You would think that with all of the researching that I do on the topic, I would've known years ago that June 9 is a very (VERY) special day. But, for whatever the reason, I just discovered a few months ago that it's National Sex Day (not to be confused with National Orgasm Day which is July 31)!
I must admit that when I first found that out, I smiled…for two reasons. Well, actually three. The first reason is I find it to be both fitting and an honor that this kind of day would go down during the month of Gemini, the month that I was born. Second, how cute (I'm not sure if that's exactly the right word but let's roll with it) that the ninth day of the sixth month of the year would create a 69—and we all know what sexual position that is. Then—and if this is TMI, let me just say that I apologize in advance—I thought about how, I'm not sure if it's a coincidence or not, but some of the best sex I've ever had in my entire life came from a man who was born on (what?!) June 9! So yeah, if anyone is especially fond and supportive of this day, it would be me.
But you don't need to be a Gemini—or sexually active with one—to get hype about it. Let me tell it, any occasion when sex can be the focal point is something worth celebrating. So, in honor of 6/9, find your partner, then use some of the following ways to let them know just how much you love sex—and having sex with them!
1.Go Totally Off the Grid
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Whenever I ask the couples I work with to share with me the main reason why their sex life isn't as good as it used to be (or they want it to be), it never fails; the thing that I hear the most is a lack of quality time due to schedules and children.
Luckily, this year, National Sex Day is on a Sunday which makes it easier to book a hotel room, go on a staycation or hire a babysitter. Whatever it is that you decide to do, be intentional about "disconnecting" from the rest of the world for as many hours as you can. This means no phone, no computers, no company—nothing that will take your mind of you, yours and getting as up close and personal as possible.
2.Download Some Sex-Specific Apps
Technology is something else, boy. Just when I think it can't top itself, it does. Take if you're in a long-distance relationship and you want to observe National Sex Day but neither of you can catch a last-minute flight? In walks OhMiBod; it's an app that connects vibrators to Bluetooth or Wi-Fi so that you can get each other all hot 'n bothered on screen, even if you can't be together in person. The Pleasure Machine is an app that boils down to being a sexy slot machine game that you and yours can play; different wheels provide different levels of stimulation. Honi is a dope app because it's a cool way for you and your partner to explore sexual fantasies, dares and Kama Sutra positions from the privacy of your smartphones. All of these are ways to get excited before physically being in one another's space.
3.Listen to a Sex-Themed Podcast
Some of us are "audible lovers". We're the ones who get off by sexy sounds and dirty talk. If you fit this bill, something that might help you to get into the mood is to listen to a few podcasts that are all about sex.
Ones that feature "our own" voices include The Savage Life (which is definitely not PG-13 rated); You Did What?! (which is pretty self-explanatory); Millennial Lov3: Sex, Love & I'm Selfish AF! (featuring two girls and one guy from the South); Bonnets & Durags: A Pillow Talk Podcast (how can you not love the name?!); Broken P—y Podcast (cue in the first episode of the first season of Insecure, plus I always dig Black folks with British accents); Just the Tip (I mean…) and The VagEsteem, a podcast that focuses on cultivating the kind of sex that is both good and healthy (not either or).
Related: WOC-Hosted Podcasts Guaranteed to Make You More Sex Positive
4.Make a Fantasy Jar, Hotel Jar and Sex Jar
Three jars that I think every married couple should have posted up somewhere in their house is a fantasy jar, a hotel jar and a sex jar.
A fantasy jar is a jar that has both you and your partner's fantasies in it. For the sake of spontaneity, you shouldn't know what your partner wrote and they shouldn't know what you wrote. However, so that no one is caught completely off guard, put the things that you already know your partner would be down to try on a green (green for "go") sheet of paper and what you think they might be open to negotiating on a yellow (yellow for "caution" or "pause") sheet of paper. Then, on special occasions (like this one) or even just the times when you want to be a little adventurous, each of you draw something from the jar and strive to make a fantasy come true.
The hotel jar. I don't know what it is, but there is something that is so damn hot about hotel sex! Make National Sex day extra sexy (and kinky) by booking a hotel room, a bed and breakfast, a vacation house or even an Airbnb. The catch is to choose a place that you and yours have already researched and put into your hotel jar. That takes all of the research and guesswork out of figuring out where to go. The less time you're looking up online, the more time you'll have to go and well, you know.
