So, as I was reading an article that Glamour published a few years back entitled, “The 12 Rules of Swimwear Shopping, According to the People Actually Doing the Buying,” it got me wondering about how much people spend on bathing suits and how often it is recommended that we should replace them. As far as the first point goes, it would appear that around one-third of individuals are comfortable with spending over fifty bucks on their swimwear. As far as how often they (should) get a new suit? It would appear that some experts say one summer season (three months) is each one’s shelf life.
Although some of this depends on how often you wear a suit and how well you take care of it, if you keep one for a couple of years, not only could it end up not fitting you very well, like the wear and tear of panties can end up not protecting your vulva and vagina as well as it should, the same goes for a bathing suit.
And that got me to thinking that since it is officially swimsuit season now, it would probably be a good idea to run down some rules for engagement as far as your suit and your vagina (and vulva, which is the outer part of your vagina) go. And so, if you’ve got a sec, I’ve got 10 hacks to keep in mind.
1. Remove Hair No Less than 24 Hours Before Getting into the Water
GiphyMy waxer tickles me and also grosses me out, every year, around this time. The reason? Swimsuit season. The gross-out factor? Hearing what happens when people roll in for appointments right before a summer holiday or vacation, only to (sometimes) come back with a nasty rash or hella irritated skin. The cause? Thinking that they can get hair removed and then get into the water (other than their own bathtub) on the same day. Why is this a big deal?
Because, as much as most of us probably don’t want to think about it, pools and oceans (and especially Jacuzzis) house germs, and when you get hair removed from your body, your pores become especially susceptible to them while they are open. And so, although some skin experts state that you should wait a few days to swim after removing body hair, my waxer says 24 hours is pretty solid, so long as your skin isn’t super sensitive or you don’t notice any irritation prior to getting into the water. Just make sure that you do wait a day, though. It’s worth the precaution.
2. Consider Putting a “Barrier” into Your Vagina
GiphyThat same (potentially) dirty water that can bother your skin can also irritate your vagina if you’re not careful. So, if you plan on being in the water for hours on end, something else that you might want to do is put in a “swimming tampon” or a menstrual cup — even if you’re not on your period. As unconventional as it might sound, it can help to keep the water from lodging up in your vagina and throwing off your pH balance. And well, the more your pH remains stabilized, the less you’ll have to worry about getting some type of infection later down the pike.
P.S. If you are a tampon user, make sure to go with an organic brand. More and more studies are coming out that certain popular tampons contain things like arsenic and lead in them. You can read more about that here.
3. Apply a Water-Free Moisturizer
GiphyIt’s kind of wild that you can spend time in the water and it could still dry you out. That’s because swimming pools contain chlorine, which contains drying chemicals. Know what else can dry out your skin (including your vulva)? Ocean water (due to the salt that it contains). So, if you want to maintain a healthy amount of moisture around your vulva, apply a water-free moisturizer before getting into any water (you can check out a list of some here); that way, you can be sure that the moisturizer you apply will not literally wash away as soon as you go swimming.
4. Shower Before and After Getting Out of the Pool
GiphySpeaking of what pools and ocean water can do to your va-jay-jay, another proactive way to keep them from bothering your vulva and vagina (too much) is to shower before getting into the water and immediately after getting out of it. Not only will that help the chemicals in swimming water to be more effective (protection-wise), but it can also remove the impurities that may be on your body (like sweat and small amounts of fecal matter), so that they don’t mix in with the water and irritate your genitalia later on.
5. Get Out of Swimwear As Soon As Possible
GiphyIt’s pretty common for a lot of us to get out of the water and allow the combination of heat and air to air dry our suits. The problem with that is that the hot weather and moisture of the fabric can create the “perfect storm” as far as a potential yeast infection is concerned. That’s why it’s always a wise move to get out of your swimsuit as soon as you’re done swimming. Your vagina will thank you. Trust me.
6. Give Your Vagina Its Own (Dry) Towel
GiphyIf you’re someone who really likes to be on the safe side as far as vaginal health is concerned, you should probably bring along a hand towel that will serve as a drying tool for your vagina. Listen, the cleaner and drier the fabric is that touches that part of your body, the better. There's not much more to say on this point than that. Moving on.
7. Wash Your Swimsuit After Each (and Every) Use
GiphyWhile certain folks say that you should only be concerned with washing your swimsuit after every wear if you’ve been in water that contains no chlorine, is ocean water (i.e., salt water), or if you’ve been lying out (and sweating) for a long period of time, I’m personally gonna advise that you wash that bad boy after every use. Your vaginal discharge alone is enough of a reason to treat your swimsuit basically like it’s underwear as far as proper hygiene goes — and would you go a couple of wears with the same drawers? Please say that you wouldn’t. LAWD.
