Pretty much any headline that I give for these articles, I am intentional about. Okay, but this one right here? When I say that blind pimples really and truly are the absolute worst? UGH. They are painful. They are irritating. And sometimes, it seems like it takes them for-e-ver to go away. That’s because they’re the kind of pimples that form so beneath the surface of your skin that they may never reach the top and turn into a head. That’s why you have to come up with approaches that are a bit more strategic in order to help them go away.
As far as taking preventative measures go, make sure to exfoliate your skin (to keep your pores and hair follicles from clogging up), wash your face each and every time you wear make-up, and keep your stress levels down (stress can kick up the production of sebum and that can lead to all sorts of breakouts).
Okay, but what do you do if you’ve already got a blind pimple that’s present and accounted for, and it’s about to drive you absolutely nuts? If that’s what you’ve got going on right now, I’ve been there. More than once (SDMH). Here are 12 things that I know, for a fact, can bring you some much-needed relief to your visible and internal blind pimple.
1. Tea Tree Oil Is a Beast
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When it comes to tea tree oil specifically, there are two reasons why I will gladly stand on any street and sing its praises. 1) it’s how good it is at removing dandruff (just pour a few drops into your shampoo, chile), and 2) it’s how quickly it can remove a pimple, including a blind pimple. When it comes to my latter shout-out, I get why, too. Due to tea tree oil’s extremely potent antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, if you’re looking for something all-natural that will cleanse out your pores and remove acne-causing bacteria without drying out your skin at almost a record rate, tea tree oil is going to make that happen.
And since it can also help to heal wounds, get rid of nail fungus, and fight tooth decay — I don’t see why everyone doesn’t have at least one bottle of 100 percent pure tea tree oil somewhere in their house.
2. Raw Honey Is Your Friend
The fact that (when stored right) honey doesn’t expire is enough of a reason to give it all of the props in the world. Oh, but if you add to that the fact that it contains anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties that strengthen gut health, boost immunity, soothe a sore throat, reduce coughing, improve your quality of sleep, and even hydrate your skin and hair — yes, raw honey is something else that is an absolute must-have, across the board.
The reason why it makes the “blind pimple list” is because it’s something else that can swiftly and effectively kill the bacteria that causes blind pimples to form in the first place. So, if you’ve got one popping up, spot-treat it with a bit of honey. If you apply it before turning in at night, you could notice a difference in how your blind pimple feels by morning.
3. Apply Some Ice
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There’s a very simple reason why applying ice can be a wise move if you’re trying to reduce the discomfort that comes from having a blind pimple. Since coldness can constrict your blood vessels, if you were to apply ice to your underneath-the-surface zit, it can reduce the swelling, which can help it to appear less visible (if you can see the blind pimple but it hasn’t yet come to a head) and feel a lot less painful as well.
4. Then Apply a Warm Compress
Speaking of temperature therapy, something else that you might want to try is applying a warm compress directly onto your blind pimple. The thought process here is that while coldness can reduce inflammation, warmth can help to drain the pus in the pore — and that could either cause the pimple to go away or rise to the surface at a quicker pace (especially if you apply one temperature after the other).
5. Try Some Salicylic Acid
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Ever since I’ve been doing chemical peels at home (check out “I've Been Doing At-Home Chemical Peels. Here Are The Pros And Cons.”), my skin has improved greatly when it comes to its texture and the amount of period pimples that I receive (which is next to nothing at this point). I’d venture to say that a part of the reason is because some of my products contain salicylic acid, which is an ingredient that helps to exfoliate your skin by sloughing off dead skin cells. The reason why this can work well for blind pimples is, that the clearer the clogged pore of that kind of pimple is, the easier it will be for the zit to come to a head and drain itself.
