Jewellery for the Free-Spirited: Resin Pieces and How to Care for Them

Since 2020, resin pendants, rings and earrings have made a comeback in the jewellery industry. Gen Z and TikTok’s influences are entirely to blame for this. The major social media platform was able to produce new pop stars and influencers, demonstrating its power in practically all spheres of life. Naturally, TikTok was also able to influence several fashion trends, like the resin jewellery that was so popular in the ’90s.

Celebrities like Bella Hadid, Halley Bieber, Dua Lipa, and others have already been spotted out and about with their stunning resin pendants and rings. And commercial jewellery-making businesses adopt new trends as they are created by pop culture. That said, anyone can find the quirky resin jewellery of their childhood fantasies with a few simple Google searches.

The Different Types of Resin Jewellery

Resin earrings and pendants resin necklaces are two excellent examples of this type of jewellery. This is because resin is a material that pairs very well with gold and silver. It’s also used as a more affordable alternative to pearls as when properly moulded, it can closely resemble their looks.

Resin is also known for being used in many hippy-like plant-inspired creations. You can find many beautiful rings and pendants from resin that contain flowers, plants, wood, sand and even glitter, acrylic paint, and other materials.

It simply gives whatever outfit you put together a certain oomph because of its distinctive, clear gemstone-like character. Whatever your style, you can effortlessly match it to your clothing. You also have the choice of making your own resin jewellery if you are unable to discover the perfect piece of resin jewellery for you.

What Exactly Is Epoxy Resin?

When we talk about resin jewellery, we usually mean pieces made of epoxy resin. So, let’s discuss what epoxy resin is and how it was created in order to comprehend resin jewellery a little better.

Epoxy resin was first invented between 1930 and 1940. It enhances the potential and applications of natural resin by combining it with a hardener. Because it had superior chemical resistance and wouldn’t get too hard like synthetic resin would, epoxy resin, which is similar to adhesive, performed better than synthetic resin.

This type of resin is also much superior for making jewellery for this reason. Due to its characteristics, when it solidified, it would resemble a stunning, transparent crystal. Epoxy resin is used to coat paint cans, food containers, and other containers in addition to being used to make jewellery. It is often used in applications for decorative flooring.

How to Ensure Your Resin Jewellery Pieces Last Longer

It is a quite durable material, but if you wear a resin piece every day and it gets a lot of use (rings are particularly susceptible), then scratches may start to pile up and make the piece appear a little scuffed. Try not to bump your jewellery, avoid wearing it when working out or sleeping.

Although it’s best to prevent it, certain scrapes can be fixed with sanding or another coat of resin. A damp microfiber, chammy, or silk towel may occasionally polish your piece neatly if you do detect some scratching or cloudiness over time. You can also use plastic polish to smooth things out.

And whatever you do, try to avoid exposing your pieces to excessive heat—this is very important! In the end, resin is a sort of plastic with a relatively low melting point, so it’s recommended to avoid leaving it exposed to direct sunlight for extended periods of time because this could cause the resin to weaken, cloud, or deteriorate.

Even if the resin used is advertised as UV stable, most resins do not react well to UV light, so maintaining it in the best possible condition is still excellent practice.

It is advisable to remove the jewellery while showering, washing dishes, swimming, etc. because resin is not waterproof. This aspect is particularly crucial if the piece also contains metal, which all of my sculptures do, as exposure will hasten the process of tarnishing (the blackening or discolouration of the metal).

As mentioned, resin pendants and other pieces often combine metals like silver and gold which are prone to tarnishing. While this is a natural process that can’t be 100% prevented if you want to reduce how rapidly your item tarnishes in the first place, it’s recommended to:

• Keep your jewellery in a box or sealed bag and store it somewhere dry, cool, and dark. This is best if it is airtight.
• Take off jewellery before taking a shower, swimming, sleeping, etc. It is usually humid in the bathroom, so don’t store it there!
• Take it off before applying hairspray, lotion, or another product.
• After wearing, remove oils and debris from the jewellery’s metal components by washing them with a little warm water and soap, then completely drying them before storing.

To Sum Up

Whatever your feelings on this ’90s jewellery trend revival, one thing is for certain: resin pieces are and always will be stylish. You can easily discover pieces that will bring back those wonderful childhood memories thanks to major brands and businesses producing their own resurrected collections.

Epoxy resin is also available for purchase, so you can experiment with it and try to create your own resin jewellery. Just make sure to put on gloves to protect your skin and a mask to protect your lungs before working with epoxy resin to avoid inhaling potentially harmful chemicals.

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