5. Ethiopia – Lip Plates (Mursi Tribe)
Among the Mursi women of southern Ethiopia, wearing large clay lip plates is a traditional and respected beauty practice. The process starts in the teenage years, when the bottom lip is stretched gradually over time. The size of the plate can reflect a woman’s strength, maturity, and cultural pride.
While this practice may seem extreme to outsiders, for the Mursi people, it’s a long-standing part of identity and status.