Self-love means also caring for your yoni. For years, women openly discussing their yoni was taboo. Growing up, the only "yoni talk" between my Puerto Rican mother and I was, "You better not come in my house pregnant." My mother's words scared me straight, so I steered away from acknowledging my yoni altogether. My yoni and I were complete strangers. As I got older, the fear of exploring my yoni rolled into the lack of acceptance of my own body and sexual expression. It took me years to freely discover myself or even look at her.
Now, thanks to radical feminism and the body positivity movement on social media, I have fully embraced my yoni. I've learned taking great care of our yonis is a way of honoring our temple. The female anatomy is beautiful and you should never feel embarrassed or uncomfortable to connect with it. Since taking care of your yoni is indeed a form of self-care, here are 5 self-care practices for your vag, vajayjay, yoni, or if you're a millennial or a Gen Z-er, your WAP.
Don’t Curve Your Gyno
Shutterstock
Hey, I get it. I'm not thirsty for a pap smear either, but as a woman it's part of the job. For those of you who aren't familiar, a pap smear is a procedure used to collect cells from the cervix as a means to test for cervical cancer. Getting a pap smear can reduce the risk of cancer, STIs, and other health-related issues. According to sources like Women's Health, it is recommended that women get a pap smear every three years and/or during yearly wellness checks.
Cancel Douching, Consider Yoni Steaming Instead.
In recent years (thanks to Gwyneth Paltrow's lifestyle brand GOOP), yoni steaming has become very popular. Yoni steaming is a natural remedy facial for your vagina. The remedy stems from ancient medicine. Women are instructed to infuse a variety of herbs into a steaming pot of water. When the steam comes to a comfortable temperature, you may sit over it for anywhere between 30 and 60 minutes. According to Healthline some benefits to steaming are allegedly hormone imbalance, generalized pain, stress, depression, and hemorrhoids.
Women have also praised yoni steaming for healing deep wounds from sexual trauma and honoring their womanhood. It is also celebrated for its alleged ability to restore balance as well as being a catalyst for healing. Steaming can be done at home or in spas that specialize in yoni steaming. It is best to take into consideration that yoni steaming has not been scientifically proven to improve vaginal health. If you attempt to partake, do so at your own risk.
Use Fragrance-Free Feminine Wash.
Shutterstock
According to Mary Bogel, a pelvic floor physical therapist who shared her thoughts with Elite Daily, using fragrance soap to clean your vagina can be too over-drying. Instead, she suggested using a castile soap or glycerin soap and advised women to look for soap with a pH between 5.3 and 7.3. Harsh-scented soaps are not needed to cleanse the vagina. The beautiful thing about our yoni is it contains a healthy amount of bacteria and it's also capable of self-cleaning. I love a good Lush bath bomb as much as the next person, but for the sake of yoni self-care, it's best to be mindful of such products. If you love to indulge in baths, please consider natural bath balms. DIY vaginal washes are also a great way to honor your yoni.
If You Don’t Use Condoms Or Lube, We Not Linking.
Part of honoring your yoni is protecting your temple. Safe sex is always great sex. According to the STD-Center, women have a 60-90% chance of being infected by another male. The chances of those women being women of color are even higher. Safe sex is also great with lube. Using lube helps enhance your sexual experience and is overall easier on your yoni. According to ippf.org, using lube decreases your chances of injury during sex. To find the best lubrication for you and your yoni, check out our article on the site, "If You've Always Wanted A 'Lubricant Cheat Sheet,' Here Ya Go".
Going Commando Hits Different!
Shutterstock
Yes, we know you are obsessed with your Savage x Fenty panties, but let her breathe honey! She needs her space! It's OK if you don't feel comfortable going commando during the day. Going commando while you are wearing jeans might not be a good fit, sis. However, going commando at night can be more of a practical choice for most women and allows you to still tap into the benefits of going commando. According to Healthline, going commando means fewer chances of having a yeast infection (not cute). Another added benefit is the reduced chances of vaginal odor.
At the end of the day, honor your yoni like she's Beyonce. We are queens and as queens, we need to pay homage to our yonis. Our yoni is the entryway to our kingdom, our energy, and our divine femininity. We hope you radically accept your yoni for the beauty she is and honor her the way she deserves.
Are you a member of our insiders squad? Join us in the xoTribe Members Community today!
Featured image by Shutterstock
- How Do You Perform a Vaginal Self-Exam? - xoNecole: Women's ... ›
- What Are Yoni Detox Pearls, Vagina Detox - xoNecole: Women's ... ›
RELATED
While speaking to xoNecole, Eva shares that she’s a lot like the beloved 1994 character in many ways. “Lyric is so me. She's the odd flower. A flower nonetheless, but definitely not a peony,” she tells us.
“She's not the average flower you see presented, and so she reminds me of myself. I'm a sunflower, beautiful, but different. And what I loved about her character then, and even more so now, is that she was very sure of herself.