8. Keep Some Pure Aloe Vera on Tap
GiphyI don’t know if y’all caught it or not, but last year, (supposedly) one of the biggest summer fashion trends was what is called the “Vagina G-string.” Basically, it’s a bikini with a bottom that has nothing but strings other than a teeny piece of fabric to cover your vulva up. In my mind, all I could imagine was extreme discomfort, in part due to chafing. Chafing is basically what happens when things like friction can irritate your skin to the point where you may end up with a rash, some really dry or flaking skin, and/or an itchy and/or burning sensation.
Since everything from exercise and body weight to weather and clothing (including bathing suits) can cause chafing, it’s a good idea to 1) pick a bathing suit that fits the lower part of your body comfortably and 2) have some pure aloe vera gel around. Not only can it help to immediately soothe chafed skin, but it can also speed up the healing process if you happen to end up with some.
9. Beach Sex? Eh. Not So Much.
GiphyI once read that around 30 percent of folks have had sex on the beach. Uh-huh. As romantic as that might sound (to some of y’all), all I can think about is the hot-ass-prickly sand that could potentially get all up into my vagina. Yeah, no thanks. And listen, even if you try and pull a Beyoncé-Drunk-in-Love move and pull your swimsuit bottoms to the side, that doesn’t mean that you still won’t end up pissing your va-jay-jay off with said sand.
Hell, don’t take my word for it; even major news sites like US Health News says that sand “…can be difficult to remove and become a breeding ground for bacteria, yeast and other things that prime the vagina for infection.” So, take that to a private deck if you must be outside. Oh, and if the plan is to be in the water, apply some silicone-based lube first. Water-based lubricants are ineffective in actual water.
10. P.S. Yes, There Is Such a Thing As Period Swimwear
GiphyFinal point. If your period happens to be on the heavier side (especially during the first couple of days of your cycle) and you’ve got a vacation coming up that you can’t reschedule, don’t feel like you have to sit along the side of the pool or ocean and watch everyone else have all of the fun. Just like there are panties that are customized for periods, there is swimwear that also fits the bill. If you go to your favorite search engine and put “period swimwear” in the search field, you’ll see a variety of companies that carry really cute swimsuits for when it’s “that time of the month.” In fact, a good starting point would be Good Housekeeping’s “The Best Period Swimwear of 2024, Tested and Reviewed by Experts.”
___
You know, according to NASA, 2023 was the hottest summer that we’ve had in about 2,000 years, and yet, already, it feels like 2024 is gonna straight-up rival it. So, if spending a lot of time in pools or at beaches is at the top of your to-do list, now you know how to keep your vagina in good condition — as you turn heads in that fly-ass swimsuit of yours.
Have fun. Be safe. Take care of you…and her. #wink
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Featured image by Masego Morulane/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
"They asked for body products and we wanted to make sure we listened. But also layering fragrance begins with the body routine." The body wash is $33, and the body lotion is $35. Keep reading below to hear more about Tabitha and Chance's new collection, their body rituals, and what makes their partnership successful.
Fridays with Tab and Chance body collection
Marcus Owens
xoNecole: How did you come up with the scents for the collection?
Tabitha Brown: We love warm scents that make you feel sexy and loved. [We’re] both fans of gourmand [scents], including bergamot, vanilla, tonka and chocolate.
xoN: If you could describe your working relationship in one word, what would it be and why?
Tabitha: It's our first time building a product line together and our first time working with fragrance. So having patience with the process and each other has been the best way to build.
xoN: What is your body care ritual?
Tabitha: Exfoliate with a scrub a few times a week, but using a moisturizing body wash daily. After a shower, I spray a body mist that compliments what scent I am choosing for the day. Most times vanilla mist wins because it’s a perfect base for layering. I then hydrate [my] skin with lotion. Then, once dressed, I layer my favorite fragrance, Her Business, first and then His Business on top.
Chance: [I’m] way more simple. Just body wash and lotion and then my cologne and I’m good to go.
xoN: We enjoy watching you two together online, whose idea was it to start 'Fridays with Tab & Chance'?
Tabitha: It actually happened by accident. Back in 2018, my fans had just been asking about how we met, so we did a video answering questions one Friday and people in the comments [asked], will y’all do it again next Friday? And so we did and the next thing you know Fridays with Tab & Chance was born.
xoN: In what other ways do you plan to expand Fridays? Restart the podcast? TV show?
Tabitha: We are working on a lifestyle content show vs the traditional Fridays podcast. More to come soon.
xoN: You do many things together, but what would you say is your favorite quality time activity and why?
Tabitha: We are really simple. We love watching movies or TV series together on the couch or in bed. It’s really one of our favorite things to do together.
xoN: What is your favorite thing about the other person?
Tabitha: I love that he makes me feel safe and how hard he works to be an amazing father.
Chance: I love that she is crazy enough to pursue her wildest dreams.
xoN: What is the key to a successful partnership in business and personal?
Tabitha: The key is knowing that you both are going to change, and giving each other grace, patience, and understanding during those changes.
See more on tabandchance.com.
Feature image Marcus Owens