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What is allergy ?

It is a violent reaction of the immune system to substances to which the body normally does not react violently, for example hay fever in response to grass pollen. The immune system reacts with the production of antibodies, and thus it is a process that builds itself up little by little with each contact. As a result allergy can occur at any time in life.

The terms: nickel-free, lead-free and hypoallergenic

Hypoallergenic:

This is a term used in the world of cosmetics by which the manufacturers indicate that there is little chance that while using their product an allergy will occur. It does not mean that with a sensitive skin no allergies will appear and makes no warranty.

Lead-free:

Neither iron, lead, tin or zinc will cause skin disorders. Remember, zinc ointment is used for a baby's bottom and acne disorders. Therefore JBB tin alloys or components in European Zamak will not cause any allergy.

Lead is a culprit when ingested, making it enter the bloodstream and causing lead poisoning. So for the adult jewelry containing lead is not a problem; however, when it ends up in the mouth of a child it is, therefore, the manufacturer specifies if his product is lead-free.

Nickel-free:

Nickel and nickel salt are part of our environment and can cause both contact dermatitis and skin inflammation. Nickel is not only found in nickel-plated iron (change), stainless steel (cookware), chromium (taps) and water, but also in some silver alloys and inexpensive gold and as a consequence is difficult to avoid. 
Nickel can occur in jewelry and watches, but also in the metal parts of clothing, such as buttons and buckles, if they have a base of nickel-plated iron. Nickel allergy usually starts when wearing earrings and consequently occurs more often in women than in men.

Advice:

Nickel is released through perspiration and humidity and at the slightest irritation from soap or shampoo an allergy usually develops in the form of an eczema, which spreads over the body through contact.

Consequently, keep your skin dry and:

• Take your rings off during 'wet' work , carefully remove soap residue.
• Hair wash: remove your earrings and put them back on when your hair is dry.
• Do not wear jewelry with nickel during sport activities.
• Sensitive skin, we recommend to avoid jewelry containing nickel altogether.

Shop for nickel-free @ https://dunebeads.com/en/metal-beads ! 

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Happy birthday to you, June child. Your birth flower, the rose, symbolizes love, beauty and appreciation in its many facets and comes in a large variety of sizes and shapes.

In Victorian times a red rose meant “I love you passionately”, a white and red one “we are inseparable” and an orange one “you are my secret love”. While a bouquet of roses expressed gratitude, a single rose stressed the color's meaning, like in “I really do love you”.

Your alternative birth month flower is the honeysuckle or the Lonicera. This sweet smelling climber produces an edible nectar that attracts the hummingbird. Its fruits, which are often mildly poisonous, allure butterflies. The white and yellow to red flowers smell even more towards the evening.

The honeysuckle symbolizes devoted love and affection.

Your traditional lucky stone is the so beloved agate. It is a kind of chalcedony, opaque to translucent, mixed with quartz that belongs to the silicate family. Agate is formed in cracks and cavities of lava or volcanic rock. As the water seeps slowly through the rock, it takes along a variety of minerals it encounters. As the circumstances of water shift constantly, the supplied minerals change. As a consequence the so formed layers vary in color and are alternated with quartz. Hence agate is often naturally banded and multi-colored. When the lava cavity is not completely filled with agate, the last layer will be constituted by quartz druse (druzy quartz), needle-shaped quartz growth.

It is said that agate offers protection, reduces stress and awakens hidden talents; the recipe for success and prosperity. Banded agate is supposed to give the sleeper pleasant and varied dreams.

Your alternative modern Birthstones are the pearl and the moonstone.  Pearls represent tranquility and serenity. They symbolize purity and innocence and are therefore found in the traditional necklace of the bride.

More about pearls, pearl knotting ... on http://dunebeads.com/fr/blog/month/2013-6 !

Moonstone belongs to the large feldspar family and to the same series as Labradorite. Its color goes from silvery white to reddish. This mineral is built up of thin layers of two kinds of feldspar and when light strikes the structural anomalies of its surface, it is fractured in different directions, causing a blue or a silvery shimmering effect, called adulascence. The more the stone is bluish and transparent, the more it is valuable. Moonstone is normally not enhanced.

Moonstone is supposed to offer protection, heighten intuition and reduce stress. It brings the sleeper peaceful nights

A stress free and loving month awaits you, happy birthday!

Happy birthday to you, May child. Your birth flower, the sweet smelling lily of the valley or Convallaria majalis, is a tiny bell-shaped spring flower. This flowering plant has most often white blooms, sometimes pink, and is a popular flower for weddings. In Victorian times its meaning of sweetness, humility and return to happiness was bundled as 'you've made my life complete'.

