Porcelain is a type of clay mixture used in pottery and other ceramics. It is very hard and very white. The white clay is perfect for allowing vivid colors to stay that way during the creative process. Porcelain beads are either colored with a slip and glaze overlay, or a special glaze, or a slip only.  

Blue and White Chinese porcelain beads are created with a natural white glaze and a blue slip glaze is used to hand-paint Asian symbols and characters onto each bead individually.