Nose Cuffs are a form of faux piercing as well as a traditional body decoration dating back to the Middle East, and according to some sources, the Aboriginal people of Australia. Women wearing nose piercings, rings and cuffs have become popular, but there is some controversy surrounding whether they are cultural appropriation and whether it’s appropriate for white women to wear them.
Before exploring the origins of nose rings and piercings, whether they are culture appropriation and answering other questions surrounding nose cuffs, here are some examples of modern-day cuffs.
5 Best Nose Cuffs on Amazon
If you’re not interested in the history and cultural discourse surrounding nose cuffs, and you’re just looking for the best cuffs available, here are our top picks and recommendations.
We looked at the most popular cuffs online, weeded out those with bad reviews and poor quality and curated the following list for you. Most of these items come in packages that contain multiple pieces in different shapes, forms and symbols.
1. Jadive 24 Pieces Africa Cuffs
The Jadive set from Amazon is one of the most popular cuffs available online. They’re made out of stainless steel, don’t require a piercing and are available in gold, silver and rose gold.
With over 278 reviews, and primarily positive feedback, you can’t go wrong with this set.
Some popular shapes include the evil eye. Some of the cuffs come with a gem stone, others don’t. Check out the full set, pick your desired color and you’ll have a range of cuffs to wear on different occasions.
2. Bomogle 20 Pieces African Nose Cuffs
This set by Bomogle comes with 20 pieces of nose cuffs. They are gold plated with 14k gold and many of them contain rhinestones. This set is a bit more glittery and shiny, whereas the Jadive set is simpler.
The Bomogle set comes in gold or silver. Additionally, there are two versions of the silver set you can choose from, depending on the shapes and forms you prefer.
3. Yovoro 9 Pieces African Nose Cuffs
This slightly smaller set by Yovoro consists of 9 pieces of cuffs and comes in gold, silver and rose gold. Most of them contain rhinestones, making them a bit more shiny. This set mostly consists of well-known shapes such as hearts, butterflies, leaves and moons.
The forms and shapes are less exotic, but nevertheless the Yovoro nose cuffs have over 524 reviews, mostly rated 5-stars.
4. Aidsotou Africa Nose Cuff
The cuff set by Aidsotou combines modern shapes with exotic shapes. The 15-piece set consists of cuffs with decorative rhinestones in different shapes like flowers, hearts, leaves and eyes. The other half includes gemstones and more exotic looking shapes like the evil eye.
This set is best for you if you want a mix of different styles of shapes and forms.
With over 302 positive reviews you can’t go wrong with this set.
5. Revolia 16 Pieces Nose Cuffs
If you’re looking for a simple set without rhinestones, these nose cuffs by Revolia are perfect. You’ll find none of the modern forms like flowers, hearts and eyes. And you won’t find anything glittery or shiny about these cuffs.
Instead, they purely consist of bent stainless steel in different shapes. Most of the shapes look exotic, reminding of a more traditional use of nose cuffs in ancient cultures.
The set consists of a total of 16 pieces.
6. Revolia 12 Pieces Silver Color Nose Cuffs
If you like the Revolia brand but prefer something that’s less exotic, try this Revolia set that contains 12 pieces of cuffs. The forms are more modern and “westernized”, including flowers, a moon, a cross, a leaf and a heart.
Nevertheless, you’l find four simple and traditional looking cuffs in this set.
So if you’re looking for a mix of styles, shapes and forms, this set is for you. Both sets by Revolia have lots of positive reviews.
7. Dolotta 16 Pieces Nose Cuffs
For one more popular set of cuffs, check out this 16-piece set by Dolotta. There’s nothing traditional or exotic about this one though, since it mostly consists of modern shapes and forms such as butterflies, stars, leaves and hearts.
Nevertheless this set has over 103 positive reviews on Amazon.