"Sure of what she wanted in life and okay to sacrifice her moments right now, to get what she knew she deserved later. And that is me. I'm not an instant gratification kind of a person. I am a long game. I'm not a sprinter, I'm a marathon.
America first fell in love with Eva when she graced our screens on cycle 3 of America’s Next Top Model in 2004, which she emerged as the winner. Since then, she's ventured into different avenues, from acting on various TV series like House of Payne to starring on Real Housewives of Atlanta.
Je-Caryous Johnson Entertainment
Eva praises her castmates and the play’s producer, Je’Caryous for her positive experience. “You know what? Je’Caryous fuels my audacity car daily, ‘cause I consider myself an extremely audacious woman, and I believe in what I know, even if no one else knows it, because God gave it to me. So I know what I know. That is who Je’Caryous is.”
But the mom of three isn’t the only one in the family who enjoys acting. Eva reveals her daughter Marley has also caught the acting bug.
“It is the most adorable thing you can ever see. She’s got a part in her school play. She's in her chorus, and she loves it,” she says. “I don't know if she loves it, because it's like, mommy does it, so maybe I should do it, but there is something about her.”
Overall, Eva hopes that her contribution to the role and the play as a whole serves as motivation for others to reach for the stars.
“I want them to walk out with hope. I want them to re-vision their dreams. Whatever they were. Whatever they are. To re-see them and then have that thing inside of them say, ‘You know what? I'm going to do that. Whatever dream you put on the back burner, go pick it up.
"Whatever dream you've accomplished, make a new dream, but continue to reach for the stars. Continue to reach for what is beyond what people say we can do, especially as [a] Black collective but especially as Black women. When it comes to us and who we are and what we accept and what we're worth, it's not about having seen it before. It's about knowing that I deserve it.”
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image by Leon Bennett/WireImage
Just this week on Sunday, April 13, Aaron shared a shirtless selfie to his IG Stories, a classic thirst trap moment, complete with abs on display, and emitting just enough heat to get the timeline talking. Not long after, Teyana hopped on her own IG Stories with a three-word message that had the internet abuzz: “on di wey 😮💨.”
Aaron Pierre/Instagram via people.com
Now, maybe it was just a coincidence... but let’s be honest, it didn’t feel like one.
Especially considering Aaron’s West Indian roots and Teyana’s long-documented admiration for tall men she can climb like a tree (her ex-husband Iman Shumpert is 6'5" and Aaron's not far behind at 6'4"). That “on di wey” hit like a flirty green light. And fans caught it, quick.
Teyana Taylor/Instagram via people.com
This isn’t the first time these two have had us side-eyeing and doing double-takes to their timelines.
On March 3, Teyana posted a striking set of black-and-white photos on Instagram alongside Aaron. The two stood back-to-back, dressed to the nines and giving high-fashion, high-intensity energy. Her caption? “Oscar night in black & white, no grey area. 🤍”
Aaron posted the same photos, except his was without a caption, just vibes.
They also shared a table at the American Black Film Festival Honors back in February (where Teyana was also spotted holding his award that he won that night) and were spotted at the Vanity Fair Oscar party looking entirely comfortable in each other’s space. While they haven’t officially confirmed anything, the visuals have done most of the talking.
(L to R) Aaron Pierre, Teyana Taylor, Niecy Nash and Jessica Betts attend the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party
Dave Benett/VF25/WireImage for Vanity Fair
And if you're wondering whether Teyana fits Aaron’s type? First, how could she not be? But second, according to a 2024 interview on Buzzfeed’s Seasoned podcast, the Mufasa: The Lion King star had a thing for women like Ashanti and Foxy Brown growing up. "My first childhood crush was Ashanti, and my second childhood crush was Foxy Brown," he shared at the time, sending social media into a frenzy.
Black women who exude sex appeal, confidence, and boss energy, aka, everything Teyana walks with daily. She’s the moment, the mood, and apparently… the mirror selfie responder...
Since finalizing her divorce from Iman in June 2024, Teyana has been booked, unbothered, and flourishing on her own terms. Between starring in a Dionne Warwick biopic and starring in One Battle After Another, a star-studded film led by Leonardo DiCaprio and helmed by director Paul Thomas Anderson, sis is locked in.
Aaron, meanwhile, is fresh off voicing the title role in Mufasa: The Lion King and gearing up to appear in Lanterns, an upcoming Max DC series, as well as the new season of The Morning Show. Lowkey highkey, they’re both in their leading-role eras, on-screen and maybe, just maybe, in each other’s lives.
Or maybe it’s just vibes. Maybe it’s more. But from the flirty exchanges to the red carpet proximity, this pairing feels like the kind of slow burn romance that soft launches are made of.
And if it is what it looks like? We love this for her.
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 by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for Vanity Fair