Why jewellery turns your skin green (and how to stop it)
It is a harmless chemical reaction, not a sign of a fake. What causes it, who it happens to, and the fixes that work.
Green skin under a ring is alarming the first time and completely harmless. It is a chemical reaction between copper in the metal and the acids on your skin, producing copper salts — the same process that turns statues and roofs green, at a much smaller scale.
What is actually happening
Almost all jewellery contains copper. It is in brass, it is in sterling silver, and it is in rose gold by design. When copper meets sweat, skin oils or acidic cosmetics, it oxidises and leaves a green deposit. It washes straight off with soap and water and does no harm.
Why it happens to some people and not others
- Skin pH varies a great deal. More acidic skin reacts faster.
- Sweat is the main accelerant, so it is worse in heat and during exercise.
- Certain medications and even diet shift skin chemistry enough to change the result.
- Lotions, sunscreen and perfume sitting under a ring create a reactive layer against the metal.
It is not a test of authenticity
A common myth says green skin proves jewellery is fake. It proves the piece contains copper, which almost all jewellery does — sterling silver is 7.5 per cent copper by definition, and it is a genuine precious metal. Solid high-karat gold and titanium will not do it; nearly everything else can.
How to stop it
Keep the metal off reactive skin. Let lotion and perfume dry fully before putting jewellery on. Take rings off for exercise and washing up. Dry pieces properly after wear. If one specific ring does it every time, a thin coat of clear barrier lacquer on the inside band is a genuine fix, reapplied every few months.
On our pieces, the sealed finish is what stands between your skin and the base metal — which is why we ask you to replace a piece once you can see wear at the rub points, rather than waiting for a green mark to tell you.