The sex jar, I've actually written about before. I found the idea a few years ago on Pinterest. Basically, you put some money into the jar every time you do-the-do. Then, after six months to a year, you take the money out and splurge on something couples-related. Just as a heads up, whether that ends up being a kid's meal at your local fast food drive-thru or a cruise to an island all depends on how much sex you and your partner are willing to invest in.
5.DIY Some Edible Lube
accelerate GIF by Christina AguileraGiphyThe wetter, the better. If that lil' phrase was invented in the context of sex, they ain't ever lied! Anyway, maybe National Sex Day falls right before or right after your cycle and you're not as wet as you usually are. Maybe you're perimenopausal or even in menopause and your hormones have your vaginal fluids running on low. Or maybe, you're simply more in the mood for some of "that funk, that sweet, that nasty, that gushy stuff" (quick—who rapped about that?).
One way to achieve this is with longer rounds of foreplay (hopefully with some oral sex included). Another is to make your own lubrication; preferably the kind that tastes as good as it feels. If you want to take a stab at making a batch of your own, click here to learn how.
6.Add Some Sexy Touches to Your Bedroom
If you want to do something real quick, you're not gonna be able to pull off totally renovating your bedroom. What you can do is add a few touches in a few spots. If you prefer to have sex at night, but you don't want to wait that long, hang up some blackout curtains. Or, if your man wishes you'd have sex with the lights on more often, but you need to ease into the idea of it, hang some white Christmas lights from your headboard. Also, stop by Walmart or Target and pick up some red or purple sheets (they're considered to be really sexy bedding colors). Light some soy-scented candles in vanilla, jasmine, sandalwood, rose or a blend of pumpkin and lavender (they're all scents that will boost your libido). And, while you're at it, hang up a mirror across from your bed or get a new throw rug for your bedroom floor. Mirrors can give you a better view (wink) and a fluffy rug will significantly decrease your chances of ending up with any carpet burns (wink, wink).
7.Invest in a Sex Pillow
Why not use National Sex Day as a time to try out a different sex position for the first time? If you think that you already know them all, test that theory out by checking out these sex positions that are in our sex section right here? If some of them seem a little more anatomically-challenging than others, something that can probably make achieving them easier is a sex pillow. The ones you already have on your bed are cool too, but a pillow that's specifically-designed for sex is…well, a pillow that's specifically designed for sex. Amazon has a slew of them, by the way.
8.Do a Sexy Photo Shoot (at Home)
I have a male friend who, not one week goes by when some girl in his life isn't sending him a nude or half-nude photo. I don't know what trips me out more—that they are unsolicited or that folks are bold enough to send their coochie through the phone. Not to say that I don't have some naked pics out in the world somewhere, but I took mine back in 1995. These days, there are clouds and hackers…so yeah, no thanks.
What I would be down to do in present time (if I had a hubby) is use an old-fashioned camera to take some risqué shots. I actually read that putting up this form of erotica in your bedroom is one way to significantly improve your sex life. So, why not take a moment or two to go into your own bedroom, close the door and take a few sexy pics with your partner? Oh, and if you must use your phone, click here for privacy tips on an Android and here for privacy tips on an iPhone.
9.Create a Sex Gift Basket
Gift baskets are the best, ain't they? Surprise your partner with one that is loaded with nothing but sex-related items. You can stop by a lingerie store and get something in his favorite color (or you can make a pair of lace undies; it's easier than you think). Then stop by a liquor store for a bottle of wine (it'll make you hornier than most other forms of alcohol, especially if it's got a cherry or earthy scent) and maybe a lil' bit of Guinness beer too; word on the street is it helps men to last longer in bed. You can never go wrong with some chocolate-covered strawberries. I've also been hearing a lot about something called the Oh! Cherry Orgasm Balm (that stimulates your nipples and clitoris). Oh, and if you want to give some extra TLC by making some additional items with your own two hands, some of my faves are DIY chocolate body paint, DIY edible body butter, DIY massage candles, some DIY shaving cream (to give him a sensual shave) or (get this!) a pair of panties made entirely out of Starburst and Twizzlers candy!
10. Celebrate “69” Annually
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It's been over 12 years since I've gotten some, but I'll tell you what—if I was in the position to be able to observe National Sex Day, I'd treat every year like it was my birthday or something! I ain't playin' either. I'd get decorations for the house, I'd bring my man a present home…shoot, I might even bake a sex cake (there is such a thing; it's called a "better than sex" cake and it's actually pretty good)!
