How to Care for Your Embellished Swimwear: Keeping the Sparkle Alive
How to Safely Clean Sequins, Beads, and Crystals
There’s nothing quite like the feeling of stepping out into the sunshine in a beautifully embellished bikini or one-piece. Whether it’s adorned with delicate beads, shimmering sequins, or light-catching crystals, embellished swimwear brings an undeniable touch of glamour to any beach day or poolside lounging session.
At Ozella Swim, we design our embellished pieces to make you feel radiant, confident, and chic. But with great sparkle comes extra responsibility. Embellished swimwear requires a gentler touch than your average swimsuit to keep the hardware and delicate handiwork intact season after season.
Want to keep your favorite glittering pieces looking as flawless as the day you bought them? Here is your ultimate guide to caring for your embellished swimwear and keeping the sparkle alive.
1. Prep Before You Plunge
Proper care starts before you hit the water. Sunscreens, tanning oils, and lotions contain chemicals that can dull crystals and degrade the threads holding beads.
- The Fix: Apply sunscreen and body oils before putting on your swimsuit. Let your skin absorb the products for 15-20 minutes before slipping into your embellished piece.
2. Beware of Rough Edges
Sparkling embellishments are delicate and do not get along with rough surfaces. Sitting on unpolished concrete pool edges, jagged rocks, or rough wooden lounge chairs can snag threads or scratch hardware.
- The Fix: Always lay down a plush towel before taking a seat. Be mindful when leaning against pool walls to avoid unnecessary friction on your suit's delicate details.
3. Always Rinse Immediately
Saltwater, chlorine, and sweat are the natural enemies of both swimwear fabric and embellishments. If left unrinsed, chlorine can cause hardware to tarnish or change color, while salt can crystallize and act like an abrasive against delicate beads.
- The Fix: As soon as you finish wearing your swimsuit, rinse it thoroughly in cool, fresh water. Even if you can’t do a full wash right away, a quick rinse in the beach or pool shower flushes out harsh chemicals and salt.
4. Hand Wash Only (No Exceptions!)
We cannot stress this enough: never put your embellished swimwear in the washing machine. Even on the delicate cycle, the agitation and spinning can easily rip off sequins, shatter crystals, or warp the metal settings.
- The Fix: Fill a basin or sink with cool water and add a capful of gentle, bleach-free detergent (baby shampoo or specialized swimwear wash works well). Submerge the suit and gently massage the fabric with your hands. Do not scrub or rub embellished areas. Let it soak for 10-15 minutes, then rinse with cold water until all soap is gone.
5. Ditch the Wringing and the Dryer
Heat and twisting ruin the shape of your suit and damage its sparkling details. Wringing the fabric can snap threads holding embellishments, while dryer heat melts elasticity and damages hardware.
- The Fix: To remove excess water, lay your wet swimsuit flat on a clean, dry towel. Roll the towel with the swimsuit inside and gently press to absorb moisture. Unroll and lay the suit flat to dry on a drying rack or fresh towel. Always dry swimwear in the shade since direct sunlight can fade colors and damage delicate beadwork.
6. Store with Care
How you store your swimwear off-season matters as much as how you wash it. Hanging a swimsuit can stretch the fabric over time, and tossing it in a drawer with other clothes can cause snags.
- The Fix: Make sure the suit is 100% dry before storing it (any leftover moisture can cause mildew). Lay the suit flat in a cool, dry place. For heavily embellished pieces, we recommend storing them inside a soft cotton or silk dust bag to prevent the details from catching on other garments in your drawer.
Your embellished Ozella Swim pieces are an investment in your summer wardrobe, and with just a little extra TLC, they will keep you shining brightly for countless vacations to come.
Ready to add some glamour to your swimwear collection? Shop the latest embellished arrivals at Ozella Swim here!
