minusOne jewelry uses hypoallergenic 14K gold fill and 925 sterling silver earring wires, both considered to be appropriate metals for sensitive ears.
Read about minusOne jewelry’s hypoallergenic earring styles. These include French loop, lever back, and even clip-ons and posts.
Or, shop all of minusOne jewelry earring styles.
What does hypoallergenic mean?
The simple definition of hypoallergenic is that something is relatively unlikely to cause an allergic reaction. Hypoallergenic is not a guarantee. It describes a probability or a tendency, but not an absolute condition.
What earring metals are hypoallergenic?
There are six metals commonly used for earring wires that are considered to be hypoallergenic.
- gold
- niobium
- platinum
- sterling silver
- stainless steel
- titanium
Are gold-filled earrings hypoallergenic?
As a general rule, gold-filled earring backs are considered hypoallergenic. Gold-filled components contain 100 times more real gold that gold plated components and are very durable and tarnish resistant. Gold filled jewelry is a beautiful, affordable alternative to solid gold, and can be worn by people with sensitive skin.
Will minusOne jewelry earrings hurt my ears?
minusOne jewelry uses only hypoallergenic earring wires. This is not a guarantee that you will not have an allergic reaction; however, hundreds of reviews reference that minusOne earrings do not hurt their ears like other earrings do.
If you have sensitive ears, consider selecting earrings that are described as lightweight.
What are earring backs?
I use the term earring back to refer to the wire or mechanism that attaches to a pendant and in turn attaches to the ear. minusOne jewelry uses four styles of earring backs:
- French loops
- lever backs
- adjustable, screw-back clip-on
- post
Other jewelers use the term “earring back” to refer to the small piece of metal or rubber (or combination of both) that is placed on the end of the wire to keep it in place.
minusOne jewelry uses clear ribbed rubber clutches on all pairs of French loops and posts, where the wire remains open, and therefore can be pushed out of the ear without this cap.
Which minusOne jewelry earring style is best for my ears?
There are a few things to consider when deciding which earring back style is your personal best choice:
What is earring drop length?
Earring drop length is the distance between where the top of the earring sits on or against your earlobe and where the pendant begins.
French loops have a drop length of 1/4″.
Lever backs hang lower and have a drop length of 1/2″
Every pierced ear is different
On day two of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, my husband pierced my daughter’s ears. She was 13 years old at the time, and he had just had shoulder surgery the week before. She laid lengthwise on the kitchen counter while he stuck a needle through her earlobe (using ice and a wine cork ).
Due to the height of the countertop and the condition of his shoulder, the angle of the needle created an off-kilter piercing. You can imagine the difficulty my daughter sometimes has threading an earring through the hole my husband created.
This kind of thing happens a lot, even if the situation isn’t as memorable.
A tilted staple gun, or marker dots that are misaligned, or an earring pagoda employee who just isn’t on the ball – these all can create ear piercings that can make your interaction with an earring unique.
And this doesn’t even refer to the size of our earlobes, and the position of the piercing on them. Raise your hand if you have huge earlobes. If you have them, you know.
Your hand coordination matters with earrings
Some earring backs are straight, and some are curved. Some earring backs have a lot of surface area and others don’t. What do you need to make your hands work with something as small as an earring back?
French loops may be the easiest earring to use with arthritic hands. Although the wire is curved, there is a straight line at the end to make inserting the wire easier.
Lever backs are a fully curved wire with a hinge, making them sometimes more difficult for people with arthritis to use.
Posts are straight forward – straight pieces of metal – that seem to be the easiest to insert. However, they are also the tiniest option, so sometimes difficult to hold.
Clip-ons are their own thing. If you can wear clip-ons, then you know. If you’ve never tried, maybe give them a go once. You can return them within seven days at minusOne. I use adjustable screw-back clip-ons, which allow them to be both comfortable and secure.
Do you have a history of losing your earrings?
Some ears just eject earrings. It happens! minusOne jewelry uses clear rubber clutches (little stoppers) on French loops to prevent them from loss.
You might also try lever backs, which are a closed loop. There’s a hinged wire that closes against a second wire, so they’re designed to prevent loss.
Expensive vs. affordable earring backs
Lever back earrings are more expensive than French loops for two reasons: first, there’s more metal required in the earring back design. Second, the lever back has more complicated mechanics, requiring more parts and labor during manufacturing.
If you’re on a budget, select the French loop option. A French loop earring wire looks a little like a fishing hook or a shepherd’s hook. It is a piece of curved metal that threads through the ear piercing and then rests in place. The looped back remains open and doesn’t latch shut.
French loops are still a great choice!
I use loops with a more dramatic curve, so they are more secure on the ears. This curve inwards means they won’t get pushed out of the ear as often.
Is brass hypoallergenic?
Brass is not considered a hypoallergenic metal. Hypoallergenic is a description used for non-reactionary metals. Metals used in the medical field and in kitchens like stainless steel are non-reactionary. Niobium is another definitively hypoallergenic metal.
Gold, gold fill, and sterling silver are also considered to be hypoallergenic. However, every person’s chemistry is different, and allergies develop in each person differently.
minusOne jewelry uses brass for pendants, some necklace chains, and bracelet cuffs. Brass is not used for earring wires.
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