August is impactful. This is a month where it’s all or nothing, and a lot is changing and coming to fruition right now. Focus on the energy you are giving out and the energy you are receiving, and work with the divine alchemy in your life to manifest. Powerful things can happen to you this month, and this is the time to set your intentions for them. The month begins in Leo Season and with Venus making its retrograde transit through this bright fire sign. Under this influence, love is a big factor in the changes that are occurring right now, and new energy is being created here. August, overall, is an important time of the year when a new page is being turned.
August 2023 Horoscopes
On the first day of the month, there is a Supermoon in Aquarius. This is the Sturgeon Moon of 2023, and this time is all about connection. Emotionally rejuvenate, let go of separation, and allow yourself to connect deeper to others and the world on another level. Focus on what brings YOU closer to others and your dreams rather than apart from them. On August 16th, there is a New Moon in Leo, and this New Moon is bringing in some happiness, some creativity, and a whole lot of love. This New Moon is all about having confidence in yourself and showing up. Don’t count yourself out right now, and be a little more courageous with your dreams and with how you can express yourself.
Virgo Season begins on August 23rd, and in true Virgo fashion, we are forced with some hard truths on the same day, as Mercury goes retrograde in Virgo as well. Virgo Season altogether is an opportunity to straighten things out, organize the details, and connect to your higher self. Virgo doesn’t put up with what doesn’t feel right, and Virgo Season is often a time when people are cleaning house. With Mercury retrograde in this earth sign in the midst of it all until September 15th, there could be a sense of feeling more pressure to have it all together.
Remember, it’s about progress and not perfection right now, and sometimes just the clarity needs to be enough until you can do more.
On August 27th, Mars enters Libra, and new connections are being built. With the Sun in Virgo and Mars in Libra, two very selfless signs, there is a lot of love and support flowing through the world. Mars in Libra is a reminder to have balance in life and love and to prioritize what and who is important to you. Uranus goes retrograde in Taurus this month from the 28th until January 27, 2024, and Uranus retrograde brings the shock factor. This rebel planet makes changes in the spur of the moment, and in Taurus, a lot of these surprises come to be financial. Uranus in Taurus isn’t afraid to take risks, but Uranus retrograde in Taurus is a reminder to be careful with financial impulses and to make sure you will still have stability through any unexpected changes that may arise.
What’s interesting about August 2023 is that two Full Moons are happening this month. The second one is a Full Moon in Pisces, on August 30th. This Full Moon is the Blue Moon of 2023 and is another Supermoon. With all of this powerful energy moving through the cosmos this month, at the end of August, some major closures are presenting themselves, ones that provide more space emotionally to receive greater blessings. The Blue Moon is about trusting the guidance of your soul.
As the month comes to an end, August is a great month to look back on when it comes to when things started making sense and when things changed for the better.
August 2023 Horoscopes For Every Zodiac Sign
ARIES
AriesKyra Jay for xoNecoleThis month is all about getting out of your comfort zone, Aries. You have been through a time of rejuvenation and contemplation and may have even been secluding yourself from others altogether. In August, you are ready to spread your wings and fly. With a Full Moon happening in your friendship sector on August 1st, right as the month begins, it’s time to close that chapter of your life of feeling like you had to do it all on your own and open up to the community and support around you.
There is a New Moon in a fellow fire sign, Leo, on the 16th, and this New Moon will be highlighting the happy areas of your life. Write a list of gratitude and set your intentions for passion projects you want to see through over the next month, and also what new beginnings you are looking for in love right now. Before the month ends, Mars enters your 7th house of partnership, and you are motivated to connect. The main theme for you this month is working together with others.
TAURUS
TaurusKyra Jay for xoNecoleYou are free, Taurus. August is reminding you of this truth. This month is about releasing yourself from the restrictions you have been feeling in your life and healing the mind. Overthinking has been making things stagnant in your life, and you are ready to break free from this energy this month. The Full Moon at the beginning of the month on the 1st will help your confidence renew and will be reminding you of the accomplishments you have already made.
On August 23rd, Mercury goes retrograde in fellow earth sign Virgo and will be retrograde in your 5th house of romance, hobbies, passion, creativity, and happiness. Over the next few weeks, you are on a journey of finding your happiness in a new way and connecting to the heart space. The old ways of relating and connecting to your passions may not be resonating right now, and this is your opportunity to redefine what lights you up and then move more toward that energy.
