Beaded Waist Beads

Be it for intimate purposes, as a fashion statement at the beach or just for tracking weight loss, you can wear waist beads  for an added pop!

History of waist beads

In African tradition, the maturity of girls to women was symbolized by wearing waist beads. Traditionally, mothers adorned their daughters during their first menstruation as a rite of passage to womanhood. 

Use for sexual appeal

Waist beads have also been worn by most African women for intimate appeal and male seduction. Women would lure suitable mates by rattling the beads, provoking intimacy. Wives in particular would spice their sexual intimacy by wearing them when making love to their husbands and also at certain times of the month to symbolize ovulation or menstruation.

Body shaping

Waist beads were used by African women as instruments of body shaping. Waist beads served as an indicated of weight gain or weight loss depending on how tight or loose the beads became. The beads would roll lower if you lost weight and would be tight if you gained a few pounds. Pregnancy was sometimes detected by how tight the beads became around the waist. 

Wearing several strand of waist beads, also known as “layering” would achieve great results in body shaping around the mid section.

How to tie your waist beads:

1. Remove the strand(s) from the bag and stand in front of a mirror. Space the beads non the middle so there is equal excess thread on each side of the strand. 

2. Wrap the strand around your waist. (Do not tie knots or cut the anchor beads off, trust me these beads will roll everywhere.)  

3. Look in a mirror to decide where you want the strand to lay. (Nope, it’s not time to cut yet.)

4. Push a small space between the beads and check the location again. (Don’t worry the anchor beads will keep them from sliding off the thread. Make sure that you have room to be comfortable.)

5. If you are happy with the location tie 4 or 5 knots. (I find it good to do this slowly and try to get the knots as tight as possible.)

6. Once you are sure the beads are secure, cut off the excess string and beads. (This is when I burn the excess string with a lighter and add a drop of super glue). 

 Make sure they are not too tight, so that they do not break when you bend or sit (or after you eat really good). 

I personally have worn my original strands for over a year without taking them off.