If Spring & Summer Are Your Favorite Braid Seasons, Here's How To Make Them Last

If there’s ever a time when I think it’s worth it to sit in a braider’s chair for 5-7 hours, it’s right around May. Although it’s not necessarily “on purpose,” it seems that the only time when I get some bra-length, medium-sized, box braids is when the weather is warm. For me, I think it’s because, since I don’t have a relaxer in my hair, I don’t really want to think about or deal with the crazy-ass humidity that Nashville brings during that time of the year — and, for the most part, braids make that a non-issue.
Maybe you feel the same way I do about getting braids in the spring and/or summertime — or perhaps March through September being your favorite months for this particular style is due to something else. Either way, if you’re gearing up for a braid appointment, I thought it would be cool to share 12 things that can help you get the most out of the time that you spend, along with the money that you invest to get those bad boys put in.
This way, not only will your braids look absolutely bomb until it’s time to take them out, but your own hair can remain healthy throughout the process too.
1. Choose Your Hair Brand Wisely

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With articles out here like The Guardian’s “Over 3,000 beauty products targeting Black women contain health hazards, study shows,” Harvard’s “Uncovering the dangers of hair products marketed to Black women, girls” and, as it specifically relates to today’s topic, Essence’s “A New Study Finds Carcinogens In 10 Synthetic Braiding Hair Brands” — now, more than ever, it’s important to be hypervigilant about doing research on and reading the labels of the beauty products that you buy.
When it comes to braiding hair, specifically, a braiding hair brand that’s made from repurposed banana stems is Rebundle; it’s not the cheapest on the planet yet it is pretty quality stuff. Thankfully, Essence has a list of some other options here while Byrdie also features some here that you can look into too.
2. Go with Smaller Instead of Larger
When it comes to the shelf life of braids, once you hit somewhere around the six-week mark, it’s usually time to put on a movie and get comfortable for a couple of hours, so that you can take them down. However, if you want to try to squeeze even more time out of them, first, make sure that you tie your hair up (or put it into a bonnet) every night with a silk or satin scarf (in order to reduce frizz and tangling more than anything else). Also, consider going with smaller braids. Sure, it’ll take more time to install and it will probably cost a few more bucks as well — but if you can get 2-3 more weeks from the style, it’s actually worth it.
3. Try Dry Shampoo on Your Braids
Whenever I have braids in my hair, the thing that I hate the most is wash day. Why? Because that’s when the opportunity significantly increases for my braids to get looser and for frizz to transpire. Typically, my workaround is to cleanse my scalp with a good ole’ bottle of Sea Breeze and then rinse my hair while in the shower every couple of weeks (so that I’m not spending a lot of time rubbing on the braids themselves). However, something else that you might want to try is a dry shampoo (you know, a cleansing product that absorbs dirt, oil, and sweat without any water being involved).
One brand that gets a lot of praise in the braided hair department is Batiste Sweat Activated Dry Shampoo. Another is Amika’s Perk Up Talc-Free Dry Shampoo. At the very least, it can buy you some time until you have the time to cleanse your braids oh so very carefully with “regular” shampoo.
4. Apply a Lavender/Jojoba Oil Blend to Your Scalp

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If one of the things that you absolutely don’t look forward to when it comes to having braids is the fact that your scalp flakes up, something that you can do to reduce the chances of that happening is to keep your scalp well-moisturized. One way to do that is to apply a mixture of lavender oil and jojoba oil. Lavender is good for your scalp because it contains antimicrobial properties that help to keep fungi and bacteria from irritating your scalp (which means that it can help to prevent dandruff flakes).
Jojoba oil benefits your scalp because it is able to deeply moisturize your scalp while helping to prevent itchiness. Plus, the combo can help to keep your braids smelling really good too.
5. Use Sunscreen on Your Scalp Too
SUN. FREAKIN’. SCREEN. When you get a chance, check out “Your Scalp Ages Six Times Faster Than Your Face. Why It Matters.” so that you can get a good understanding of why it’s important to slow down the aging of your scalp. For now, I’ll just say that skin that isn’t protected by sunscreen is skin that is definitely going to age faster than you would like it to. Not only that but since braids cause you to have so much of your scalp exposed (due to all of the parts that are on your head), you definitely need to make sure that the UV rays don’t work overtime to irritate or damage it. Travel + Leisure has a few sunscreens for the scalp that are worth giving a shot. You can check them out here.
6. Use a Leave-In Conditioner on Your Braids
Something that you definitely need to keep in mind if you’ve got longer hair tucked inside of your braids is you should wash your braids with a sulfate-free shampoo and you should apply a leave-in conditioner while your braids are air-drying. That way, your own hair can have some additional moisture added in which will also reduce frizz and fly-aways. Oh, and speaking of leave-in conditioner, don’t be afraid to refresh your hair with some of it one day a week.
It’s another way to smooth the cuticles of the braids and help to keep them flexible and shiny. For this tip, my two cents? Use a leave-in that comes in a spray rather than a bottle. It tends to be thinner in texture, so you don’t have to worry so much about residue and build-up.
7. Keep Gels to a Minimum