Oh, and if you’re wondering if pimple patches containing salicylic acid are the ultimate blind pimple hack, I’ll be honest with you: products need to make money, so many will try to sell you on that. However, my personal experience has been that pimple patches are best at draining fluid from pimples that are actually at the surface; they do little, if anything, for blind pimples overall. #sorry
6. Don’t Forget About Benzoyl Peroxide
Out of all of the hacks listed in this article, the one that you may be the most familiar with is benzoyl peroxide. That’s because, when it comes to popular skincare brands that claim to get rid of pimples, in general, this is an ingredient that is in many of them. And with good reason. Benzoyl peroxide is a powerful antiseptic that cleanses bacteria from pimples, including blind pimples. Just make sure that if this is what you decide to use, you take the “less is more” approach. It’s not uncommon for people to overdo it when it comes to applying this product, and that can lead to redness, skin peeling, itchiness, and your skin becoming worse instead of better. Indeed, with benzoyl peroxide, a little bit goes a really long way.
7. Use a Blend of Grapeseed Oil and Jojoba Oil
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Although, on the surface, it might sound odd that putting oil on a pimple can help it to go away, there is a reason why that is absolutely the case. See, the focus isn’t so much the oil but the ingredients that are in it. For instance, coconut oil is high in lauric acid, and, not only does that help to kill the bacteria that cause acne, but it can also reduce any scarring that may be left behind once the acne lesions start to heal. Two other oils that are awesome as a combo are grapeseed and jojoba oil. Grapeseed is dope because it contains vitamin E (which is loaded with antioxidants) along with strong antimicrobial properties that can help to heal pimples (including blind pimples), while jojoba is awesome because it contains anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial agents that can reduce the appearance of blind pimples — especially if you apply a mixture of them directly onto your blind pimples every night.
8. Invest in a LED Device
If blind pimples and acne overall are something that you deal with on a fairly consistent basis, you might want to look into investing in an at-home red light therapy device. These are beneficial because light therapy helps not only kill bacteria but stimulate collagen production, too. These types of devices are gaining traction for removing the swelling of blind pimples quickly and effectively, so it couldn’t hurt to invest in one to see how it works for you personally.
9. Up the Omega-3 Foods
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If you want to boost your brain health, strengthen your heart, reduce your chances of getting breast cancer, improve your vision, and even help to prevent and/or bring relief to certain autoimmune diseases, get more omega-3 fatty acids into your system. Since these acids are pretty good at also reducing inflammation, that’s why they can be helpful at speeding up the healing process of a blind pimple. Foods that can help you out in this department include walnuts, tuna, eggs, fortified orange juice, and flaxseed oil.
10. Reduce Your Dairy Intake
I still think it’s wild that humans are pretty much the only mammals who consume another mammal’s baby milk — and for me, that has become enough of a reason to be cool with staying in my oat milk alternative lane (for the most part); not to mention the fact that it’s made me feel better overall (you can read more about health risks that are associated with consuming dairy here, here and here).
And when it comes to your pimples and mine, even the American Academy of Dermatology Association had to go on record as saying that cow’s milk has been linked to breakouts, while other studies state that dairy overall can aggravate acne in people ages 30 and under due to the hormones that are typically in dairy products like milk and cheese.
So, if blind pimples seem to pop up out of nowhere whenever you and pizza or ice cream are bonding together — while I hate to rain on your parade, that’s probably not some random coincidence. #sorryagain
11. Drink Some Spearmint Tea
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Articles I’ve written for the platform like “10 Teas That Are Great For The Fall Season — As Far As Hair Growth Is Concerned,” “10 'Uncommon' Teas You Should Add To Your Stash (& Why)” and “So, Here Are Some Teas That Will Make Your Sex Life So Much Better” prove that I’m a big time tea fan. In fact, when I finish penning this article, I’m gonna treat myself to some black tea and honey…and I can’t wait. Before closing this out, though, if you also like tea, make sure that you’ve got some spearmint in your tea collection.
Not only is it great when it comes to fighting bacterial infections and reducing stress, but it might also trip you out to know that it can help to balance out your hormones and — get this — even move unwanted facial hair. And why is it great for treating blind pimples? Well, the properties in it help to kill bacteria-causing acne and reduce the inflammation of zits. Yeah, definitely one of the best teas you can have in your possession is spearmint, for sure.
