Generally speaking, crystals are relatively easy to care for, as long as you follow some simple guidelines to get the best out of them.

Cleaning 

• Clean your crystals with a soft microfibre cloth to remove dirt and dust. We don't recommend using any sprays or solvents as they can damage the unique beauty of your crystals and in some cases, dissolve them!
• At 23 Urban, we generally avoid using water on our crystals as a rule of thumb. Some crystals are water safe, but some are not. Generally crystals ending in 'ite', for example, selenite, malachite, celestite, etc should never be exposed to water. In the case of selenite, water will dissolve it and in the case of malachite, it can release toxic fumes when in contact with water. 

Cleansing 

• We do recommend energetically cleansing your crystals on a regular basis. Many crystals will absorb the energies around them and if worn, the energy of the person they have been with. This can build up over time, making your crystals less effective and in some cases, causing the crystal to break apart. 
• We recommend cleansing your crystals with selenite, as selenite removes negative or stagnant energy and does not retain it. This can be done through placing your crystals in a selenite bowl, a cleansing plate or on a selenite wand or tower. For jewellery items, we advise placing them on selenite overnight. 
• You can also cleanse your crystals through sound, by using singing bowls or vibrational music, such as Solfeggio frequencies or meditative music. To cleanse your crystals using this method, place your crystals near the speaker and let them absorb the frequencies. A particularly good resource for this is the Meditative Mind YouTube channel. 
• Another method to cleanse your crystals is through smudging, which uses smoke from Palo Santo, sage and/or other herbs to cleanse the energy of your crystal. To use this method, light your smudge stick and when smouldering, pass your crystals through the smoke to allow the energies they hold to be dispersed. Please note: smudging is an ancient ritual that is sacred to many indigenous cultures, so smudging should be performed with respect and acknowledgement of these traditions. When buying smudging sticks, please try to source them from renewable sources, as some of the plants used are at risk of becoming endangered. 

Sunlight

Some crystals, like the Celestite above, are sensitive to sunlight. Prolonged exposure to sunlight can cause some crystals to lose their colour, become brittle and break. This is not an exhaustive list, but the following crystals should not be exposed to sunlight:

• Most crystals ending in 'ite' (i.e. Malachite, Unakite, Fluorite)
• Amethyst 
• Rose Quartz
• Clear Quartz (even though it's colourless, it can become brittle quickly)
• Citrine
• Blue and green crystals, such as Apatite, Aventurine, Chrysoprase, Turquoise, etc
• Topaz
• Opal

If you're in doubt, get in touch on info@twentythreeurban.com and we will do our best to advise you. 

Charging 

Just like humans, crystals perform at their best when they are fully charged and full of energy. It's good practise to regularly charge your crystals and an easy way to do this is to expose them to the light of the full moon. Simply place your crystals on a windowsill or outside (not if it's raining!) where they can soak up the moon beams all evening. 

Be sure to collect them early in the morning before they are exposed to too much of the sun's rays. 

You can also charge some crystals in the sun, if you so choose. We would recommend to limit their exposure (i.e. place them in the shade) and ensure they only charge for a few hours, not a full day. Some sun safe crystals include:

• Moonstone (generally charged in the moon light but can be charged in sunlight also to balance masculine and feminine energy 
• Sunstone
• Carnelian
• Black Onyx
• Black Obsidian 

Again, this is not an exhaustive list, but if you get in touch with us we will do our utmost to guide you!