
OK, so I'm gonna hit the ground running on today's topic by saying, any person who feels like their partner's sexual pleasure isn't a priority, I have to wonder how great of a sex life they've actually got. Because any couple who is, not only sexually happy, but extremely fulfilled, they will undoubtedly vouch for the fact that, one of the main keys to an off-the-charts sex life is when both partners get off on pleasing each other.
In a nutshell, that's why we write articles like these. It's because we truly believe that if your man is all about getting you off, while you're all about returning the favor, automatically the two of you are well on your way to experiencing some really amazing intimacy and hopefully, even a few super orgasms along the way.
Speaking of super orgasms, the more heightened you and yours are, the easier it is to achieve them. So, let's get into some "sexual stimulation hacks" that can get your man damn near climbing the walls as much as he's (hopefully) trying to get you to do the same. You ready to blow his mind tonight? Let's do this.
1. Put on a Sweet Scent
Man. It's like there is an organization for everything on the planet. Today, it's all about The Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation. When it comes to what they discovered turns men on, apparently, it's scents that lean on the sweeter sides of things. Vanilla, black licorice, donuts, orange and chocolate are all smells that typically send men to new heights of sensual desire. Also, I've shared on this platform, more than once, that the combination of pumpkin and lavender can increase the blood flow to a guy's genital region by as much as 40 percent. So, while you may be out here thinking that you need to spend a mint on perfume—excuse me, parfum—to turn your man on, some sweet-smelling essential oil or even maybe putting a little bit of donut glaze on your neck (or other sexual pressure points) is really (probably) all that you'll ever need to get his sense of smell into the game.
2. Wear Red. Or Be Butt Naked.
It's no secret that men are stimulated visually; very much so. That's why, if you want to "visually edge" your partner, "dressing up the present" is a great way to do it. According to several psychological studies, a color that a vast majority of men are highly sexually stimulated by is red. It really does make sense when you think about the fact that red symbolizes things like passion, lust and love. Plus, I don't know one Black woman who is not ABSOLUTELY KILLIN' THE GAME when she's got red on (whew!).
Here's the thing, though. When I asked a few of my male friends, if they were put in the position to have to choose between lingerie and a woman being in her birthday suit, about 70 percent of them said buck naked was their preference, by far. When I asked one of them why, he candidly said, "Lingerie is a tease tactic. It's the kind of s—t that we want to see you just walking around in, just because, more than it being some kind of sign that sex is about to go down. Let us see what we could be getting while you're just chillin' with a teddy on. Then, when we get into the bedroom, just be naked. The build-up from hours before of just looking at you will already have us wanting you on a whole 'nother level." Duly noted, sir.
3. Offer More (Ashwagandha) Tea. Less Alcohol.
Something that I believe all of us should do more often is get our hormone levels checked. There is so much about our health that can sometimes feel compromised, simply because our hormones are a little "off". A good example of this is men who have a lower level of testosterone. Some signs of that include less hair (on the head and body), reduced muscle mass, mood swings, fatigue, erectile dysfunction and yep—a lower sex drive. If your partner has any of these issues, it's a good idea for him to set an appointment with his physician so that he can get tested and, perhaps, to look into hormone therapy. However, if there's nothing super drastic going on, but you'd simply like him to have a little more pep in his step in the bedroom, a good idea would be to 1) push the alcohol bottle back and 2) to serve him some ashwagandha tea.
Why? Well, as far as alcohol goes, since it's a depressant, that means it can actually tank your partner's drive (not to mention, put him in a pretty pissy mood). As far as the tea goes, I actually listed ashwagandha tea in the article, "Plantain Flour, Spirulina & Other Uncommon Foods To Add To Your Diet" a while back. It is proven to reduce depression-related symptoms, decrease fertility challenges in men and, because it significantly increases testosterone levels, it's a tea that can also elevate your partner's libido and intensify his orgasms too. Yeah, forget Patrón. Get your man some herbal tea instead. See what that thing do tho, once you do.
