Kryptonite is to Superman as oxidation is to affordable jewelry. The chemical reaction takes place when copper — a budget-friendly and often gold or silver-plated material commonly used for inexpensive baubles — comes in contact with water or chemicals in things like lotion. This then leads to the infamous murky green residue that appears on our skin. Canadian jewelry brand Mia, however, discovered a summer-perfect loophole: stainless steel.
The brand guarantees green-free skin wherever you dunk its stainless steel jewels, minus the luxury price tag. We’re talking sleek jewelry on the market for under $50. The brand even features lab-grown diamond accessories priced all under $200. To test such a bold claim, I adorned my epidermis with Mia’s grey rings, hoop earrings, necklaces, and bracelets for an entire month of beach trips, showers, baths, and pool days (even, for a while, against my will — more on that later). Read on for my honest cons, stay for the pros of these glitzy impermeable pieces.