If you're not in my position and you are able to actually get it in, but you just found out about today, do what you can tonight but plan on going big next year and then topping yourself every year after that. Life is too short and sex is too good to be overlooking moments like National Sex Day. Please, if for no other reason than I can live vicariously through you, make it a day worth celebrating—over and over…and over again. Have fun!
Featured image by Getty Images
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So, we handpicked one hundred It Girls who embody that palpable It Factor moving through us as young Black women, the kind of motion lighting up the world both IRL and across the internet.
It Girl 100 became xoNecole’s most successful program, with the hashtag organically reaching more than forty million impressions on Instagram in just twenty-four hours. Yes, it caught on like wildfire because we celebrated some of the most brilliant and influential GenZennial women of color setting trends and shaping culture. But more than that, it resonated because the women we celebrated felt seen.
Many were already known in their industries for keeping this generation fly and lit, but rarely received recognition or flowers. It Girl 100 became a safe space to be uplifted, and for us as Black women to bask in what felt like an era of our brilliance, beauty, and boundless influence on full display.
And then, almost overnight, it was as if the rug was pulled from under us as Black women, as the It Girls of the world.
Our much-needed, much-deserved season of ease and soft living quickly metamorphosed into a time of self-preservation and survival. Our motion and economic progression seemed strategically slowed, our light under siege.
The air feels heavier now. The headlines colder. Our Black girl magic is being picked apart and politicized for simply existing.
With that climate shift, as we prepare to launch our second annual It Girl 100 honoree list, our team has had to dig deep on the purpose and intention behind this year’s list. Knowing the spirit of It Girl 100 is about motion, sauce, strides, and progression, how do we celebrate amid uncertainty and collective grief when the juice feels like it is being squeezed out of us?
As we wrestled with that question, we were reminded that this tension isn’t new. Black women have always had to find joy in the midst of struggle, to create light even in the darkest corners. We have carried the weight of scrutiny for generations, expected to be strong, to serve, to smile through the sting. But this moment feels different. It feels deeply personal.
We are living at the intersection of liberation and backlash. We are learning to take off our capes, to say no when we are tired, to embrace softness without apology.
And somehow, the world has found new ways to punish us for it.
In lifestyle, women like Kayla Nicole and Ayesha Curry have been ridiculed for daring to choose themselves. Tracee Ellis Ross was labeled bitter for speaking her truth about love. Meghan Markle, still, cannot breathe without critique.
In politics, Kamala Harris, Letitia James, and Jasmine Crockett are dragged through the mud for standing tall in rooms not built for them.
In sports, Angel Reese, Coco Gauff, and Taylor Townsend have been reminded that even excellence will not shield you from racism or judgment.
In business, visionaries like Diarrha N’Diaye-Mbaye and Melissa Butler are fighting to keep their dreams alive in an economy that too often forgets us first.
Even our icons, Beyoncé, Serena, and SZA, have faced criticism simply for evolving beyond the boxes society tried to keep them in.
From everyday women to cultural phenoms, the pattern is the same. Our light is being tested.
And yet, somehow, through it all, we are still showing up as that girl, and that deserves to be celebrated.
Because while the world debates our worth, we keep raising our value. And that proof is all around us.
This year alone, Naomi Osaka returned from motherhood and mental health challenges to reach the semifinals of the US Open. A’ja Wilson claimed another MVP, reminding us that beauty and dominance can coexist. Brandy and Monica are snatching our edges on tour. Kahlana Barfield Brown sold out her new line in the face of a retailer that had been canceled. And Melissa Butler’s company, The Lip Bar, is projecting a forty percent surge in sales.
We are no longer defining strength by how much pain we can endure. We are defining it by the unbreakable light we continue to radiate.
We are the women walking our daily steps and also continuing to run solid businesses. We are growing in love, taking solo trips, laughing until it hurts, raising babies and ideas, drinking our green juice, and praying our peace back into existence.
We are rediscovering the joy of rest and realizing that softness is not weakness, it is strategy.
And through it all, we continue to lift one another. Emma Grede is creating seats at the table. Valeisha Butterfield has started a fund for jobless Black women. Arian Simone is leading in media with fearless conviction. We are pouring into each other in ways the world rarely sees but always feels.
So yes, we are in the midst of societal warfare. Yes, we are being tested. Yes, we are facing economic strain, political targeting, and public scrutiny. But even war cannot dim a light that is divinely ours.
And we are still shining.
And we are still softening.
And we are still creating.
And we are still It.
That is the quiet magic of Black womanhood, our ability to hold both truth and triumph in the same breath, to say yes, and to life’s contradictions.