These seven sets are the most popular, best and highest-rated nose cuffs on Amazon. There are plenty of others, which had 4 stars or less. But our selection above was consistently rated between 4.5 and 5 stars on Amazon which means most people who bought them love them.
Where Did Nose Cuffs Originate?
When reading product titles and descriptions online you’ll see that a lot of sellers use the word “African” to describe their product. But how “African” are they actually? Where did they originate? Let’s get to the bottom of these questions since this is one of the main things people want to know about nose cuffs.
As mentioned in the introduction, nose rings and piercings appear to originate from the Middle East as well as Aboriginal tribes in Australia. They later on found their way to India, where they became popular around 1,500 BCE.
But they can also be found in African and South American cultures and communities. We’ve all seen images of women wearing nose cuffs in India. But they are not exclusive to India or any particular community or culture in any way.
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However, nose cuffs do originate from Eastern cultures and are traditionally worn by black or indigenous people and people of color. Despite this, cuffs that can be purchased today have been greatly commercialized and don’t necessarily authentically represent the original meaning and cultures they stem from.
This is why some people wonder whether nose cuffs are culture appropriation.
Are Nose Cuffs Culture Appropriation?
Many nose cuffs sold online these days include symbols like leaves, hearts, eyes and stars. In other words, the original and traditional use seen across different cultures throughout history has little to do with the cuffs that are sold today.
A lot of these commercial, recoginzable shapes like hearts and stars aren’t seen in traditional cultures. This makes some people believe that wearing nose cuffs is a form of culture appropriation.
Western culture has commercialized nose piercings and rings, lending from its origins but turning it into something entirely new. For some, this form of body decoration, especially if worn by white women, is a reinforcement of stereotypes and contributes to oppression.
Again others argue that waring any form of body decoration is an individual’s choice and that one shouldn’t worry about culture appropriation or not staying in line with the original meaning behind nose cuffs.
What Is the Meaning Behind Nose Cuffs?
While you would probably have to consult with an anthropologist about the true meaning behind nose cuffs, some online sources claim that nose cuffs, rings and piercings are linked to wealth, fertility and marriage.
In many Eastern cultures, wearing a nose ring or cuff signifies inclusion. It’s nothing rebellious or defiant, unlike in Western culture where wearing a nose ring has turned into a way of saying “I’m different”.
In the West, wearing a nose piercing might give a woman a sense of rebellion and edge. Nose rings and cuffs in Western culture generally don’t have much cultural or historical significance but are merely a fashion statement.
How to Make Nose Cuffs Yourself
Some people prefer making their own cuffs. If you want to know how to make nose cuffs, there are several blogs and YouTube tutorials that demonstrate how you can create them using gold colored wire and some simple tools like pilers.
Here’s a simple tutorial to make DIY cuffs using wire and pilers.
Keep in mind though that creating your own cuffs might make them look more amateurish. You could also hurt your hand or nose unless you’re careful of sharp edges.
However, if you’re used to working with wire and are a crafty type of person, give it a shot. The cool thing about making your own nose cuffs is that you can create any shape, form or symbol you’d like.
Do You Need a Piercing For a Nose Cuff?
Most cuffs available for sale online don’t require a piercing. They are so-called “faux piercings”, meaning they simply clip on your nose without piercing your skin. However, there is of course also the option of getting an actual nose piercing, but this usually requires the help of a professional or at least knowledge of what you’re doing.
All of the cuffs we listed and reviewed in this post don’t require a piercing.
Does a Nose Cuff Hurt?
If you purchase one of our recommended products from Amazon, you shouldn’t feel any significant pain or discomfort from wearing them. If you wear them for a long time, you might feel some discomfort and pressure building up. In that case, you can try to gently loosen the cuff so it doesn’t apply as much pressure.
On the other hand, getting your nose pierced can and will certainly hurt for a brief period and is a more invasive procedure. In case you make your cuffs DIY and you don’t pay attention to sharp edges and pointy parts of the wire, you could scratch or hurt the inside of your nose.
