I liked about surgical steel is its ability to retain its colour and shine. It won't tarnish and fade over time, which is something I dislike about silver. It also won't make your skin green or black, which can happen with cheaper metals.
Silver & Gold Plated
Silver and gold plating is the process of depositing a thin layer of silver/gold over a base metal, typically brass. Plating is a good choice for you if you are particularly sensitive to any other metal, but don't want to fork out for sterling silver or gold. It will eventually start to lose it's lovely shiny colour however, so this is something to bear in mind. This can be avoided if you look after your jewellery well.
So there you have it! The earring materials I use and why! Feel free to ask me any questions below, I'll be happy to answer them.
Zoe x
Which earring posts are best? Best hypoallergenic earrings.
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