12. Leave the "White Stuff" Alone
Even though white foods like pasta, rice, and bread may taste really good, the reality is they don’t have many nutrients in them. Plus, they are simple carbohydrates that turn into sugar — and sugar is definitely a culprit for pimples. The main reason is because sugar can cause inflammation, and inflammation can increase sebum production. So, if you must do the white stuff, consume it in moderation. Your health will thank you. Your complexion, including when it comes to treating and preventing blind pimples, will too!
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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.
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It’s not like it has to be a bad thing. In fact, studies say that somewhere around 15 percent of engaged couples actually met through a friend. All I’m saying is, before you entertain someone’s “I’ve got someone I want you to meet” invitation, it would benefit you to interview them first — for the sake of all parties involved.
The questions that I recommend asking? The following six are what I think can get everyone on the same page, so that there is more pleasure than regret from the hook-up attempt.
1. Why Are They So Invested?
GiphyTwo things that I recently watched over again are the series Survivor’s Remorse (the writing is so damn good) and a movie called Trapped in Temptation (both are currently on Tubi). Something that both of them made me think about is the fact that motive reveals a lot when it comes to why people say and do the things that they do.
When it comes to the movie, specifically, without giving the film away — let me just say that, if you are in a relationship, be really careful about listening to individuals who try to talk you out of maintaining it. More times than not, the motive is shady as hell. And honestly, sometimes people who are close to obsessed with you being in one deserve a bit of side-eye too.
Now, if it’s someone who loves all things love, they are in love and they want you to experience something similar — that’s sweet. Just make sure that they are approaching the set up from a healthy space. What I mean by that is they don’t see singleness as some sort of relational handicap or they aren’t trying to override what you want for your life as if they somehow know better (there are so many ways to be a control freak, y’all).
Hmph. Now that I think about it — make sure that the set-up crew isn’t trying to use you to “save” some male friend or relative of theirs. I say that because I once knew a mother whose son had — count ‘em — 10 kids and she was FOREVER trying to get me to date him. Girl, that wasn’t for me. She was looking for a Holy Ghost Jr. for that child of hers. I’ll pass. HARD PASS.
Bottom line with this one — if someone wants to set you up with someone else, the first thing to ask is why? Make sure to really listen to what their answer is. Then pay attention to if your mind, body and spirit are at peace with their answer(s).
2. Do They Know What You Want?
GiphyI don’t know about y’all, but the people (and let’s be honest, by far, it’s usually women) who have tried to set me up with someone? They didn’t even know what my preferences or type was. Hell, they didn’t even know my thoughts or timeline as it relates to being in a serious relationship were either. And what that boils down to is they were trying to hook me up based on their agenda, not mine — and that usually meant that the guys who they came up with? Yeah…I was good on them. LOL.
Yeah, if someone wants to hook you up, you definitely should ask them if they know what you are looking for in a guy when it comes to his looks, personality, passions, spirituality, relational desires and goals, location, etc. Because, indeed, what is the point in going out with someone who is fine as hell and yet, you want kids and he doesn’t (or vice versa) or who has a great personality yet he isn’t even in the same ballpark of your spiritual beliefs?
If your friend really wants to help you out, valuing your time should come with that — and that means bringing someone into your life who complements your lifestyle. No wiggle room here.
3. Are They Aware of Your Deal-Breakers?
GiphyLast year, I wrote an article for the platform entitled, “Should Bad Sex Actually Be A Relationship Deal-Breaker?” The thing that I think needs to go on record about deal-breakers is they aren’t exactly standards that you have. No, a deal-breaker is something that can’t be worked out even after trying to negotiate or compromise. When it comes to relationships, a deal-breaker might be how long two people should date before becoming exclusive or getting engaged. Another deal-breaker might be if being religious is more important than being spiritual and how that manifests itself (church or no church, etc.). And yes, another deal-breaker may be what each other’s sexual needs and expectations are.
