Discover the beauty secrets of Gaëlle Prudencio, spokesperson for the body positive movement

A few weeks ago, I had the chance to be invited by Rochas perfumes to spend 48 hours with about ten influencers, to discover Girl, their new eau de parfum placed under the sign of sorority and naturalness. The only "print" journalist among all these digital pros, I met some great people there. I, who was expecting a somewhat "playground" atmosphere, discovered young women who were all kind to each other. others, sharing their content, constantly exchanging, in short, two days of great surprises in a more than friendly atmosphere.

Among them, the sparkling Gaëlle Prudencio. Meeting her is like smiling at life, forgetting all your complexes, drowning in her laughter, but also listening to a "real" person like you don't meet every day. Coming at the start to chat about beauty, it is impossible not to deviate from the life course of this magic woman. In short, if I could give her a prize, I would award her that of the friendliest influencer in France! Meet.

“I decided to stop fighting against my weight”

GALA: How did you get on social media?

GP: Fifteen years ago, I created a blog where I talked about plus size fashion because I had a lot of difficulty getting dressed. Like many women in my case, I was surfing on forums and I had found many "rounds" who posted their photos. I wanted to do the same, to give my tips, to reclaim my image in a way. At the time, I was coming out of yet another diet that had cost me a lot. The blog immediately took off. It allowed me to meet "sisters in arms" who were going through the same thing as me. And then, social networks brought the term body positive which fit perfectly with my philosophy of life: everyone must be able to be free to live.

Gala: Tell us more!

GP: At that time, I decided to stop fighting my weight, and I discovered that big and beautiful could go well together. Because unfortunately, people associate a lot of being fat with being ugly. After the blog, I started sharing on Facebook but at the time, those around me didn't understand that I, a lawyer, could want to talk about this kind of thing to strangers. So when I left my company, it was the pompom of misunderstanding around me! And then Instagram came along. This social network allowed me to go further in sharing, to be more in contact with my subscribers. Finally, five years ago, I decided to professionalize this whole process and today, I have achieved my goals: to have my brand and release a book.

"Each model in my collection is available in three lengths and several prints"

GALA: Tell us about your fashion brand GP: In 2017, I created a clothing line for curvy women that I called Ibilola*. In the Yoruba language, it means “birth is wealth”. It is also the name of my big sister who died when I was 12 years old. She would have liked to be a designer and for me, it was obvious to give her first name to my brand.

GALA: What message do you want to convey? GP: It's very simple: when you're fat and you arrive on the site, you see right away that you'll find a garment that suits you! Each new collection, each model is available in three lengths, to satisfy those who assume their shapes and those who assume them less. The collections offer three to four different prints and a variable number of models, I like the idea of ​​creating by feeling.

GALA: Do you do everything alone? GP: No! I work with a fashion designer who is in Paris. I give her my ideas, she draws them. Then, I send the sketches to the workshop in Cotonou, in Benin, so that the seamstresses make the models.

GALA: Fashion is not your only activity?

GP: No, I also create content for my social networks, Instagram, Facebook, etc. (@gaelleprudencio), I also take care of my blog, the newsletter, shootings for my site and also taking for the body positive movement. Anyway, I'm very busy!

"In France, the first thing I suffered was to discover that I was a black woman".

GALA: Have you suffered a lot from fatphobia?

GP: Oh yes, how many times have I been told “you have a pretty face but you really need to lose weight”! And it was in Senegal, my country of origin, that I suffered the most. Here, we like plump women when they are mothers, adults, but when they are young, they must be slender, have the right shapes where they need to be because, let's face it, we are subject to the impact of beauty criteria of the West. In France, the first thing I suffered was to discover that I was a black woman. In Africa, it was not a subject and finally, I realized that I was at the intersection of several discriminations: I am a woman, I am fat, I am therefore a black and fat woman, and if I add the Afro, so there, I still took this racism head on! I was also told: "Your book, we won't be able to sell it, it will only interest black and fat women!" »…

Gala: Today, you say you are at peace with your body

GP: Yes, I accepted it, I don't want to undergo any more injunction. You know, since my adolescence, I think I've done all the diets on earth, and especially the worst! I was 12 when I did my first protein diet! I lost 18 kilos, I regained 25! And I'm sure that if I had been allowed to grow up normally, things would have been different.