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Honestly, I’ll be glad when the super long lashes and the baby hairs that look more like bangs decide to take an indefinite hiatus (#lesigh). In the meantime, at least this article gives me a solid reason for discouraging huge baby hairs: gels can cause product build-up and, at the very least, that can make keeping your braids as fresh as possible hella challenging. So, if you do like to lay your edges down, try and take the minimal approach — both with the amount of hair that you use and how much gel that you apply to them.
Oh, and look for a flake-free edge control brand. One that I personally like is She Is Bomb (here). It’s super affordable, lasts a long time, holds really well, and nope, no flakes for me.
8. Dip Your Ends to Keep Them Smooth and Frizz-Free
Whether you want to reduce frizz or you want to add some waves or curls to your braids, you can do this by dipping your hair in hot water. I will say that if you don’t want to run the risk of burning yourself, you might want to enlist the assistance of a friend to help you out. However, if your braids are really long, you should be able to dip them on your own without any issues.
Whenever I want to add some waves to my box braids, I will section them, braid them, dip them, let them cool a bit, and then take the braids down. The waves last for weeks. Perfect! As a bonus, dipping your ends can actually keep them smooth and fresh-looking. For tips on how to DIY dip, check out this video tutorial here.
9. Steam Your Braids Every Couple of Weeks
Something that I’m surprised doesn’t come up more often is how beneficial it is to steam braids. Not only is it a great way to give your scalp some relief if your braids are too tight when you first leave the shop, but it can also help to keep your scalp hydrated with as little hair manipulation as possible. Plus, steaming your braids can help to keep your braids looking shiny and new for a longer period of time. InStyle has a list of steamers that benefit natural hair most here. Best Products Reviews also has its own list here.
10. Refresh the Front of Your Hairstyle