GEMINI
GeminiKyra Jay for xoNecoleAugust is about moving on, Gemini. You have been through a lot emotionally, and you are ready to let this heaviness go. The month begins with a Full Moon in your 9th house of adventure, and right as you enter the month, you have your eyes set on the horizon. You are feeling inspired, but it’s okay to take things at the pace you are comfortable with right now, as it’s been a difficult start. Remind yourself this month, deep breaths in, deep breaths out.
Mid-month, there is a New Moon in Leo that will be moving through your 3rd house of communication. Expect some important conversations to be had this month and the revelations to be plentiful. Mid-August is a good time to set your intentions for how you want to move through the world, express yourself, and who you want to connect with. Before August comes to a close, your ruling planet Mercury goes retrograde, and over the next few weeks, you will be going over some things when it comes to your home life, family, and foundations.
CANCER
CancerKyra Jay for xoNecoleThis month is a time of making things happen for yourself, Cancer. You have your eyes set on the path ahead, and you have a lot of energy with you in August. With the Sun in your 2nd house of income, investments, and value systems right now, you are making important plans and are working on your long-term goals. This is the month to be fearless, powerful, and be you, Cancer.
On August 16th, a New Moon is happening in the same area the Sun and Venus retrograde currently are in your chart. You are using your time and energy wisely as you have been realizing, now more than ever, how valuable they are. Focus on new beginnings financially, set your intentions for abundance, and pay attention to what your intuition is telling you. Mercury goes retrograde in your 3rd house of communication a week later, and you could be feeling more misunderstood over the next few weeks. This is happening for you to gain more clarity on who you are and to have the confidence to express that more freely.
LEO
LeoKyra Jay for xoNecoleAugust is a powerful month for you, Leo. You are walking into the month with Leo Season in full swing and so much to learn. The culminations and insights you have been looking for are coming through for you, but they may not be as glamorous as expected. Take your time with what is being revealed to you, as it will all make sense the further you go into the month. On August 1st, the Full Moon in your 7th house of love will be inspiring you to build deeper connections and to cross that bridge.
The New Moon happening this month will be in your sign on the 16th. This New Moon is all about you, and the Moon is shining its healing power on your lioness self. This New Moon, you are seeing things differently, including yourself, and are focused on bringing more love into your life. On August 23rd, Leo Season comes to a close, and Mercury goes retrograde. This Mercury retrograde for you is a time to plan wisely, handle your finances, and go over the details thoroughly. Mercury will be retrograde in a financial zone of your chart, and these matters should be examined during this time.
VIRGO
VirgoKyra Jay for xoNecoleYou can do this, Virgo. August is about creating breakthroughs in your life, and you are doing so. You are overcoming the roadblocks that have been placed in front of you and are claiming your blessings right now. Mars is in your sign for most of this month, and you are passionate about your personal progress. A lot is happening for you in August, as this is when Virgo Season begins, and you are stepping up to the plate and telling the universe that you are ready.
On August 16th, there is a New Moon in your 12th house of closure, and this is when you are really starting to see the past behind you and the new even closer than before. You have healed, you have learned, and you are ready to be free. On August 23rd, Virgo Season begins, and it’s your time to shine. This Virgo Season will be a little different, though, as Mercury will go retrograde in Virgo on the same day. Mercury retrograde for you will be about getting to know yourself better, and self-love is the priority right now.
LIBRA
LibraKyra Jay for xoNecolePerspective is everything in August, Libra. There is a lot of emotional energy you are moving through this month, and as a more mental sign, this can feel like a lot for you. If you can focus more on the gifts in your world rather than what feels like it’s falling apart, you can rebuild more than what you feel has been lost. The Full Moon happening on August 1st will be in a fellow air sign, and you will be given an opportunity to flow with more synergy, let go of past hurts, and honor your happiness.
On August 16th, there is a New Moon in your house of friendships, and you are feeling more connected, loved, and in tune with your people mid-month. You are turning the page on disappointment and are ready to capture more of the joy others are bringing into your life right now. Before the month ends, Mars enters your sign on the 27th, and with Mars in your sign, you will have the passion, vigor, and energy to see things through that you once felt were weighing you down. A shift of power is happening for you this month, and it’s allowing you more freedom to be, to love, and to be happy most of all.