Your alternative birth month flower is the common hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), a smallish tree, of which the young intertwined stems carry sharp thorns, making it the perfect hedge tree. Its five-petaled white flowers are moderately fragrant and the berries edible.

The glistening little flower conveys the message of 'hope and supreme happiness'. A long time ago it was considered the flower of courtship and the tree was the faeries' tree.

Your traditional lucky stone is the fragile emerald which ranges in color from yellow-green to blue-green. Only the medium to deep green hued gemstone is called emerald, the light-toned mineral is called green beryl. Most emeralds undergo an oil treatment in order to close the gaps and enhance their clarity. The favorite, the flawless medium green gemstone, has inspired the creation of synthetic emeralds.

The emerald is supposed to calm the emotions, stimulate refection and heighten artistic creativity, as it brings focus and intensity. It is the stone of gentleness and abundance which restores hope … bringing love and compassion

Your alternative modern birthstone is the chrysoprase, a green chalcedony mineral which owns its color to nickel inclusions. Chrysoprase belongs to the silica family and is a micro-crystalline, just like agate and as a consequence it is an opaque gemstone. In Greek the stone is called gold (chrysos) eelgrass (prason: eelgrass, a green marine plant resembling leek, which gives prasinus (leek green) in Latin). Its color goes from apple-green to deep green, the latter is sometimes called prase quartz, in reference to the color of another mineral, a macro-crystalline one. It is that special color that makes it so desirable. In order to maintain its color, you need to store it with some humid cotton.

Chrysoprase is said to soothe loneliness and sadness. It should increase compassion and bring good fortune and prosperity.

The tropical zodiac refers to the agate, which is the traditional birthstone of June, as the lucky stone of Gemini.

Whether you give her/him emeralds, chrysoprase or agate, dune beads recommends that you choose green to bring good luck.

Happy birthday !

Who first beholds the light of day
In spring's sweet flowery month of May
And wears an emerald all her life
Shall be a loved and happy wife. 
– Gregorian Birthstone Poems -

Happy birthday to you, April child. Your birth flower, the sweet pea or Lathyrus odoratus, is a mostly climbing plant native to the Mediterranean region.  Its lovely scented flowers convey an image of 'modesty' and 'simplicity'. In Victorian times, its hidden message was 'thank you for a lovely time' or 'blissful pleasure'.

Your alternative birth month flower is the daisy or Bellis perennis (eternal beauty) and belongs to the Asteraceae family. Although mostly known as a bright white flower with a yellow center the daisy exists in shades of yellow, red and purple.

Its Victorian message of 'innocence' and 'loyal love' will surely warm your heart to it. How many of us have not picked its petals whispering: 'he loves me, he loves me not, he loves me …' … and a daisy given to a friend once promised 'I'll never tell'.

Your lucky stone or modern birthstone is the diamond. This extremely hard volcanic mineral is colorless and transparent in its pure form and can only be scratched by other diamonds. When diamonds contain impurities you get a wide range of colored diamond going from blue, green, yellow … to brown, pink, red and purple. When diamond contains a big amount of impurities it is perceived as a black diamond. Colorless, brown and yellow diamonds fall under the normal color gradation, while the others, called fancy-color diamonds, have a different grading scale (with master stones). As fancy-color diamonds are highly desirable and valuable, there are color-treated diamonds on the market.

The diamond's message is similar to that of the daisy, both refer to innocence. But the gemstone works also as an amplifier of emotions whether bliss or sorrow. The colorless diamond is supposed to spread a loving energy, hence its place in the engagement ring.

Your alternate birthstone is the colorless and transparent rock crystal or quartz. Extremely pure rock crystal is quite unusual and as a consequence expensive. Like diamond it exists in lots of colors, but also under different names going from amethyst and rose quartz ... to citrine and smoky quartz. In early history, those varieties of quartz were in Europe and the Middle-East what jade was for East-Asia: the gemstone of predilection for carvings and jewelry.

Clear quartz is supposed to cleanse and purify the soul creating the innocence the diamond and the daisy refer to. It stimulates positive feelings, provides energy and clears thoughts … it is a gemstone celebrating life and love.

She who from April dates her years,
Diamonds shall wear, lest bitter tears
For vain repentance flow; this stone,
Emblem of innocence, is known.

Live your life with love - happy birthday!

You may have wondered why you find the Mohs' scale of hardness in the description of the gemstones. The hardness or the resistance to scratches determines the durability of the gemstone.

The German born mineralogist Friedrich Mohs (1773-1839), student of Abraham Werner, developed a scale that measures the scratch resistance from hard on soft minerals. The scale goes from 1 to 10, talc being the softest (1) and diamond being the hardest (10). With your fingernails, which have a hardness of 2.2, you may scratch talc.

