I always get a kick out of what’s included in the Oscars gift bag that’s handed out to A-list attendees and their guests at the show. On the one hand, they include such extravagances as a $40,000 stay at a luxury Canadian estate or a plot of land in Scotland, accompanied by the title of Laird, Lord or Lady. On the opposite end, they also include products that the average, non-Oscar nominated person could pick up on their next Amazon shopping spree. Case in point, the Shinery jewelry wash that was included in both the 2022 and 2023 Oscars gift bags, as well as the 2023 Grammys gift bags and made Oprah’s Favorite Things list for the 2022 holiday season. Which got me thinking—if an affordable basic like jewelry wash is considered worthy of inclusion in such luxurious groupings, it must be pretty incredible, right? So, I decided to put it to the test, and reader, it lived up to the hype.
We Tested This Oprah-Approved Jewelry Handwash from the Oscars Gift Bag. Here Are Our Thoughts
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What is Shinery jewelry wash?
Shinery’s Radiance Wash bills itself as a handwash that includes ingredients that clean your jewelry. Basically, it’s a lazy gal’s dream for keeping your engagement/wedding ring (or any jewelry, really) looking as sparkly as the day you got it with minimal effort.
How does it work?
As it clearly states on the bottle, “Leave jewelry on. Wet hands with warm water. Dispense 3 to 4 pumps into palm of hand and work into soft lather. Massage into skin, paying specific attention to jewelry. Rinse thoroughly and pat dry.” That’s it.
I’ll admit, upon receiving a bottle to test myself, I had some concerns. I worried was that, in order to work on both skin and metal, the wash might be too strong and leave my hands feeling stripped and dry, or too weak and require multiple washes to truly make a difference on rings and bracelets. But against all odds, the plant-based formula strikes the perfect balance in the middle. My hands felt clean but not dry or irritated and my jewelry was noticeably shinier.
Does it live up to the hype?
As mentioned earlier, Shinery delivers on its promise—though there are some important caveats. After testing the wash myself, I had a few friends, colleagues and family members try it out as well. Mary D’Alessio, PureWow’s audience development director, hadn’t cleaned her engagement ring or wedding band since tying the knot last year. While she didn’t expect there to be much of a difference after a single use, she was pleasantly surprised. “I loved it and it’s definitely something I want to have at my sink and use regularly now,” she raved. “I really never take my rings off and I’m surprised by how much more sparkly they are after rinsing. And, as an added plus I think it made me lather my hands for a longer period of time. The one downside is that my hands felt a little dry afterwards, but it’s nothing a little hand lotion can't fix.”
My sister Emily, who hasn’t washed her rings since her wedding in 2018, noticed an even bigger difference, especially with her wedding band, a classic diamond eternity band. “It felt like normal hand soap, which is good I guess,” she said. “And it definitely helped clean out some of those tight spaces between the stones on my wedding band. I think it also made the surface of my engagement ring stone look clearer and less cloudy.”
Are there any downsides?
Some of my fellow testers found the formula to be a bit more drying than their usual hand soap, but none of them experienced any irritation. One even said she found the Shinery wash actually left her hands feeling more moisturized than other hand soaps.
The biggest downside was that there seemed to be a direct correlation between how long you’ve gone without washing your jewelry and how noticeable your results would be. My mom hadn’t washed her ring once during her 34 years of marriage and found a onceover with Shinery had very little effect. After her third rinse, however, she said her ring was ever so slightly cleaner looking. We both suspected that continued use might bring along better results, but that a professional deep cleaning would be necessary to really lift off 34 years’ worth of wear. That said, Shinery also has towelettes and a buffing pom to help get a deeper clean if needed.
Bottom Line
- Pros: all-natural, plant-based formula is gentle on skin, incredibly easy to use, compatible with all metal types and gemstones
- Cons: needs continual use to really see results
I’d give this Oprah-approved jewelry wash a 10/10 rating for its ability to deliver on its promise of cleaning your jewelry without irritating your skin—and for its ease of use. If it’s been decades since you last cleaned your jewelry, it may not have the desired effect, but for anyone looking to maintain the shine of newer pieces (aka anything obtained in the last eight or so years) it’s an absolute winner.
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