This article was previously published in Ananke’s special edition: Emirati Women’s Day and can be viewed here.
The beauty of self-love is Salama’s story. Finding self-love can be a long and winding road, which is something Salama Mohamed knows all too well. Today the UN High Profile Ambassador considers herself truly blessed, with an inspired community of over 14 million followers across YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok ,who have joined her journey, and now with the launch of her skincare brand Peacefull in June 2021, Salama shares with passion and determination, that all should love the skin they are in.
Born and raised in the UAE, Salama is a proud Emirati who passionately talks about the importance of self-love. For Salama, skincare isn’t just a passion, it’s deeply personal. Having vitiligo and sensitive skin herself as well as having many family members with eczema and psoriasis, she knows all too well what it’s like not to be at peace with your skin. After discovering her own skincare solution in the healing powers of active ingredients, Salama felt a deep desire to help others and set out to find innovative and effective solutions, to make sure that everyone feels comfortable and confident in their skin, a moment that marked the launch of her personal online profile and skincare brand, Peacefull.
Counting your blessings is something often forgotten, and Salama is constantly thankful for all that has come her way. Having built an enterprise over media, e-commerce and now skincare, she cites her experiences and journey as pivotal to her success. In 2012, Salama spent two and a half years in Palo Alto, California, the home to market disruptors. This time in the entrepreneurial hub and amongst the Stanford community marked the moment where she kicked off her journey to open her personal social media account and spark conversations around skin and self-worth.
With contracts spanning multiple brands including Clinique and La Roche-Posay in the region and beyond, she shared her self-love journey throughout the years. The announcement of Peacefull was a natural extension of Salama’s journey to date and the realization of a lifelong dream, to build a line from the region, for the region and thereafter to create product ranges specifically made for communities that are inclusive of all genders, in which they sell. Ananke exclusively chats with Salama on the special occasion of Emirati Women’s Day.
Tell us about yourself and your journey that led you to where you are today?
I’ve been blessed with vitiligo and sensitive skin from early on, so I’ve always searched for skin care products that would provide my skin with what it needed but couldn’t find ones that hit the mark for me. Eventually, through my search, I stumbled on Korean skincare and discovered the healing powers of active ingredients through the 10-step skincare routine and I have not looked back since! I swear by it, it completely changed my skin and my relationship with skincare. This ultimately led to me creating Peacefull, which you can say started out of necessity because I needed products that would help my sensitive skin. After finding Korean skincare and active ingredients, I wanted to share formulas that work with my community because I truly believe we all deserve good skincare!
Your quote “Being comfortable in your skin is one of the greatest forms of self-love” is very interesting, can you please elaborate on that?
For me, this is getting to a place of pure and unbridled acceptance. To be able to feel blessed with our individuality and different skin types. Going through my own skincare journey has allowed me to become more confident with all the things that make me unique and with this, I realized I had a community that I owed it to, to be my most authentic and vulnerable self when it came to discussing skin and beauty. This is why with the campaign for Peacefull, I decided not to retouch the images – I wanted people to see unfiltered images for what they are – beautiful.
Coming to Peacefull, we’d first like to know about the name. Why this particular word?
I’ve always said that being at peace in your skin is the highest form of self-love and I’m not sure if you know but Salama, my name, means peace and safety, so there was such a direct link that it just felt right. And we specifically spell with a double ‘l’ to emphasize how Peacefull our products are and make you feel!
Peacefull epitomizes important subjects including being comfortable in one’s skin and self-worth. Can you tell us more about the brand and the product?
Peacefull is a skincare brand from the region for the region! We are an inclusive brand made for everyone, all genders, all nationalities, all skin types, and sensitive skin for those aged 18 and above. Our products are special and heroes in their own special way. Each product was formulated uniquely with hybrid formulas (you won’t find anything like them in the market!) and brings with it a special benefit and its place in the skincare routine. For example, our mugwort clay mask is a face wash that gives you the benefits of wearing a clay mask but with hydration, so you are not stripping your natural skin moisture. And don’t get me started on the toner, it’s one of a kind! It’s actually a hybrid between a toner and an essence. Crazy, we know! And I can’t forget the ever glow moisturizer which is the product you’ve always wanted in your life. It doesn’t leave you feeling like a glazed donut. There is no stickiness, oiliness or greasiness and yet it plumps your skin and gives you the natural, healthy glow that you deserve.
With so much commercialization and commodification of beauty and the aesthetics, brands like Peacefull play a pivotal role in changing the negative narrative. What kind of change do you aspire to initiate/trigger?
With Peacefull, our message isn’t just one of self-love but also highlighting the importance of openness, tolerance, inclusivity and hospitality. Everyone on our campaign is a testament to this! We want to embrace the world and everyone for who they truly are! Our brand is as inclusive as this region is and we aim is to represent everyone and bring them into a Peacefull space every single day.
Can you share your thoughts about the UAE and what this celebration means to you?
We live in a country where anything is possible! One that is not afraid of putting itself out there as the first, the innovator. As an Emirati woman, I’m blessed and thankful every day to come from and live in a place that teaches us not to be afraid to dream big, aim high and that one’s limitations are only set by their imagination. As you know, the hardest path is the road not travelled, the one you have to create for others to follow along the way. So when you’re surrounded by leaders and people who are growing and striving to become better every single day, there’s a domino effect and it trickles down to the very way you live your life. Even when they reach the top, they remind you that excellence is an ever-growing, ever-evolving construct, so it inspires us to work at being the best we can be. To work harder, dream bigger and not be afraid to try new, unexplored and unexpected things.
We would like you to end this interview with a message for all our readers.
The first step to self-love and being at peace is all about perspective. Switching your outlook on skin and accepting your unique qualities and ultimately making it your superpower can be hard but is possible. Surround yourself with love and positivity. Your skin is a blessing! Don’t be hard on yourself or your skin, love and nurture it. For more information, please visit peacefull.com.