I remember a few years ago, I watched a YouTube video of a woman who said that her (originally) knotless braids lasted for almost four months because she would “simply” (SMDH) tie her braids into a knot once there was enough new growth to make that happen. Lawd, please don’t follow her lead. Not only does that lead to unnecessary tension (and weight) on your hair follicles, but it can make it complete and utter hell to take the braids (and knots) down without pulling out quite a bit of your hair in the process.
Instead, if you want a couple of more weeks with your braids, make an appointment with your braider to get the first couple of rows around the front of your head redone. You’d be amazed how this one step can do wonders for a braided hairstyle — not to mention that it’s better for your hair and (usually) a hella cheap approach to making your style last longer.
11. Try Not to Over-Style Your Braids
There is nothing like having some long, knotless, medium-sized box braids that were done right and well. Honey, it’ll have you out here acting like you should try every hairstyle you can find! Thing is, the more that you manipulate your hair, the quicker that your braids will come loose, the more frizz and fly-aways that will pop up, and the sooner that your new style will age. Am I saying not to play around with some looks that you like? Damn well you should. Just try to avoid doing a different style multiple days of the week.
Wearing them down, tying them up in a scarf, or putting them in a top bun (although you should move that bun around in order to not put tension in the same spot all of the time) will make enough of a statement because braids are beautiful…all on their own.
12. Take a Break from Your Braids
Final one. Braids are so damn pretty and convenient that I’m sure a lot of us would pull a “Moesha” (if you’re a real one, you caught what I mean by that) and have braids in constantly. Thing is, that’s not healthy for your natural hair because the tension and weight of your braids can lead to hair damage and even hair loss if you’re not careful. So, if you plan on going all spring and summer with some sort of braided style, try to at least take out a couple of weeks in between braid appointments to deep condition your own hair, pamper your scalp, and give both of them a break.
That way, you can be confident that your hair is ready for your next batch of braids — whether that’s for a summer vacation or some other time that you have in mind. Enjoy!
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Featured image by Oscar Martin/Getty Images
Because We Are Still IT, Girl: It Girl 100 Returns
Last year, when our xoNecole team dropped our inaugural It Girl 100 honoree list, the world felt, ahem, a bit brighter.
It was March 2024, and we still had a Black woman as the Vice President of the United States. DEI rollbacks weren’t being tossed around like confetti. And more than 300,000 Black women were still gainfully employed in the workforce.
Though that was just nineteen months ago, things were different. Perhaps the world then felt more receptive to our light as Black women.
At the time, we launched It Girl 100 to spotlight the huge motion we were making as dope, GenZennial Black women leaving our mark on culture. The girls were on the rise, flourishing, drinking their water, minding their business, leading companies, and learning to do it all softly, in rest. We wanted to celebrate that momentum—because we love that for us.
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
It Girl 100 Class Of 2025: Meet The Viral Voices You Need To Know
When she speaks, timelines listen. She's a woman whose words trend, whose videos resonate, and whose reach has no limits. She's on the pulse and never chases virality; she simply becomes it—sparking dialogue that lingers long after the scroll. She shapes the culture, turning moments into movements.
The Viral Voices of xoNecole's 2025 It Girl 100 are taste-makers of the timeline—from leaders in the beauty space to podcasters and digital creators. What they all share is their uncanny ability to blend authenticity with transparency, shifting the paradigm every time they drop their truths. These It Girls don't post for the likes or the views; they post with purpose.
This year's It Girl 100 is a mosaic of brilliance, spotlighting entrepreneurs, cultural disruptors, beauty visionaries, and boundary-pushing creatives who embody the spirit of "Yes, And." This digital celebration honors the women who embrace every facet of themselves, proving you can chase the bag and still honor your desire to live life softly.
Here's the roll call for xoNecole's It Girl 100 Class of 2025: Viral Voices.

Content Creator Eni Popoola
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Eni Popoola
Her Handle: @enipopoola
Her Title: Content Creator
Who's That It Girl: Eni Popoola is the visionary creative behind beautifully cinematic content that fuses fashion and feeling. We love her for proving that elegance and emotion can exist in every frame.
Her "Yes, And" Statement: "Yes, I'm not afraid to pivot and the best is still yet to come."

Content Creator Jessie Woo
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Jessie Woo
Her Handle: @thejessiewoo
Her Title: Content Creator
Who's That It Girl: Jessie Woo is joy personified, a multi-talented entertainer and fearless truth-teller. We celebrate her for using humor, music, and faith to create content that heals through laughter.
Her "Yes, And" Statement: "Yes. I’m a force — and that’s why I create my own lanes instead of waiting for one to open."

Media Personality, Founder and Host Kayla Nicole
Credit: Malcolm Roberson
Kayla Nicole
Her Handle: @kaylanicole
Her Title: Media Personality; Founder, Tribe Therepē; Host, Welcome to the Pre-Game
Who's That It Girl: Kayla Nicole merges style, storytelling, and self-awareness like no other. We celebrate her for being the friend in our feeds who reminds us to show up fully, flaws, fire, and all.
Her "Yes, And" Statement: "Yes, I’m curating conversations on my podcast The Pre-Game, and cultivating community with my wellness brand Tribe Therepē."

Creator and Entrepreneur Simi Muhumuza
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Simi Muhumuza
Her Handle: @simimoonlight
Her Title: Creator and Entrepreneur
Who's That It Girl: Simi is a writer, and creative based in Brooklyn, NY. She focuses on style, lifestyle and wellness.
Her "Yes, And" Statement: "Yes, and I’m reaching even higher."

Creator Kiera Please
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Kiera Please
Her Handle: @kieraplease
Her Title: Creator
Who's That It Girl: Kiera Please is a creator, voice actress, and artist whose creativity knows no bounds. With her unique mix of style, cosplay, and storytelling, she’s built a global fan base that celebrates self-expression.
Her "Yes, And" Statement: "Yes, I’m just weird girl and I’ll just keep getting weirder."

