FAQ
Our Jewellery
What are they made of?
Posts and flat backs are ASTM F136 implant-grade titanium, the same specification used in surgical implants. Gold finishes are PVD plated. Stones are cubic zirconia. Everything is nickel-free.
Are they safe for sensitive ears?
That's what they're built for. Nickel is the most common cause of a reaction to earrings, and there's none in ours. Implant-grade titanium is the material piercers use for fresh piercings for exactly this reason. No material suits absolutely everybody, so if you've reacted to jewellery before, have a word with your piercer first.
What is PVD plating, and will it wear off?
PVD bonds the gold to the titanium at a molecular level in a vacuum chamber, rather than dipping the piece in a thin layer. It's far harder-wearing than standard gold plating. It holds its colour through showers, workouts and sleep, and it won't turn your ear green.
Will they tarnish?
Titanium doesn't tarnish, and PVD is a hard-wearing finish made to hold its colour.
Is that a real diamond?
No. Every stone is cubic zirconia, claw-set or bezel-set depending on the style. We say so on every product page rather than dressing it up.
Do I get one earring or a pair?
It's your choice. Every style is available as a single earring, so you can build the ear you want without buying two of everything. If you'd like a matching pair, choose Pair on the product page and you'll save 10%.
Wearing them
Can I really sleep in them?
Yes, that's the whole idea. Flat backs sit flush against the back of your ear, so there's no butterfly back to press into your head or work loose in the night.
Can I shower, swim and train in them?
Yes to all three. Titanium and PVD are both water resistant. Chlorine and salt water won't damage the metal, though we'd rinse your ear with fresh water afterwards out of habit.
Will they fall out?
The closure is threadless. The decorative end pushes into the post and is held by tension, with no screw threads to unwind as you sleep or move. Give a new piece a gentle press after you fit it to check it's seated.
Do I need to take them out to go through airport security?
No. Titanium is non-magnetic and the pieces are tiny.
Sizing and fit
Every Bareli piece is a 16g threadless flat back. That covers most healed lobe and cartilage piercings. Here's how to be sure before you order.
Gauge: 16g
Gauge is the thickness of the post, and 16g (1.2mm) is the standard for a healed lobe, helix, flat, tragus or conch piercing in the UK. Confusingly, a higher gauge number means a thinner post, so 20g is thinner than 16g.
If you were pierced with a thinner post, a 16g piece may feel tight. Don't force it: if it doesn't pass through easily, stop and ask your piercer.
Post length: 6 mm to 8 mm
Post length is the bit people get wrong. Too short and it presses into your ear; too long and the front piece sits away from your lobe and catches on things.
Every style comes in 6 mm and 8 mm, and you choose the length on the product page. 6 mm is the shorter option and 8 mm the longer. Neither is right for every ear, so go by a flatback you already wear comfortably, or ask a professional piercer. Two ways to check yours:
- Measure a piece you already wear comfortably. Hold a ruler against the post, from the back disc to where the front piece begins.
- Ask your piercer. They'll know the thickness of your ear and what length they fitted you with.
Which piercings do these suit?
Anything healed and pierced at 16g: first and second lobes, helix, flat, tragus and conch. Smaller studs suit a tighter spot like a tragus. The longer drop styles want room to move, so they're happiest in a lobe.
How a threadless flat back works
There are two parts: a post with a flat disc at one end, and a decorative end with a small pin. The pin bends very slightly and is held in the post by tension. There's no screw thread, which is why nothing works loose as you sleep.
To put one in
- Hold the flat disc behind your ear and feed the post through the piercing from the back.
- Hold the post steady where it emerges at the front.
- Press the decorative end straight onto the post until you feel it seat.
- Give it a gentle tug to check it's holding.
To take one out
- Hold the flat disc behind your ear.
- Pull the front end straight off. Don't twist it, twisting bends the pin.
If the end feels loose after a few changes, the pin has straightened out. Bend it very slightly with your fingers and it will grip again.
New piercings
Don't change jewellery until your piercing is fully healed and your piercer says it's ready. That's usually two to three months for a lobe and six to twelve months for cartilage. Changing early is the single most common cause of irritation, and no material, ours included, fixes a piercing that wasn't ready.
Looking after them
How do I clean them?
Warm water, a drop of unscented soap, a soft brush, then dry completely. Avoid toothpaste, silver dip and anything abrasive.
Can I wear perfume and fake tan with them in?
Spray perfume and hairspray before you put jewellery in, and keep fake tan and self-tanning mousse off the pieces. None of it damages titanium, but it builds up around stones and settings and dulls the sparkle.
Orders
When will my order arrive?
Orders are usually dispatched within 1 to 2 working days, and you'll get tracking by email as soon as yours leaves us. Your delivery cost and estimated delivery time are shown at checkout before you pay, and on our shipping page.
Do you ship outside the UK?
Yes. We ship to the UK, Ireland, the EU and a number of other countries, and you'll see the delivery cost in your own currency at checkout. Any customs duties or import taxes are charged on arrival and are the customer's responsibility, so it's worth checking with your local customs office if you're not sure what to expect.
Can I return them?
For hygiene reasons we can't take back earrings or piercing jewellery, including if you've chosen the wrong size or changed your mind. If anything arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, email us within 30 days and we'll put it right. Full details are on our returns page.
I'm not sure which piece to choose.
Email hello@bareli.co.uk before you order and we'll help. It's a small enough operation that you're talking to the person who designed them.