Helena Koudou
Photo: Helena Koudou
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Helena Koudou is known for her intricate braid styles, including her signature finger wave braids and cornrows with swirly embellishments. In 2019, the work of Brooklyn-based Ivorian-born Braider (who goes by @slayedinbraids on Instagram) gained attention for her hair and makeup work in popular movies and photo series. hair appointmentexplore the beauty of African hair braids.
More than 12 years ago, Kodou started braiding at her aunt’s Brooklyn-based salon, Alima Hair Braiding Salon. She says her favorite part of knitting is connecting with people from different backgrounds, cultures, and careers. “It’s so reassuring to hear about what inspires them,” she says. “It feels like I’m talking to my homegirl.”
Below, Koudou shares her skincare routine for hormonal acne-prone skin, how she keeps herself grounded by journaling and exercising, and more.
Helena Koudou’s favorite products.
Photo: Helena Koudou
I try to pray for a few minutes before checking my phone in the morning. This will help you start your day in a good mood. After that, I check my social media, take a good shower, and start taking care of my skin. I’m still trying to find what works for me, so I try to keep my skincare routine to a minimum. I have always been a black soap and shea butter person. However, due to hormonal reasons, my skin needed a little more love. I love Tatcha’s Rice Wash Cleanser, Ordinary’s Niacinamide, and Topicals’ Faded Cream. I finish off by applying CeraVe moisturizer and La Roche-Posay sunscreen every day.
My daily makeup is done by Fenty girls! From soft matte liquid foundation to contour and concealer sticks. I love Fenty, especially the matte products, which match my skin tone so well. The foundation looks and feels like skin and is easy to apply with a contour and concealer stick. I have never switched to this brand since it came out.
Repeat the same skin care routine at night, but use CeraVe Nighttime Moisturizer and no sunscreen at night. I also love using Topicals Eye Patches and Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask before bed at night. I end the night writing in my journal about the day and how I feel.
When it comes to hair, my go-to favorite product that I love to use for braids, especially on clients, is the Neat Braid Conditioning Shining Gel from a brand called Pure O. With this, you can create the prettiest parts and braids with any hair. The textures I encountered. Another reason I like using it is that it doesn’t leave any white residue on my hair. One of his hair products that I love to use on my hair is Camille Rose Almond Jai Twisting Butter. After drying my natural hair, I use this product to gently detangle my hair and style it into cornrows or twists. I love this product because it not only smells great, but it also contains aloe vera, which is soothing to the scalp.
I love weightlifting exercises. My favorite training equipment is a jump rope and booty bands. I take my skipping rope and resistance bands with me everywhere, even on vacation. Very convenient, light and portable, perfect for cardio and leg training. My body feels great after a great workout. I’m so tired after a long braiding session that I need to keep my body moving at work. Also, getting a massage is very helpful for work. My hands and feet are the parts of my body that need the most love. So I love incorporating massage into my self-care routine.
What helps me get a good night’s rest is the downtime feature on my phone. I can get distracted by social media, so the Downtime feature is a great way to prioritize sleep. When you take care of yourself, you will shine from the outside. Due to work commitments, we sometimes spend so much of our energy caring for others that we don’t have time to care for ourselves. Before opening a reservation to a client, I take two to three days to get a massage, go to a museum, sleep, or do whatever else I want to do. Taking those days off gives me the energy to care for my clients.
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