Content Creator Zaynah Bear
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Zaynah Bear
Her Handle: @madame_zay
Her Title: Content Creator
Who's That It Girl: Zaynah Bear is a social media content creator known for her cartoon-style comedic storytelling that blends humor with everyday relatability. Her unique approach to creating content builds strong audience connections and keeps her community coming back for more laughs.
Her "Yes, And" Statement: "Yes, I'm boldly Black and beautifully quirky, owning every shade of my uniqueness."

Social Media Consultant and Creative Candace Marie
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Candace Marie
Her Handle: @marie_mag_
Her Title: Social Media Consultant and Creative
Who's That It Girl: Candace Marie is a luxury social-media strategist and founder of Black In Corporate. A former Parsons professor, she’s worked with fashion powerhouses like PRADA and Victoria Beckham, helping shape a more inclusive industry.
Her "Yes, And" Statement: "Yes, I’m grounded in strategy & storytelling—and I’m creating pathways for the future of influence."

Model and Content Creator Quenlin Blackwell
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Quenlin Blackwell
Her Handle: @quenblackwell
Her Title: Model and Content Creator
Who's That It Girl: Quenlin Blackwell is digital dynamite, witty, unfiltered, and wildly creative. We celebrate her for turning chaos into comedy and self-expression into art that connects millions.

Content Creator and TV Host Kamie Crawford
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Kamie Crawford
Her Handle: @kamiecrawford
Her Title: Content Creator and TV Host
Who's That It Girl: Kamie Crawford’s presence is as commanding as her compassion. We love her for being a media personality who advocates for confidence, self-worth, and love rooted in realness.
Her "Yes, And" Statement: "Yes, I'm that girl and I’ve had to heal parts of me to become her."

Author and Podcaster Sesali Bowen
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Sesali Bowen
Her Handle: @badfatblackgirl
Her Title: Author and Podcaster
Who's That It Girl: Sesali was born and raised on the Southside of Chicago and coined trap feminism. During her time as an entertainment writer for Refinery29 she was one of the architects of Unbothered, their sub brand for Black women. As a brand strategist and copywriter she’s worked with Netflix, Onyx Collective, and more.
Her "Yes, And" Statement: "Yes, I said it and I’m standing on it."

Co-Host of 'Pour Minds' Podcast Drea Nicole
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Drea Nicole
Her Handle: @dreanicoleee
Her Title: Co-Host of Pour Minds Podcast
Who's That It Girl: As one-half of the hit podcast Pour Minds, Drea Nicole brings real talk with humor and heart. We celebrate her for creating spaces where women can laugh, learn, and live out loud.

Co-Host of 'Pour Minds' Podcast Lex P
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Lex P
Her Handle: @lex_p_
Her Title: Co-Host of Pour Minds Podcast
Who's That It Girl: Lex P’s voice is bold, funny, and deeply authentic. We love her for turning the mic into a movement through Pour Minds, proving that humor and healing can thrive side by side.

Content Creator Jeannette Reyes
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Jeannette Reyes
Her Handle: @msnewslady
Her Title: Content Creator
Who's That It Girl: Jeannette Reyes, known online as @msnewslady, went from the newsroom to building her own media brand. She’s a creator, speaker, and author using her platform to help women show up confidently on and off camera.
Her "Yes, And" Statement: "Yes, I take up space and I make room for others."

Founder of Mary Louise Cosmetics Akilah Releford
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Akilah Releford
Her Handle: @akilahreleford
Her Title: Founder of Mary Louise Cosmetics
Who's That It Girl: Founder of Mary Louise Cosmetics, Akilah merges skincare and sisterhood with intention. We celebrate her for turning DIY passion into a thriving brand rooted in empowerment and care.

Award-Winning Journalist and Beauty Expert Kayla Greaves
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Kayla Greaves
Her Handle: @kaylaagreaves
Her Title: Award-Winning Journalist and Beauty Expert
Who's That It Girl: Kayla Greaves is a journalist and on-camera expert who’s spent more than a decade telling stories that matter. From interviewing icons like Naomi Campbell to consulting for major brands, she continues to redefine beauty and culture.
Her "Yes, And" Statement: "Yes, I'm bold and I make no qualms about it."

Digital Creator Lauren W.
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Lauren W.
Her Handle: @laurenthelolife
Her Title: Digital Creator, Lifestyle and Beauty
Who's That It Girl: Lauren W. brings a breath of honesty to lifestyle content. We celebrate her for creating digital spaces that feel like safe havens for self-discovery, growth, and grace.
Her "Yes, And" Statement: "Yes, and I'll do it solo!"

