Necklace

Most costume jewelry that calls itself nickel free may contain some nickel. There are no government standards or regulations for using the terms "nickel free" or "hypoallergenic." Some manufacturers use the term "nickel free" to describe a piece that is merely free of nickel in the plating, but they use nickel alloys in the base metal, and when the plating wears off, even minutely, an allergic reaction can occur. "Hypoallergenic" simply means causing fewer allergic reactions.