When someone is setting you up, it is imperative that they know about your standards. For instance, for me, I am not interested in dating a divorced person, pretty much ever (I Corinthians 7:10-11). I’ve had friends who have tried to hook me up with that demographic before and it has always been a moot effort. The fact that some of them have gotten frustrated with my convictions has absolutely nothing to do with me. Some have tried to get me to compromise my deal-breakers too — like a long-distance relationship. Is it a firm “naw”? No. However, it’s not really something that I am interested in, so why not just…recommend someone local?
Yeah, if someone thinks that they know you well enough to hook you up, they absolutely should be well-versed in what your deal-breakers are before they do. And if they’ve never asked, all they are doing is assuming — and we know what that typically means. LOL.
4. What Is Their Track Record?
GiphyIt’s kind of wild that we now live in a time when more couples meet online than they do through “old-fashioned ways” like via their friends (although some reports say that Gen Z is getting back to that) — and yet, here we are. Still, if you are willing to let someone play pseudo matchmaker in your life, you are well within your rights to inquire about their track record in that department. Have they hooked others up, successfully, before? Has any of their “Cupid work” caused both people to get exactly what they wanted out of the situation? If/when things went awry, why was that?
I know someone who is constantly trying to hook people up. Thing is, maybe 10-15 percent (no joke) of their efforts have proven to be positive and fruitful — and we’re talking about close to close to two decades of them doing it. Listen, time is too precious to be out here doing stuff ONLY to please other people. That said, if someone wants you to devote some time to one of their grand ideas, you are well within your rights to ask about their past and current success score when it comes to it.
5. Can They Keep Their Own Feelings Out of It?
GiphyWanna know if someone who is offering to do something for you is actually doing it more for themselves? If they try to make it be about them when things don’t go the way they would like, that is a dead ringer. An example? They post a message about you on social media and then question you about why you didn’t do the same thing in return. Another example? They do something for you and then throw it in your face during an argument. Still another example? They set you up with someone, it doesn’t work out, and suddenly you’ve put them in a weird spot. No dear — you put your own self in that position by trying to hook two people up in the first place.
I promise you, it will spare everyone unnecessary energy spent (or even drama experienced) if, before you agree to be hooked up, you get the matchmaker on record stating that they will keep their emotions out of it as much as possible. MEANING — they will do the introductions and then let the chips fall where they may. If they can’t do this, my two cents (save it or spend it) would be to decline the offer. Because all you need is someone texting you about why you haven’t called their cousin back or having an attitude with you when you break up with some guy at their church who they thought was the perfect catch (P.S. These aren’t hypothetical examples — LOL).
6. Will They Respect Your Boundaries? Start to Finish?
GiphyYeah, this final one is a biggie. Just because someone sets you up with another person, that doesn’t automatically or necessarily mean that they should have the right to the details of the dynamic. I don’t care if it’s the first date or the 10th date. I don’t care if you decide to just be sex buddies or to have a full-blown relationship. I don’t care if you stay together or break-up — it’s your relationship which makes it your business. Whatever you share is privileged data.
Yeah, I would say that probably the most challenging thing about being hooked up by someone you know is they have a tendency to think that they are a part of the relationship too — and that is a lie. If things go well beyond a couple of dates, you and the guy should discuss what you will both share with the person who introduced you and then agree to stick to that boundary, no matter what. It’s a great way to protect the dynamic, to keep “outside voices” from influencing the growth and to navigate how you want to move, moving forward.
Someone who hooked you up for the right reasons and knows how to honor limits? They will understand. Will they ask questions? Absolutely. Will they pry? Nah.
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Should you sit and let someone hook you up? I mean, you never know how your blessing will come. Just make sure that they are prepared for you to do some digging into their mindset before they start sweetly meddling into your love life.
It’s only fair. Hell, and right. LOL.
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