SCORPIO
ScorpioKyra Jay for xoNecoleAugust is an enlightening month for you, Scorpio. You are reaching new heights, inspiring others, and your spirit is moving through a renewal. There are a lot of exciting moments happening for you this month, and one good thing is leading into another. The Full Moon happening on August 1st will allow you to close a chapter when it comes to finding your ground, growing new roots, and emotionally regulating. You are walking into the month with less emotional baggage and more creative freedom.
Mercury goes retrograde this month on the 23rd and will be retrograde in an area of your chart having to do with your aspirations, dreams, friendships, and community. You could be feeling like your dreams are being put on the back burner for the time being or like you have to rethink some of them. Once Mercury goes direct, you will have a better idea of what you want and how to get there. Uranus goes retrograde this month as well and in your partnership sector, so it’s best to flow with change when it comes to others rather than fight it. You are discovering new truths in August.
SAGITTARIUS
SagittariusKyra Jay for xoNecoleYou are feeling things through this month, Sagittarius. August is an emotional time for you, and one where you are feeling more nostalgic than usual but also feeling more excited than what’s been as well. You are someone who typically focuses on either the future or the present, but right now, you are honoring the past you have been through to be here. On the first day of this month, there is a Full Moon, and this Full Moon will give you that clarity and divine insight you have been looking for.
The New Moon on the 16th is happening in fellow fire sign Leo, and this is the time of the month when you are feeling more adventurous and spontaneous. This is a good time to travel or set your intentions for travel plans as you discover some new inspirations right now. The second Full Moon of the month is on August 30th, and this Full Moon will allow you to find stability within what you were communicating at the beginning of the month and the declarations you have been making altogether.
CAPRICORN
CapricornKyra Jay for xoNecoleThe world is yours, Capricorn. New opportunities are coming into your life, and you are feeling more inspired than ever. This is an exciting time for you and one when you are unfolding the magic in your life. As you move into the month, ask yourself, “How good could it really get for me right now?” The New Moon happening on the 16th is a door opening into the divine, spiritual, and emotionally transforming experiences that can lead you to your manifestations.
On August 23rd, Mercury goes retrograde in Virgo and does so in your 9th house of travel, adventure, education, and the higher mind. Take this time to develop your mind, learn something new, connect with different types of people, and think about the big picture. If you plan on traveling over the next few weeks, look things over thoroughly, and most importantly, have patience. There is a Full Moon happening on the 30th before the month ends, and this will bring things into perspective before moving forward again.
AQUARIUS
AquariusKyra Jay for xoNecoleThe seeds you have been planting are showing fruition, Aquarius. You have had to have a lot of patience with what you are bringing to life right now, and this month is a reminder that it was all worth it. The month starts with a Full Moon in your sign, and you are emotionally feeling like a different person than you were a year ago. You are wrapping up a major cycle in your life this month and are preparing for a rebirth. August is giving you many gifts, clarity on thy self, the most important one.
On August 16th, there is a New Moon in your sister sign, Leo, and this New Moon is opening up new doors for you in love. Set your intentions for your relationships during this New Moon, and make love the focus right now. Mars moves into Libra before the month ends and enters your house of adventure. This month has been a lot about patience and perseverance, and when Mars makes this transit on the 28th, you feel creative, inspired, and courageous.
PISCES
PiscesKyra Jay for xoNecoleAugust is a game of balance, Pisces. There are things you are letting go of, and new beginnings you are walking into as well. There is so much to see, so many places to be, and love to be felt, and you are doing it all this month. On August 1st, the Full Moon will be allowing you to let go of what’s been keeping you away from you, and you are honoring what you have learned in the process. You are walking into this month ready for whatever comes your way.
Mercury goes retrograde in your opposite sign, Virgo, on the 23rd, and this retrograde will be about love. You are learning more about yourself through your relationships with others and may be going through some growth spurts in love. Open communication will heal, and the bonds that are meant for you will only strengthen at the end of this transit. Before the month ends, there is a Full Moon in your sign, and you are walking away from what no longer serves you. You have learned a lot about yourself, and nothing is stopping you from being the person you want to be.
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Featured image by Kyra Jay for xoNecole
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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.
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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