Inspirational Photo of the Week
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I snapped this at the conservatory this winter, where we went to soak up the warmth and green. It’s what we do to get through the winter — helps a lot.
I was captivated by this tiny world of flowers inside the larger plant. If you were in a hurry, you’d miss it.
Hi, I just wanted to say thanks for all your really helpful blogs and lenses on metal clay and other jewelry info. I haven’t worked with PMC yet, but I’m planning on taking a class in the near future (I’ve taken jewelry classes before, making band rings, bezel settings, simple things like that.) Mostly I just buy faceted gemstones or cabs & settings or mountings I like, and set my own stones. I usually make these pieces just for myself, but occasionally as presents for loved ones for birthdays or special occasions. I generally work in sterling silver because I like the look better than yellow gold and it’s more affordable than white gold or platinum! Also more available for the amateur and non-wholesale buyer!
Anyway, I have a tip for you, maybe it will work, maybe it won’t, but I thought I would pass it on. I am by nature a frugal person, so I love sharing thrifty tips, and I like that you include suggestions for inexpensive PMC tools. I discovered this by accident because I have had terrible acne off and on since my 20s, and because I primarily wear a lot of sterling silver rings.
The tip is, instead of using liver of sulfur, with it’s nasty smell and other risks, you may be able to get similar results by using any of a number of cheap adult acne products you can get at most drugstores. I guess LOS isn’t all that expensive, but sulfur acne creams are very cheap, come in small amounts, and can be purchased at virtually any corner drugstore.
I discovered this by accident when I could not figure out why my sterling rings kept getting so tarnished and blackened, only on the palmar side of the ring… finally I realized I was wearing the rings when I applied the sulfur acne creams to my face! The sulfur in the topical acne treatments causes the tarnishing.
These products range from about 8% to 10% sulfur, usually with another active ingredient such as resorcinol. There’s one I know of that has only sulfur and polyethylene glycols. Here is a list of the cheapest and most common, with ingredients:
Clearasil Adult Acne Treatment Cream Tinted 0.65 oz. 18g, $4-6 retail
Active Ingredients: Resorcinol (2%), Sulfur (8%). Inactive Ingredients: Water, SD Alcohol 40B, Bentonite, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Titanium Dioxide, Isopropyl Myristate, Fragrance, Simethicone, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Iron Oxide, Talc.
Adult ACNOMEL Tinted Cream 1.3 oz. (36 grams), $9-11 retail
Active Ingredients: Resorcinol 2% , Sulfur 8%. Other Ingredients: Alcohol W/W 15% , Bentonite , Carbopol , Fragrance , Iron Oxides , Octoxynol-9 , Potassium Hydroxide , Propylene Glycol , Titanium Dioxide , Water
Bye Bye Blemish Drying Lotion 1 fl oz (29.5 ml), $9-11 retail
Active Ingredients: Sulfur (10%). Inactive Ingredients: Isopropyl Alcohol, Water (Aqua), Zinc Oxide, Salicylic Acid, Camphor, Aluminum Magnesium Silicate, Iron Oxide
By far the purest sulfur acne product — basically only sulfur with a polyethylene glycol medium for application — you can find in the Mexican skin & cosmetics section. It is also the cheapest per ounce in this entire list.
De La Cruz Pomada de Azufre Sulfur Ointment 10% 2.6 oz. 73.7 g, $4-6 retail
Active Ingredients: Sulfur USP 10%. Other Ingredients: Mixture of Polyethylene Glycols
Anyway, I’m sure any of these can be diluted just as LOS can, to achieve varying effects.
Hope this is a useful tip! And, again, thank you so much for all your jewelry and PMC info, it is really quite a bonanza of info for the beginner like me!
Viv G.