Wearing Bead Necklaces and Using Cosmetics

Wearing a bead necklace and the use of cosmetics like lipstick, creams and perfume are so often going together, that the combination of both is worth your attention:

Lipstick:
Prevent your lipstick of becoming smeared onto the beads. It causes stains which are often difficult, if not impossible to remove. Although on beads of glass it is less a problem, a necklace made of all the other materials like real or imitation pearls, ivory or bone, even plastic or stone beads can be ruined forever. So put on your necklace first and than your lipstick, and remove the lipstick before you will put off the necklace, especially if the necklace is a long one and you want to put it on and to remove it over your head without opening.
Putting the necklace first has another advantage: You can choose the lipstick in a perfect matching color, especially if the beads are in the colors rose, red, orange or their different variation hues. This perfect match enhances the impact of the bead necklace.

Creams and Body Lotions:
If you really need the use of cream or body lotion on neck and chest, those places where the bead necklace will be in contact with your skin, put it on long before the necklace, so it can be absorbed as much as possible. Remove the excess cream with a tissue, otherwise the beads will be part of the treatment. They become greasy and will attract dust and dirt. This is especially a problem with beads made of coral and bone with their very tiny canals, which cannot be cleaned properly when filled with dirt. If possible, do not use those creams and lotions on these places when you want to wear a necklace.

Perfumes, Eau de Toilette and Hairspray:
Do not let perfume, eau de toilette or hairspray come into contact with beads.
It can damage the color of dyed beads and can dull lacquered beads.
Pearls, mother of pearl, coral and amber are easily damaged by it and they will become dull or otherwise be damaged. Pearls and mother of pearl can even get stained from perfumes.
Coral and amber can get a whitish coating that may be permanent.
Solid perfume (cream perfume) exists and is based on wax with addition of different fragrances. It has none of the deleterious effects of liquid perfume, but is hard to obtain.

Especially pearls are easily damaged. The calcium carbonate that predominates in their composition dissolves in acids, like the calcium deposits (scale) in the water kettle which can be removed by boiling some lemon slices or other commercial acids in it. Due to chemical influences of sweat and air pollution they lose their luster, can change their color and after some time even begin to decompose. So although you will find pearls of extraordinary size in many historical jewels and crown regalia, today they are without luster and sheen.
In order to prevent this, every time after you have worn your pearls, clean them carefully with a soft, dry cloth. Do not allow pearl strings to get wet, they might rot as a result.

Amber is soft, brittle and very susceptible to chemicals and heat. Not only perfume, eau de toilette or hairspray is damaging but other cosmetics like soap, bubble bath shampoo and other chemical substances like dishwashing detergents, commercial jewelry cleaning solutions and the chlorine of swimming pool water can damage it.
Very hot water is damaging too.

The right order for putting cosmetics and a bead necklace on is as follows:
First put on cream or body lotion, then perfume and or hairspray, let all dry. Then put on your necklace and finally the lipstick and look, how beautiful you are!