It is no coincidence that this year, as SheaMoisture embraces the message “Yes, And,” they stand beside us as partners in celebrating this class of It Girls. Because that phrase, those two simple words, capture the very essence of this moment.
Yes, we are tired. And we are still rising.
Yes, we are questioned. And we are the answer.
Yes, we are bruised. And we are still beautiful.
This year’s It Girl 100 is more than a list. It is a love letter to every Black woman who dares to live out loud in a world that would rather she whisper. This year’s class is living proof of “Yes, And,” women who are finding ways to thrive and to heal, to build and to rest, to lead and to love, all at once.
It is proof that our joy is not naive, our success not accidental. It is the reminder that our light has never needed permission.
So without further ado, we celebrate the It Girl 100 Class of 2025–2026.
We celebrate the millions of us who keep doing it with grace, grit, and glory.
Because despite it all, we still shine.
Because we are still her.
Because we are still IT, girl.
Meet all 100 women shaping culture in the It Girl 100 Class of 2025. View the complete list of honorees here.
Featured image by xoStaff
Among these 100 It Girls stand the Style Innovators, the muses and the artists setting the tone in beauty, hair, and fashion. They're the creatives who turn self-expression into a walking art form. With every detail devoured, from OOTDs to OOTNs, they remind us that personal style isn't just about what you wear, but how you move through the world and how you show up as no one but yourself.
Here's the roll call for xoNecole's It Girl Class of 2025: Style Innovators.
Model, Content Creator, and TV Host Achieng Agutu
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Achieng Agutu
Her Handle: @noordinarynoire
Her Title: Model, Content Creator, TV Host
Who's That It Girl: Achieng Agutu is the Kenyan-born Confidence Queen taking over digital culture. We love her for using her platform to uplift others with fearless self-expression and for proving that beauty lies in authenticity.
Her "Yes, And" Statement: "Yes, and I am apologetically me!"
Beauty Editor and Expert Maya Allen
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Maya Allen
Her Handle: @mayaalenaa
Her Title: Beauty Editor and Expert
Who's That It Girl: Maya Allen is a beauty editor and writer whose work at Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, and The Cut has changed how we talk about beauty. She’s passionate about representation and using storytelling to challenge old standards.
Her "Yes, And" Statement: "Yes, I'm a storyteller, and I know the most powerful chapters of my story are still being written."
Beauty Influencer and Content Creator Alissa Armon
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Alissa Armon
Her Handle: @alissa.ashley
Her Title: Beauty Influencer and Content Creator
Who's That It Girl: Alissa Ashley is a beauty and lifestyle content creator with over 2 million YouTube subscribers. Known for her makeup tutorials and relatable style, she's expanded her content to include fitness and wellness.
Creator and Social Media Personality Jodie Taylor
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Jodie Taylor
Her Handle: @jodiektayl
Her Title: Creator and Social Media Personality
Who's That Girl: Jodie Taylor blends creativity and confidence in everything she wears. We celebrate her for her fearless individuality and for leading a generation of women who style their own stories.
Her "Yes, And" Statement: "Yes, I operate at the highest levels and I bring others along with me."
Creator and Beauty Consultant Golloria George
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Golloria George
Her Handle: @golloria
Her Title: Creator and Beauty Consultant
Who's That It Girl: Golloria George is a beauty creator and consultant known for pushing shade inclusivity in the industry. She’s collaborated with brands like Patrick Ta and Rhode and earned recognition from Forbes, TIME, and Ebony for her impact.
Her "Yes, And," Statement: "Yes, I stand firmly in who I am and am confident in my power."
Founder and Designer Sade Mims
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Sade Mims
Her Handle: @sademims
Her Title: Founder and Designer
Who's That It Girl: Sade Mims is an artist and founder of design label EDAS. Mims skills, experience, and innate interest for conceptualization and design have been the driving force of her work. With over 10 years of experience, she has immersed herself in many mediums and finds joy and inspiration from the mundane parts of life.
Her "Yes, And" Statement: "Yes, I’m chill and still full of depth."
Fashion, Style Influencer and Content Creator Courtney Quinn
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Courtney Quinn
Her Handle: @colormecourtney
Her Title: Fashion, Style Influencer and Content Creator
Who's That It Girl: We love Courtney Quinn’s unapologetic embrace of color and play. Her creative storytelling and business savvy prove that joy can be a strategy and that whimsy and purpose belong together.