Host of 'She's So Lucky' Podcast Les Alfred
Les Alfred
Her Handle: @lesalfred
Her Title: Host of She's So Lucky podcast
Who's That It Girl: Les Alfred is a media entrepreneur and cultural storyteller shaping the future of women-centered narratives. As the creator and host of She’s So Lucky (formerly Balanced Black Girl), an NAACP Image Award-nominated podcast, she has built a thriving media ecosystem that explores wellness and self-discovery through the lens of trail-blazing women.
Her "Yes, And" Statement: "Yes, I'm strong and I lead with softness."

Influencer, Rapper and Actress Aliyah's Interlude
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Aliyah's Interlude
Her Handle: @aliyahsinterlude
Her Title: Influencer, Rapper and Actress
Who's That It Girl: Aliyah's Interlude brings softness and soul to the internet’s boldest spaces. We honor her for creating artful, introspective content that reminds us to slow down, reflect, and dream louder.

Beauty and Fashion Digital Creator Clarke Peoples
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Clarke Peoples
Her Handle: @clarkepeoples
Her Title: Beauty and Fashion Digital Creator
Who's That It Girl: Clarke Peoples creates content that feels like a warm conversation. We love her for her authenticity and for showing that influence grounded in truth never goes out of style.

Model and Content Creator Kamrin White
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Kamrin White
Her Handle: @kamrinwhite
Her Title: Model and Content Creator
Who's That It Girl: We celebrate Kamrin White for transforming her lifestyle lens into something real and radiant. A proud Afro-Latina creator and entrepreneur, she weaves wellness, fashion, and authenticity into her content, inviting her audience to live boldly and vulnerably in their own stories.

Lifestyle and Beauty Creator Jayla Brenae
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Jayla Brenae
Her Handle: @jaylabrenae
Her Title: Lifestyle and Beauty Creator
Who's That It Girl: Jayla Brenae inspires through her transparency and storytelling. We honor her for blending wellness, confidence, and community into content that uplifts and empowers women of all walks.

Journalist and Content Creator Casey Winbush
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Casey Winbush
Her Handle: @caseywinbush
Her Title: Journalist and Content Creator
Who's That It Girl: With humor and heart, Casey Winbush is the voice of digital relatability. We celebrate her for blending vulnerability with wit, turning everyday stories into shared laughter and healing.

Model and Owner of PLEASEPEARLME Kendra Austin
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Kendra Austin
Her Handle: @kendramorous
Her Title: Model and Owner of PLEASEPEARLME
Who's That It Girl: Kendra Austin is poetry in motion, writer, model, and muse. We honor her for redefining softness as strength and for giving women permission to rest, feel, and reclaim joy.

Multidisciplinary Visual Artist and Creative Entrepreneur Shema Love
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Shema Love
Her Handle: @shemalove
Her Title: Multidisciplinary Visual Artist and Creative Entrepreneur
Who's That It Girl: Shema Love is a Brooklyn-based artist and designer turning art into healing. Her bold visuals and apparel celebrate Black joy, creativity, and self-expression, featured by Vogue, Nike, Netflix, and the WNBA.
Her "Yes, And" Statement: "Yes, I save lives and art saved me."

Content Creator Kristine Thompson
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Kristine Thompson
Her Handle: @mskristine
Her Title: Content Creator
Who's That It Girl: Kristine Thompson is a fashion and lifestyle creator passionate about redefining style standards for plus-size women. Through her platforms, she shares inspiring fashion, beauty, and travel content that empowers her community to feel confident at any size.
Her "Yes, And" Statement: "Yes, I celebrate style and I challenge the idea that beauty comes in one size."

Beauty, Lifestyle and Fashion Creator Crystal Nicole
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Crystal Nicole
Her Handle: @iamcrystalnicolee
Her Title: Beauty, Lifestyle and Fashion Creator
Who's That It Girl: Crystal Nicole’s storytelling moves between vulnerability and victory. We honor her for her ability to inspire others to be unapologetically themselves despite the pressures of social media and for crafting narratives that empower women to rewrite their own anthems.
Tap into the full It Girl 100 Class of 2025 and meet all the women changing game this year and beyond. See the full list here.
Featured image by xoStaff









