WAIST BEADS FAQ

Waist beads are a traditional African accessory that consist of small glass beads on a string or wire worn around the waist or hips. In Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, and other West African countries, waist beads are a symbol of femininity, fertility, sensuality, and spiritual well-being.

Most of our beads are made from recycled powder glass or fusible plastic or ceramics (pottery and glass).

Yes!! Gold refers to the sun and is a sign of wealth and power, Green refers to nature and can induce prosperity and fertility, Brown refers to the Earth and help with stable mood, Yellow brings energy, bliss and joy to women and is also often associated with maturity and wealth, Black brings protection against harm and gives strengths and power, Red instills self-confidence to women, Blue is a mark of loyalty, purity, honor and truth, Pink refers to the beauty, compassion, kindness and love, Purple is a sign of royal power and great wisdom, Orange instills confidence and charisma, White can evoke fertility.

Yes. Waist beads are commonly used to gauge changes in weight. Rather than step on a scale, people can use waist beads to stay aware of any weight gain or loss in the abdomen. Waist beads don't stretch. If you were to gain weight, the beads will sit higher on the waist or feel tight

Yes. If you feel them tight, you can loosen them or if they lose use clasp to adjust them correctly on the stomach and cut the extra ones. These exact beads will help you regulate your diet. You may feel heavier on days, which means you have to reduce eating or stop at the point.

From Ghana, West Africa

Always remember to measure the correct part of your waist. Where would you like your waist beads to hang? They typically fall below the navel, right above the hips. Step 1: Remove or raise any layers of clothing blocking your waist. Step 2: Take your measurement. Stand up straight, hold the tape measure behind you, and bring it around your waist to meet at your navel. The tape should be parallel to the floor and fit snugly around your torso without digging into your skin. Step 3: Read the tape. Look at the place on the tape where zero end meets the other end of the tape measure. The location of this meeting point is your waist measurement. Step 4: Double-check your measurement. Repeat the measurement once more to ensure the accuracy of your original measurement.

Some waist beads are permanent. That means the string doesn't stretch, and there's no clasp to take the beads on or off. They're designed to stay on your body 24/7 until they break or you decide to cut them off for good.

Yes. When measuring for waist beads while pregnant you can either measure below your baby bump, across your navel, or slightly above the navel. It is a personal preference, if you measure across your baby bump (navel) or above as your belly grows your waist beads will slide up higher little by little.

Yes. However, it is a personal preference. Waist beads can be worn starting at birth to mark a child's first rite of passage. They are used for protection and to monitor the growth of a child. In most African cultures, beads are worn on female toddlers, it is believed that the beads shape their bodies and keep the waist small, and hips accentuated.

Yes. It is perfectly fine to bathe, shower, swim, exercise, and have sex in traditional African waist beads strung on cotton string. Once tied on securely they become an intimate extension of you, and you do everything in them. Just be mindful not to yank on them while pulling your pants down to use the bathroom.

Please See shipping information on website footnote