"I'm a big fan of lipsticks"

GALA: You're super flirtatious, beauty, do you love that?

GP: I was brought up with a mother and sisters who were always pretty, smart, made up, had their hair done. And if they didn't have time, they wore a scarf which gave them a magnificent head bearing. I don't think I've ever seen them neglected. Even with a simple loincloth, they had an incredible presence!

GALA: Tell us about your daily beauty routine.

GP: You will have noticed, I love lipstick! It's kind of my make-up signature, and I sometimes wear just that. I'm quite a fan of matte reds, I find that they bring more character to the face. People made fun of my big mouth for a long time and as a bonus, I have the teeth of happiness, this part of my face has always been a subject of mockery. When I was 12, I fell in love with a friend of my mom's who also had a very, very big mouth and who wore lipstick all the time. That day, I realized that I too had the right to wear it! And as soon as I could, I bought some! Today, I'm a fan of those from Melayci Cosmetics! An awesome brand created by a black woman that I adore. She launched herself on Ulule, respect. His products are beautiful, well-worked and I wear one of his references on the cover of my book. And I like to alternate with Yves Saint Laurent reds.

"When you're a black woman and, what's more, frizzy, believe me, you have a real capillary mental load!"

GALA: Tell us about your skincare routine.

GP: On that side, I'm more like less is more! My first beauty secret is to drink water. After all, I'm not the type to use a thousand products. I mainly use the Kiehl's brand, makeup remover, serum, night oil, etc. On the body, I'm a fan of Maison Dassam's shea cream. My advice, when you are not super comfortable with your body, is to take the time to massage your treatment, to touch your skin, just to learn to reconcile with your body and reclaim it, to be "cool" with yourself. It is absolutely necessary to look in the mirror, not to look away. Personally, I often dance in front of my mirror, it puts me in a good mood, I almost feel like I'm at a Beyoncé concert.

Gala: Is your hair and you a long story?

GP: When you're a black woman and, what's more, frizzy, believe me, it's not easy! We have a real capillary mental load! To have frizzy hair is not to fit into the boxes. In some somewhat strict professions, you can't display yourself with an afro, you don't think it's serious. I think you have to ignore all that, succeed in having your own identity, not flinch and take responsibility with a capital A! And for this, social networks have largely contributed to “democratizing” certain hairstyles. But I think that in France, hairdressers should have training for this type of hair or train themselves, it would be easier than having to go to specialized salons which are often quite expensive. I go to L'Amethyss in Paris in the 9th. And at home I shampoo and conditioner about every two days and am a fan of Les Secrets de Loly products!

"All the women I meet day after day inspire me in their own way"

Gala: What smells do you like?

GP: Those of my childhood! I have always liked vanilla, as far as I can remember, moreover, we find this note in many products that I use. I also love the smell of incense. In Senegal, it is often put in interiors to chase away spirits or to welcome one's husband. As soon as I smell it somewhere, I have the impression of plunging back into childhood. Moreover, in the metro, when I meet African women, I immediately recognize the smell of incense on their clothes.

Gala: Your favorite perfumes?

GP: I like to wear several: I alternate between Eaudemoiselle by Givenchy, Girl by Rochas and Classique by Jean Paul Gaultier. He's a fashion designer that I really like, especially for his emphasis on diversity. I'm crazy about perfumes from Yves Rocher, especially the monoi one, they remind me of my first years of college, the product orders I made, the samples I loved to receive...

Gala: The women who inspire you? GP: My mother Regina who lives in Senegal, my aunts, but also Michelle Obama, Beyoncé, Oprah Winfrey and all the women I meet day after day, my friends, all of them inspire me in their own way!

Find Gaëlle Prudencio's brand on ibilola.com

Photo credits: Capucine de Chocqueuse