4. Invest in a Ball Stretcher
Speaking of natural ways to increase a man's testosterone levels, another technique is to cop a ball stretcher. What the heck is that? It's basically a metal ring that fits (comfortably) around a man's testicles. Why would a guy want one? Well, when he puts the stretcher and it gently tugs at his scrotum and stretches it out, the result is it keeps his testicles/balls from retracting whenever he climaxes; as a result, his orgasms are significantly stronger. An added bonus is, if the stretcher is put on during foreplay, it can make a man's scrotum so much more sensitive to the touch. Some women say that they enjoy ball stretchers during intercourse as well because the ring grazing their body is an additional stimulant for them too. If a ball stretcher is something that you want to add to your sex collection, you can read about how to select your very first one here.
5. Give Him a Foot Massage
Quite possibly, this might be your something new for the day. Did you know that, while all of us have literally thousands of nerve endings in our feet, men have many more of them than women do? Now here's the trick. If you offer to give your partner a foot massage and you specifically aim for his third toe and you go about one-third of the way down it, you will hit a pressure point that will encourage more blood to rush through his body, including his genitalia. When blood circulation increases, orgasms intensify.
And what if feet are sooooo not your thing? Thumbs are mad sensitive (due to all of the nerve endings in them) as well so, gently sucking on one of his (especially during sex) is a great alternative. Try it. I'd be shocked if you both didn't like it. A LOT.
6. Do Variations of the Cowgirl
While checking out an article on Women's Health Mag's site, it stated that they surveyed 800 men about what their favorite sexual position was. Can you guess what the results were? If your immediate thought is doggy style, you'd actually be correct (LOL)! Yet, what I found to be interesting, is the position that men wished women would get into more often is the cowgirl. When I asked some of my own male friends what they thought about that, they shared that the cowgirl is dope (to them) because the view is amazing, they like their partner being able to fully control her movements and, they noticed that she is able to have more multiple orgasms that way which, for them, meant they were able to get off a lot more. I don't know a lot of women who frown at riding, so…if you want to help your partner go to new heights, it's a win/win for you both if you get on top.
7. Get Out of the Bed(room)
While doggy style and the cowgirl sexual positions are fan favorites among the fellas, I conducted my own unofficial study to see what a lot of them wished would happen more often in the bedroom. You know what they said? They wanted to get out of it. When I then asked them to share some of their favorite places to have sex—the living room floor, the kitchen counter, the stairs, their deck in their backyard and in a chair, all topped their list. When I then asked them to expound on why, one answer, in particular, stayed with me. "Different places in the house makes sex more spontaneous. And, when you feel like your lady has just got to have you and she can't wait until you're in the bed, that already makes you wanna nut." Yep. That's a direct quote. (Oh, if you'd like a little more thinking-outside-of-the-box inspiration, check out Paired Life's offering, "200 Best Places Ever to Have Sex" and get inspired!)
8. Fondle His Frenulum
Be honest (with yourself). How much do you really know about the penis? If it's not much, I first recommend that you check out, "15 Pretty Tripped Out Things You May Not Know About Penises" because, the reality is, the more you educate yourself on something, the better you can be at "excelling" at it. Once you're a little more knowledgeable, then consider doing some frenulum fondling. The frenulum is the part of the skin that's on the underside of your partner's penis where the shaft and head of his penis connect. Because it's extremely sensitive, the frenulum can actually trigger more orgasms in a man than any other part of his penis. In walks, "Blow Your Man's Mind By Giving Him This Tantalizing Massage". #wink
9. Touch the Back of His Neck During Intercourse
Not too long ago, a male friend of mine and I were discussing a tweet that said something along the lines of, you're not a real freak unless you're into choking. My male friend was baffled by that because, as a self-professed freak (what man isn't, chile?), he had never done it before and wanted to understand the allure. If you're in the same boat as he is, the technical term for it is erotic asphyxiation; its "nickname" is breath play. The theory is that, by restricting a certain amount of oxygen to the brain, it intensifies climaxes. But even if you ain't that "freaky", something that you should definitely consider is touching the back of your partner's neck; especially during intercourse. It's another part of the body that is loaded with nerve endings so, slightly grazing it while you're dirty talking in the process, can increase his arousal and deepen his penetration which means…double the pleasure for you both!
