I like being a — pardon the pun — sponge when it comes to — pardon the pun again — absorbing information. For this reason alone, I’m not ashamed in the least to admit that it wasn’t until just a few months ago that I even knew that there was such a thing as a menstrual sponge in the world. Yet, before even getting into all of that, after also learning that the terms sea sponge and menstrual sponge are basically used interchangeably, I was curious to know if a sea sponge can hook a sistah up in other ways, too.
Boy, can it. Did you know that sea sponges contain chemicals that help to fight off viral infections? Oh, and let’s keep going. Did you also know that sea sponges are a great skin exfoliator? Yeah, and let’s push on further.
Reportedly, sea sponges are also beneficial when it comes to blending make-up (you know, for using as a make-up sponge) and increasing blood circulation — and since they are biodegradable, antifungal, and highly sustainable, so long as you cleanse them with vinegar and allow them to dry in well-ventilated spots, they really are a great all-natural, holistic investment.
Okay, so am I saying that this same kind of sponge can be used during your period like a menstrual cup or disc? Yes. Well, sort of. That is what I am just about to get into if you’ve got a couple of minutes to read further.
Can Sea Sponges Really Be Used During Your Period?
Yes, a Sea Sponge and Menstrual Sponge Are Basically the Same Thing
GiphyI guess without really realizing it, there is a show from a few years back that was preparing me to pen this. It’s called the Secret Diary of a Call Girl and there’s a particular episode when one of the characters unexpectedly came on her period and the main character told her that sticking a piece of sponge up her vagina would temporarily…remedy the situation (chile).
Apparently, there is some truth to this because, aside from all of the other things that a sea sponge is useful for, there are people who opt to insert it into their vagina in a way similar that they would a tampon. In fact, a lot of people refer to it as being a “stringless tampon.”
So, do you use a literal sea sponge in this case? For some individuals, yes, exactly that. Another alternative is to go with a synthetic type of a sea sponge which is oftentimes known as being a soft tampon. Different options of sea sponges (that are used for menstrual purposes) can be found here.
And just why would you want to go with a sea sponge over the other period product options that are currently available? Good question.
Pros & Cons Of Menstrual Sponges Compared To Cups & Discs
3 Reasons Why a Sea Sponge Is Worth Considering
GiphyHonestly, whether it’s a pad, tampon, menstrual cup, menstrual disc or even a pair of period panties, everything has its own list of pros and cons. Today, since we are tackling a sea sponge, let’s talk about the benefits as well as the challenges that come with it specifically. Benefits first.
1. It’s super comfortable and fairly absorbent. One of the main reasons why some women opt for sea sponges is because they are incredibly comfortable to wear. I mean, think about it — sponges are really soft and they easily accommodate whatever they are inside of. And honestly, that makes them an even bigger winner when it comes to your vagina and your period because they go in without any discomfort and then slowly expand in order to collect the blood that you lose while you are on your cycle.
2. It’s reusable. I once read that the average woman spends between $120-180 annually on menstrual products. Thing is, when you opt for something like a menstrual cup or a sea sponge, they are reusable which means that you are able to keep more coins in your pocket. Plus, when it comes to sea sponges, most of them are designed to last for 6-12 months before you need to get yourself a new one — and that makes them something that are easy on your pockets and good for the environment too.
3. It’s affordable. This damn country right now. SMDH. Yet I digress. What I will say is the cost of living doesn’t appear to be going down any time soon and so, the fact that you can find a sea sponge (for your period) for under $20, when you know that you can use it over and over again for at least six cycles? How is that NOT a major win?
3 Reasons Why Sea Sponges Might Not Be Worth the Hype
GiphyAight. So, what is the other side of the sea sponge coin? Yeah…I won’t lie to you — there are definitely some other things to consider before going all in with one.
1. Many Are Not FDA-approved. First, read this: “Sea sponges labeled as 'menstrual sponges,' 'hygienic sponges,' or 'sanitary sponges,' intended for use as menstrual tampons, are regarded as significant risk devices requiring premarket approval under Section 515.” Because sea sponges run enough of a risk of exposing its customers to toxic shock syndrome (TSS), that’s one of the main reasons why the FDA isn’t exactly thrilled about most sea sponge products.
Definitely don’t overlook that — and also, if your flow is pretty heavy, other than on your light days, a sea sponge probably wouldn’t serve you very well.
2. Removing it can be quite the ordeal. Listen, although I was a late one to enter into the (in my opinion) truly wonderful world of menstrual cups, I did almost quit in the beginning stages of using one because there ABSOLUTELY is a learning curve on how to get them in correctly and how to take them out (so that there is as little mess and spillage as possible). And from what I hear about sea sponges? Chile, that is the absolute worst part of using one.
I get it too because, when you really stop to think about it, a sponge that has nothing but blood in it? And since, unlike a tampon (which has a string) and a menstrual cup (which has a rim), there is nothing to “grip” the sponge with, when you’re trying to take it out, that could cause you to end up with a mini-crime scene on your hands (yes, literally). Plus, sponges aren’t the strongest things in the world, so you do run the risk of them breaking apart while trying to take them out. Whew.
3. Cleaning them. Hmm. Another reason why the FDA sees sea sponges as a cause for concern is — they can be a real doozy when it comes to thoroughly cleaning them in order to reuse them. See, unlike a menstrual cup (that is typically made out of silicone) that you can toss in some boiling water to automatically sterilize it, sea sponges require way more elbow grease.
I have read that soaking a sea sponge in a combination of vinegar, baking soda, tea tree oil and peroxide in a cup of warm water (for 5-10 minutes) on a daily basis can do the cleansing trick. Other people use apple cider vinegar. The main thing to keep in mind here is that the cleaning part is a bit on the high-maintenance side — which can be a downer if high-maintenance is absolutely not your thing.
How To Use Sea Sponges As Period Care
How Do You Insert and Remove a Sea Sponge?
GiphyThere is nothing worse than trying out a new “thing” and having to spend 10 minutes hunting down some thorough instructions. SMDH. Since I can absolutely relate to that, I wanted to briefly explain how the “entrance” and “exit” of sea sponges work.
ENTRANCE
- Wet the sponge with some water-based lube (for easy entry).
- Lie on your back or squat down in order to insert the sponge into your vagina (like you would a tampon).
- Push it up as far as it will comfortably go.
- Prepare to change it out every 2-4 hours (just to be on the safe side).
EXIT
- Get into the same position to take the sea sponge out as you did to put it in.
- Use your index finger and thumb (like you are pinching something) to grip the sponge.
- Grasp as much of the sponge as possible and pull it out.
BONUS: Keep in mind that it’s going to be bloody, and so doing this over a toilet is super ideal.
___
Would I ever consider using a sea sponge? Eh. Definitely not on day 2-3 of my cycle yet on the lighter days, I would give it a shot — due to the organic materials that it’s made from alone. Okay, but would I choose it over a menstrual cup? I ain’t got no lies to tell you — after knowing the pros and cons of sea sponges and menstrual cups…HELL NO. LOL.
Still, I do think that a sea sponge is something that y’all should know about…just so you’re aware of all of your options.
And either way, I do think that you should get a sea sponge, for other reasons, in general. Even if, when it comes to your own period…you’ll pass.
At least for now.
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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
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.
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Featured image courtesy of Lisa-Gaye Shakespeare
Originally published on February 6, 2023