As a consequence when cleaning your gemstones and jewelry you need to take into account their scratch resistance so as not to damage them.

Care about your porous gemstones. Do not spray cosmetics or perfume while wearing them, chemicals may damage them.

CLEANING GUIDE GEMSTONES

Mohs' hardness          Ultrasonic**          Soap***          Untreated cloth°

• Agate**                      6.5 – 7.0                 No                        Cold water           Yes
• Amazonite                   6.0 – 6.5                 No                        Yes                     Yes
• Amethyst                    7.0                          Normally yes         Yes                     Yes
• Aquamarine                7.5 – 8.0                  Normally yes         Yes                     Yes
• Carnelian                    7.0                          Normally yes         Yes                     Yes
• Citrine                        7.0                          Normally yes         Yes                     Yes
• Coral                          3.5 – 4.0                  No                        No soap              Yes
• Diamond                    10.0                         Yes                       Yes                     Yes
• Emerald                     7.5 - 8.0                   No (fracture risk)   Yes                     Yes
• Fluorite                      4.0                           No                        Yes                     Yes
• Garnet                       7.0 – 7.5                  Normally yes          Yes                     Yes
• Howlite                      3.0 – 3.5                  No                         Yes                     Yes
• Jade, jadeite               6.5 – 7.0                 Yes                        Yes                     Yes
• Jade, nephrite             6.0 – 6.5                 Yes                        Yes                     Yes
• Kyanite                      4.0 – 7.5                  No                         Yes                     Yes
• Labradorite                 6.0 – 6.5                  No                        Yes                     Yes
• Lapis-lazuli                 5.0 – 6.0                  No                         Yes                     Yes
• Malachite                   3.5 - 4.0                   No                         Yes                     Yes
• Moonstone                 6.0 – 6.5                  No                         Yes                      Yes
• New jade                   2.5 – 5.5                  No                         Yes                      Yes
• Opal                          5.0 – 6.5                  No                         Yes                      Yes

SEE - part 2

CONTINUATION - CLEANING GUIDE GEMSTONES

Mohs' hardness          Ultrasonic**          Soap***          Untreated cloth°

• Pearls                          2.5 – 4.0                 No                        No                       Yes
• Peridot                        6.5 – 7.0                 No                        Yes                      Yes
• Rhodochrosite              3.5 – 4.5                 No                      Cold water             Yes
• Rhodonite                    5.5 – 6.5                Normally yes          Yes                      Yes
• Ruby                           9.0                         Yes                       Yes                      Yes
• Sapphire                      9.0                         Yes                       Yes                     Yes
• Serpentine                  3.0 – 5.0                  No                        Yes                     Yes
• Shell                           3.5                          No                        Yes                     Yes
• Sodalite                      5.0 – 6.0                  No                        Yes                     Yes
• Tanzanite                    6.0 – 7.0                 No                        Yes                     Yes
• Topaz                          8.0                         No                        Yes                     Yes
• Tourmaline                  7.0 – 7.5                 No                        Yes                     Yes
• Turquoise                    5.0 – 6.0                 No                        Yes                     Yes

* Most agate beads are enhanced or dyed – rinse them briefly under running water before the actual stringing!

** In doubt, ask your jeweler.

*** Soap : lukewarm water, mild soap, soft toothbrush – dry° - never soak soft porous gemstones!

A few tips:

• Do not clean over the sink, you may lose small items.
• Do not store before completely dry.
• Vintage jewelry is best cleaned by professionals.
• Diamond, ruby, sapphire: add a splash of ammonia in clear water to remove all film and give back its sparkle – never do this with other gemstones!

Thank you for choosing your beads and findings @ http://dunebeads.com/en/ !

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Happy birthday to you, March child. Your birthday flower, the wild jonquil(le) or narcissus jonquilla, which delivers a lovely fragrance oil, has clusters of small golden yellow trumpet flowers with a crown and long narrow cylindrical leaves.

The jonquil stands for spring and means 'friendship' and 'domestic happiness or returned love'. In Victorian times, its hidden message was 'you are an angel'... and aren't we all. :-)

Your lucky stone or modern birthstone is a blue-green beryl, the aquamarine, which means 'water of the sea'. Its color, produced by traces of iron, ranges from very light green-blue to deep blue-green; the dark blue or sapphire blue version being called maxixe is sometimes heat treated to create green, pink or yellow beryl. As deep sky blue aquamarine is considered more valuable than the clear or green shades, most blues have also passed the heating process to deepen their color and remove the green tint.

For the amateur aquamarine looks very similar to blue topaz, but as it is more valuable, you'd better buy your set stones from a trustworthy jeweler.