10. Edge Him…to LIFE!
In the article, "Want A More Intense Orgasm? These Tips Are Sure To Make You Cream" that I wrote for xoNecole, something that I shouted out is edging. It's the practice of getting someone right to the brink of an orgasm and then pulling back so that, eventually, the orgasm is way stronger. Oftentimes, edging is mentioned in the context of intensifying our orgasms, but best believe, it works for men too. During intercourse, wait for him to let you know when he's at his point of climax and then…pause. Change positions. Kiss more. Touch an erogenous zone or two. Then start back up all over again. If you do this three times or so, when he is finally ready to blow, it'll be so powerful that it'll probably get you off in the process too! Yeah, edging really is one of the unsung heroes of intensified orgasms. Plus, it never ever gets old. That's why I'm always on the tip of—don't edge your man "to death"…edge him to life! He'll adore you all the more if/when you do. I guarantee it!
Join us in the xoTribe community today to get free access to weekly workshops, Mentor Mondays, virtual happy hours with the xoNecole team, personal development coaches, exclusive career opportunities, and an entire archive of digital masterclasses. We've saved you a seat at the table!
Featured image by Giphy
- When's The Last Time You And Your Man Had A 'Sex Date ... ›
- If Your Man's Erections Need To Last Longer, Read This. - xoNecole ... ›
- This Is How You Have A Super Orgasm - xoNecole: Women's ... ›
- 10 Hacks & Tips To Help You Orgasm More - xoNecole: Women's ... ›
- How to Perform a Lingam Massage - xoNecole: Women's Interest ... ›
- How To Give A Tantric Lingam Massage - xoNecole: Women's Interest, Love, Wellness, Beauty ›
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
These Black Women Left Their Jobs To Turn Their Wildest Dreams Into Reality
“I’m too big for a f***ing cubicle!” Those thoughts motivated Randi O to kiss her 9 to 5 goodbye and step into her dreams of becoming a full-time social media entrepreneur. She now owns Randi O P&R. Gabrielle, the founder of Raw Honey, was moving from state to state for her corporate job, and every time she packed her suitcases for a new zip code, she regretted the loss of community and the distance in her friendships. So she created a safe haven and village for queer Black people in New York.
Then there were those who gave up their zip code altogether and found a permanent home in the skies. After years spent recruiting students for a university, Lisa-Gaye Shakespeare became a full-time travel influencer and founded her travel company, Shakespeare Agency. And she's not alone.
These stories mirror the experiences of women across the world. For millions, the pandemic induced a seismic shift in priorities and desires. Corporate careers that were once hailed as the ultimate “I made it” moment in one's career were pushed to the back burner as women quit their jobs in search of a more self-fulfilling purpose.
xoNecole spoke to these three Black women who used the pandemic as a springboard to make their wildest dreams a reality, the lessons they learned, and posed the question of whether they’ll ever return to cubicle life.
Answers have been edited for context and length.
xoNecole: How did the pandemic lead to you leaving the cubicle?
Randi: I was becoming stagnant. I was working in mortgage and banking but I felt like my personality was too big for that job! From there, I transitioned to radio but was laid off during the pandemic. That’s what made me go full throttle with entrepreneurship.
Gabrielle: I moved around a lot for work. Five times over a span of seven years. I knew I needed a break because I had experienced so much. So, I just quit one day. Effective immediately. I didn’t know what I was going to do, I just knew I needed a break and to just regroup.
Lisa-Gaye: I was working in recruiting at a university and my dream job just kind of fell into my lap! But, I never got to fully enjoy it before the world shut down in March [2020] and I was laid off. On top of that, I was stuck in Miami because Jamaica had closed its borders due to the pandemic before I was able to return.

Randi O
xoN: Tell us about your journey after leaving Corporate America.
