Will the color of the beads fade?

I get asked this question a lot. A lot of times people want to make beaded jewelry that you can swim or bathe in so you don't have to take it off. Also, many people buy beads from amazon or the hobby shop that are painted and the color peels off almost immediately during use. Well, that won't happen with Miyuki seed beads.

First, Miyuki seed beads are one of the most uniform seed bead on the market. And if you're attempting to weave beads together (e.g., peyote stitch or brick stitch), having beads that are uniform in both size and shape is critical. Not only will it be easier, but it will look much better too!

But what about durability? Miyuki seed beads are also one of the most durable in terms of color and finish, but not all are immune to fading and other unfavorable scenarios.

For good measure, I always recommend keeping your beads as dry as possible, limiting exposure to chemicals in bath and body products (e.g., soap, lotion, and perfume), and storing your beads away from direct sunlight when not in use. This will help protect the color and finish of your beads.

However, some colors will never fade in the sun or even if they get wet. It really comes down to if the beads are dyed or not. Dyed beads are at higher risk of fading. In addition to color, there's also the finish to consider. Some finishes are more durable than others, and you can learn more about each on in the chart below.

It's important to note that while the color may be permanent on some beads, which means you can swim with them or bathe with them, the metal findings or stringing material used may not hold up in water or when exposed to chemicals or sunlight. Therefore, it's important to consider all materials before determining whether the jewelry you create is waterproof or not.

💚 Transparent (non-dyed)

Transparent beads are made from raw colored glass. Therefore, the color will not fade or rub off. So if you're looking for a waterproof option, non-dyed transparent beads are one of the best options.

Transparent non-dyed beads come with a polished surface as well as frosted/matte or semi-frosted. This does not affect the durability of the color.

However, please note there are also transparent "dyed" beads and they are at risk of fading overtime with unfavorable conditions. Therefore, it's important to know whether the transparent beads are dyed or not. Some shops specify this, but not all.

💚 Opaque (non-dyed)

Opaque beads are made with colored glass. Therefore, the color will not fade or rub off. So if you're looking for a waterproof option, non-dyed opaque beads are one of the best options.

Opaque non-dyed beads come with a polished surface as well as frosted/matte or semi-frosted. This does not affect the durability of the color.

However, please note there are also opaque "dyed" beads and they are at risk of fading overtime with unfavorable conditions. Therefore, it's important to know whether the opaque beads are dyed or not. Some shops specify this, but not all.

💚 Frosted/Matte (non-dyed)

Frosted and semi-frosted beads have a matte or semi-matte surface.

If the frosted beads are not dyed, then the color is permanent. If the frosted beads are dyed, then the color is susceptible to fading. Therefore, it's important to know whether the color is dyed or not.

💚 Frosted Glazed Rainbow

Frosted glazed rainbow beads have a matte rainbow (AB) finish. The coating of these beads is highly durable and generally applied to non-dyed beads.

💚 Luster

Luster finish beads have a coating applied that enhances the color of the beads and adds extra shine. The luster finish is highly durable and generally applied to non-dyed beads with a few exceptions.

💚 Ceylon

Ceylon is not a finish, but rather a type of glass. Therefore, ceylon beads are made with translucent opal-like glass and have a clear luster and/or rainbow (AB) coating, which makes them appear midway between a transparent bead and an opaque bead. The coatings are durable.

However, most available ceylon beads are also color lined, which means the inside of the hole is dyed. The dyed insides are susceptible to fading from both the sun as well as chemical in bath and body products. Proper care is essential.

💛 Rainbow (AB)

Rainbow (a.k.a. AB) finish beads have a coating applied that appears like aurora borealis depending on the angle. The coating itself is highly durable.

However, the durability of the bead color may be at risk. Typically, the AB finish is applied to non-dyed beads. But it is also applied to silver-lined beads and color-lined beads. Therefore, the silver or color linings may be at risk of discoloring or fading, but it has nothing to do with the AB finish.

Overall, rainbow finish beads made with non-dyed transparent and non-dyed opaque beads are highly durable.

💛 Metallic

The metal-like coating on some metallic beads may be susceptible to rubbing off with strong friction or contact with acids in the skin. However, some metallic beads are quite durable, especially those with an iris finish.

💛 Iris

An iris coating is similar to rainbow/AB, but it's often applied to metallic beads, which creates a more pronounced rainbow effect. It is a durable finish.

💛 Plated

Plated beads have a very thin layer of real metal applied. The metals include silver, 24K gold, palladium, or nickel. Overall, plated beads are durable. However, the plating is susceptible to rubbing off due to strong friction or reactions with acids on the skin. The silver may also tarnish like real silver does.

Copper plated beads are also available, which are less durable than the metals mentioned above.

💛 Picasso

Picasso finish beads have a "marble-and-mottled" pattern coating. The overall color is generally safe from fading because the beads are not dyed, but the pattern is susceptible to rubbing off due to strong friction or acids in the skin.

💛 Duracoat

Duracoat beads have an extra clear coating applied to increase the durability of either dyed or galvanized beads. While it does improve the durability, it does not prevent it completely. Proper care is still essential.

🧡 Silver Lined

Silver-lined beads are transparent beads with a silver plating inside the hole.

The silver lining is susceptible to discoloration overtime, just like real silver oxidizes. Therefore, proper care is essential.

In regard to the color of the transparent beads, the color is only susceptible to fading if the beads are dyed. If they are made with colored glass, the color will not fade.

Miyuki makes non-dyed silver lined beads as well as dyed silver lined beads. A large subset of the dyed silver lined beads have a Duracoat finish to enhance color durability.

🧡 Gold Luster

Gold luster is a glazed coating that is less durable than other coatings.

Miyuki states that some colors may fade due to ultraviolet rays, and the finish may rub off from strong friction. However, if the beads have an AB coating on top of the gold luster coating, it enhances the durability.

🧡 Color Lined

Color lined beads are transparent beads with a dyed color inside the hole. The dyed insides are susceptible to fading from both the sun as well as chemical in bath and body products. Proper care is essential.

🧡 Ceylon Color Lined

Ceylon color lined beads are made with translucent opal-like glass and have a clear luster or rainbow (AB) coating. The coatings are durable. However, the inside of the holes are dyed and susceptible to fading from both the sun as well as chemical in bath and body products. Proper care is essential.

🧡 Dyed Beads

Dyed beads come in both transparent and opaque. Dyed beads are the most susceptible to color fading from the sun as well as detergents and bath and body products. Proper care is essential.

Duracoat is a finish that enhances the durability of dyed beads, but it does not provide absolute protection. Proper care is still essential.

🧡 Galvanized

Galvanized beads have a non-metal plating applied to give the beads a metallic look. According to Miyuki, the color of the plating is susceptible to discoloration. The plating may also rub off with strong friction or due to exposure to bath and body products (e.g., lotion and perfume). Proper care is essential.

Duracoat improves the durability of galvanized beads, but it does not completely prevent the issues above. Proper care is still essential.