Aquamarine stands for courage, faithfulness & friendship and is the lucky stone of sailors. It is also said to facilitate communication.

Your alternative traditional gemstone is the two-toned heliotrope or Bloodstone and means 'sun turning'. It shares its name with the flower which was supposed to turn towards the sun. It is a form of dark green to dark blue-green chalcedony with red to red-brown iron-oxide inclusions. The green tends to have darker and lighter zones. The red is due to iron oxide, such as hematite, while the green is formed by Chlorite minerals, sediments of marine water, in the cryptocrystalline (very fine grained) quartz. The dark green variant with yellow spots is called plasma. Heliotrope is usually not enhanced.

It is said that heliotrope gives courage and strength. It should heal a broken heart and bring good luck.

So a very 'lucky' birthday to you and enjoy the sea!

Who in this world of ours their eyes
In March first open shall be wise,
In days of peril firm and brave,
And wear a bloodstone to their grave.

Happy birthday to you, February child. Your birthday flower, the viola or pansy, is a flowering plant with fragrant heart-shaped leaves belonging to the violaceae family, and means 'loyalty and faithfulness'. In Victorian times, its meaning varied with the color of the flower: white or cream, meaning 'let's take a chance', violet 'I'll always be true'.

Your alternative flower, again a flowering plant, the primula or primrose, is telling you 'I can not live without you'. Happy Valentine's day!

Your lucky stone or birthstone is a macro-crystalline quartz containing iron oxide, in other words, the purple amethyst. This gorgeous violet-red gemstone is found all over the globe. Amethyst ranges in color from light violet to deep purple and from reddish violet to bluish violet. Heat and light can alter its color and are used to 'create' ametrine, as well as citrine. In European culture, and till the 18th century, amethyst was included in the cardinal gemstones, such as diamond, emerald, ruby & sapphire.

The green quartz variety or 'green amethyst' is not properly speaking amethyst, but prasiolite or vermarine.

It is said that amethyst stimulates the right-brain activity, helps against insomnia and brings pleasant dreams ... freedom from passion and care.

A very happy birthday to you & sweet dreams ... with http://dunebeads.com/en/amethyst-and-chevron-amethyst-beads !

The February-born shall find
Sincerity and peace of mind,
Freedom from passion and from care,

If they an amethyst will wear.

Happy birthday to you, January child! Your birthday flower is one of the most popular flowers in the world to express love, the carnation. Its scientific name Dianthus translates as 'flower of god'. As with the rose and even nowadays its meaning varies with the color of the flower.

In Victorian times the striped carnation meant 'I wish I could be with you', the red one said 'My heart aches for you' and the pink meant 'I'll never forget you'... as the carnation comes in lots of colors there is an extensive list of meanings, from rejection to 'pure love'. Let us hope you are getting your carnations in the color you wish for.

Your alternative flower is the delicate snowdrop or Galanthus of the Amaryllidaceae family and it signifies 'hope & beauty'. No doubt a lovely compliment to receive.

Your Birthstone, the garnet, exists also in many colors and shades, going from deep dark purple red to vibrant green, from colorless to black and from translucent to opaque. Some of them have, similar to alexandrite, color-changing properties. The name garnet derives from 'granatum' and refers to the seed of the pomegranate.

This gift means 'eternal friendship and loyalty', a lovely expression of affection.

A very happy birthday to you !

By her who in this month (January) is born
No gem save garnets should be worn;
They will ensure her constancy,
True friendship, and fidelity.

Happy birthday to you, December child. Your birthday flower belongs to the 'modest' narcissus genus, member of the amaryllis family, which has a poisonous bulb and meant 'you are the only one' in Victorian times. So, expect large daffodils, fragrant jonquils & paperwhites on your special day.

Your Birthstones belong to the opposite side of the color spectrum.

Tanzanite thanks its name to Tanzania (East Africa) and this particular variety of Zoisite ranges in tones going from blue to purple but is most valued in a rich violet-blue hue, which it gets thru heat treatment.

Tanzanite is supposed to unite heart and mind.

Turquoise, one of the oldest know gemstones, goes from green-blue to sky blue & white tones and from semi-translucent to opaque. The Sleeping Beauty mine in Arizona is famous for its gorgeous sky blue turquoise. The mineral contains copper and aluminum and is quite fragile due to its porosity, so treat it gently. The high grade mineral is very valuable and that is why there are lots of stabilized & dyed varieties on the market.

It is a favorite in American Southwest designs and known to be a healing and balancing gem, thus a protection stone and believed to strengthen communication ... all you need for success.

A very happy birthday to you !

If cold December gave you birth,
The month of snow and ice and mirth,
Place on your hand a turquoise blue;
Success will bless whate'er you do.