Beauty and Lifestyle Creator Toni Bravo
Credit: Adelynn Tourondel
Toni Bravo
Her Handle: @bonitravo
Her Title: Beauty and Lifestyle Creator
Who's That It Girl: Toni Bravo is a visionary stylist and creative director redefining chic. We honor her for transforming fashion into a language of empowerment and self-celebration.
Her "Yes, And" Statement: "Yes, I am limitless and I’m paving my own path."
Beauty Content Creator Amber Nicole
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Amber Nicole
Her Handle: @withambernicole
Her Title: Beauty Content Creator
Who's That It Girl: Amber Nicole is a beauty entrepreneur and wellness advocate who founded her clean-skincare line, Naked By Nature to honor her journey with vitiligo, champion self-care, and redefine beauty standards for women of color.
Beauty Influencer and Content Creator Arnell Armon
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Arnell Armon
Her Handle: @arnell.armon
Her Title: Beauty Influencer and Content Creator
Who's That It Girl: We honor Arnell Armon’s sharp editorial eye and influence across beauty and lifestyle. Her thoughtful content and authenticity continue to inspire a community that values creativity and confidence.
Her "Yes, And" Statement: "Yes, I’m a mom, creator, and trailblazer."
Creator Salina Williams
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Salina Williams
Her Handle: @salina_sincerely
Her Title: Creator
Who's That It Girl: Salina Williams brings soulful elegance to every ensemble. We celebrate her for merging classic beauty with contemporary edge, creating a signature style that speaks volumes without saying a word.
Creator and Social Media Personality Jodie Woods
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Jodie Woods
Her Handle: @jodiewoods
Her Title: Creator and Social Media Personality
Who's That It Girl: With charm and poise beyond her years, Jodie Woods is shaping the future of fashion influence. We love her for showing that authenticity, not trends, is the ultimate luxury.
Model, Entrepreneur, Beauty and Media Personality Jordyn Woods
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Jordyn Woods
Her Handle: @jordynwoods
Her Title: Model, Entrepreneur, Beauty and Media Personality
Who's That It Girl: Jordyn Woods continues to turn reinvention into an art form. We honor her for her self-made journey and for using her platform to champion body positivity, growth, and grace.
Kirah Ominique
Her Handle: @kirahominique
Who's That It Girl: Kirah Ominique is the creative voice behind confidence-filled style moments. We celebrate her for inspiring women to embrace every curve, color, and chapter of their beauty.
Beauty and Lifestyle Creator Yana Carr
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Yana Carr
Her Handle: @goldynaps
Her Title: Beauty and Lifestyle Creator
Who's That It Girl: Yana is a Philadelphia content creator who started with natural hair and beauty, then expanded into tennis and lifestyle. She now hosts tennis events for young Black women and is launching her own braiding hair brand.
Her "Yes, And" Statement: "Yes, I'm multifaceted and unapologetic about pursuing my passions."
Influencer Tiara Willis
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Tiara Willis
Her Handle: @thetiarawillis
Who's That It Girl: Tiara Willis started creating beauty content at just 14 and built a trusted community of over half a million followers. Now, she is an amazing licensed esthetician, and partners with major brands to educate and empower skincare lovers everywhere.
Her "Yes, And" Statement: "Yes, I built a trusted community and I shape the way they experience beauty."
Makeup Artist and Beauty Creator Makeup Shayla
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Makeup Shayla
Her Handle: @makeupshayla
Her Title: Makeup Artist and Beauty Creator
Who's That It Girl: Makeup Shayla’s artistry has become iconic in the beauty world. We love her for setting the standard for glam that’s equal parts bold, empowering, and timeless.
Zaya Wade
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Zaya Wade
Her Title: Model
Who's That It Girl: Zaya Wade is courage personified. We celebrate her for standing proudly in her truth and inspiring a global movement toward acceptance, identity, and radiant self-love.
Entrepreneur Ruthann Palacios
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Ruthann Palacios
Her Handle: @ruesworldd
Her Title: Entrepreneur
Who's That It Girl: "My overall purpose is to show that it is possible to show your personality through your clothes no matter the size, race, or gender and that you can do anything you set your mind to. At the end of the day we are our biggest critics and if you feel free, confident, and good in what you do, the weight of being judged by others won’t hold any value."
Her "Yes, And" Statement: "Yes, I am a creator who celebrates fashion, and I am a voice reminding people they don’t have to fit in to stand out."
Now that you've met the Style Innovators, see who else made our list. Tap into the full It Girl 100 Class of 2025 and meet all 100 women changing game this year and beyond. See the full list here.
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