Randi: I do it all now! I have a podcast, I’m an on-air talent, I act, and I own a public relations company that focuses on social media engagement. It’s all from my network. When you go out and start a business, you can’t just say, “Okay I’m done with Corporate America,” and “Let me do my own thing.” If you don’t build community, if you don’t build a network it's going to be very hard to sustain.
Gabrielle: I realized in New York, there was not a lot to do for Black lesbians and queer folks. We don’t really have dedicated bars and spaces so I started doing events and it took off. I started focusing on my brand, Raw Honey. I opened a co-working space, and I was able to host an NYC Pride event in front of 100,000 people. I hit the ground running with Raw Honey. My events were all women coming to find community and come together with other lesbians and queer folks. I found my purpose in that.
Lisa-Gaye: After being laid off, I wrote out all of my passions and that’s how I came up with [my company] Shakespeare Agency. It was all of the things that I loved to do under one umbrella. The pandemic pulled that out of me. I had a very large social media following, so I pitched to hotels that I would feature them on my blog and social media. This reignited my passion for travel. I took the rest of the year to refocus my brand to focus solely on being a content creator within the travel space.

Gabrielle
xoN: What have you learned about yourself during your time as an entrepreneur?
Randi: [I learned] the importance of my network and community that I created. When I was laid off I was still keeping those relationships with people that I used to work with. So it was easy for me to transition into social media management and I didn’t have to start from scratch.
Gabrielle: The biggest thing I learned about myself was my own personal identity as a Black lesbian and how much I had assimilated into straight and corporate culture and not being myself. Now, I feel comfortable and confident being my authentic self. Now, I'm not sacrificing anything else for my career. I have a full life. I have friends. I have a social life. And when you are happy and have a full quality of life, I feel like [I] can have more longevity in my career.
Lisa-Gaye: [I'm doing] the best that I've ever done. The discipline that I’m building within myself. Nobody is saying, ‘Oh you have to be at work at this time.’ There’s no boss saying, ‘Why are you late?’ But, if I’m laying in bed at 10 a.m. then it's me saying [to myself], 'Okay, Lisa, get up, it's time for you to start working!’ That’s all on me.
xoNecole: What mistakes do you want to help people avoid when leaving Corporate America?
Randi: You have to learn about the highs and lows of entrepreneurship. You have a fast season and a slow season and I started to learn that when you're self-employed the latter season hits hard. Don't get caught up on the lows, just keep going and don't stop. I’m glad I did.
Gabrielle: I think everyone should quit their job and just figure it out for a second. You will discover so much about yourself when you take a second to just focus on you. Your skill set will always be there. You can’t be afraid of what will happen when you bet on yourself.
Lisa-Gaye: When it comes to being an influencer the field is saturated and a lot of people suffer from imposter syndrome. There is nothing wrong with being an imposter but find out how to make it yours, how to make it better. If you go to the store, you see 10 million different brands of bread! But you are choosing the brand that you like because you like that particular flavor.
So be an imposter, but be the best imposter of yourself and add your own flair, your own flavor. Make the better bread. The bread that you want.

Lisa-Gaye Shakespeare
xoNecole: Will you ever return to your 9 to 5?
Randi: I wouldn’t go back to Corporate America. But I don’t mind working under someone. A lot of people try to get into this business saying, “I can't work under anyone.” That’s not necessarily the reason to start a business because you're always going to answer to somebody. Clients, brands, there’s always someone else involved.
Gabrielle: I went back! I really needed a break and I gave myself that. But, I realized I’m a corporate girl, [and] I enjoy the work that I do. I’m good at it and I really missed that side of myself. I have different sides of me and my whole identity is not Raw Honey or my queerness. A big side of me is business and that’s why I love having my career. Now I feel like my best self.
Lisa-Gaye: I really don’t. For right now, I love working for myself. It's gratifying, it's challenging, it's exciting. It’s a big deal for me to say I own my own business. That I am my own boss, and I'm a Black woman doing it.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image courtesy of Lisa-Gaye Shakespeare
Originally published on February 6, 2023









