Finally!!! He popped the question and you got the engagement ring of your dreams… You never want to take it off again! Hate to be the one to break it to you, but there are definitely times when your precious sparkling ring is better off tucked away safely than on your finger… You’ll thank me later, I promise!
1. WORKING OUT
OK… you’ve got to make sure you look your best on your wedding day, so you’ll most likely hit the gym a little more than usual, or, in my case, you’ll finally really go. However, any form of exercise is a big no-no for your Sparklr! The potential risk of damaging it is too large. Whether it’s on the treadmill, the elliptical, lifting weights or even a game of tennis… the likelihood of even the least amount of pressure could damage it. Yes, diamonds are extremely durable, but they are not damage-poof, not to mention the damage the salt of your sweat can do! So even though I get you want to flaunt it everywhere, keep it safe at home or in your locker when you head to the gym.
2. ON THE BEACH
Never EVER wear your ring on the beach! Aside from the risk of losing it in the sand or in the ocean, the sand can wedge itself between the mounting or under the diamond and the salty ocean water could seriously damage the metal of the band and the stones. So the ocean is off-limits for engagement rings. And also, going to the beach goes hand in hand with wearing sunscreen which will cloud your stone immediately. So just leave it home, kay?
3. IN THE SPA
I admit that losing your ring in a hot tub or pool at the spa is less of a problem than losing it in the vast ocean, but chemicals like chlorine, could also seriously damage to your stunner! They can discolor and corrode the metals, and since you usually use these facilities to unwind from all the hustle and bustle in your daily life, let’s not add any unnecessary stress here.
4. SHOWERING
If you’re still not convinced water isn’t your engagement rings best friend, then let me just tell you, you better not wear it when taking a shower either. The shower is a dangerous place for your ring for two reasons. Oily soaps can dull the finish of your diamond and exfoliating scrubs, which do wonders for your skin, could scratch it. Thinking, huh, I could just skip the soap… Think again! 1. That’s just gross, and 2. the water is actually your biggest enemy. When your ring slips off, it could go down the drain and get lost forever… FOREVER! Convinced now?
5. DURING YOUR BEAUTY REGIME
Moisturizer is fantastic for your skin and some of us even like to add a little make-up, but these don’t do too well with your engagement bling. Both can diminish the brilliance and dull your stone over time. So when you moisturize, always wait until your hands have completely dried before slipping your ring back on. The same goes for applying make-up or using hair spray. Most cosmetics and certainly hair spray, contain chemicals capable of discoloring your ring and removing its natural shine. So be sure to take your baby off! Every time you apply any kind of product to any part of your body, some of it will end up in and around your ring, which over time will just grow to layers and layers of grease, dirt and grime… EW!
6. CLEANING THE HOUSE
So here’s the thing, none of us are perfect, and most people forget to take off their jewelry doing everyday chores, thinking how could a cleaning product damage my jewel, which on occasion needs to be cleaned. Harsh chemicals like bleach and ammonia are found in many common household cleaners, which can do some serious damage to your stone, potentially altering the color. So take off the rock! Or even better, leave the cleaning to your husband-to-be, after all, when will you ever be able to wear your ring after reading this?
We’re really sorry for scaring you, and hope this hasn’t permanently scared you away from wearing your favorites diamond jewelry. Since we know none of you are perfect, and will likely wear your jewels in some of the situations we described above, we recommend getting your jewelry cleaned professionally at least once every 6 months, a service which most jewelers offer free of charge. If your jewelry is just in need of a little TLC, consider a dollop of dishwashing liquid, some warm water and old toothbrush.
You can thank me now!
