Salama Mohamed. Photo: Courtesy
Shaking up the Great Celebrity Beauty Brand influx of 2021, regional influencer Salama Mohamed has dropped her own skincare brand, Peacefull. While best-known for her social media presence – in partnership with husband Khalid Al Ameri, they create family-friendly skits for a combined 1.5 million followers – the Emirati has now expanded into beauty. It’s a natural progression, she explains, given her open journey with vitiligo. In an exclusive interview with Vogue.me, Mohamed explains the three-piece skincare brand’s Korean inspiration, and why the brand works for a Middle Eastern climate.
Vogue.me: What led you to create and launch Peacefull?
Salama Mohamed: I’ve been blessed with vitiligo and sensitive skin from early on, so I’ve always been on the hunt for skin care products that would provide my skin with what it needed, but always came up short, especially given the climate we live in. Eventually, I stumbled on Korean skincare, and I have never looked back ever since! The products completely changed my relationship with skincare. I swear by the 10-step Korean skincare routine, it changed my skin! Through this journey, I discovered the healing powers of Korean active ingredients, and that ultimately led to me creating Peacefull.
All in all, I would say the journey to launching Peacefull started out of necessity because I needed products that would help my sensitive skin and 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!
What significance does the name have?
I strongly believe that being at peace with your own skin is the highest form of self love; that is the Peacefull message. And we specifically spell with a double ‘l’ to emphasize how Peacefull our products are and make you feel!
Peacefull by Salama Mohamed. Photo: Courtesy
Talk us through the range.
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.
The Endless Purifying Toner is a hybrid between a toner and an essence. The Ever Glow Moisturizer 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.
How involved were you in the formula creation?
I’ve been a one woman army for pretty much the whole journey, so very involved. It took me about a year to perfect our formulas, all made from scratch with our partners and factories in Korea.
I was involved in every aspect, from creating formulas that did not exist, testing it on different skin types to make sure they delivered the best results, to the heat chamber tests for all our products to ensure they would survive the Middle Eastern climate, and the packaging, texture, smell, feel, you name it! I wanted to ensure that we would deliver the best products and experience for our customers.
For me this isn’t about launching a brand, it’s about a movement to bring skincare to the forefront of all our lives. A human movement to spread the message of natural beauty, self love, building confidence, and coming together to show love and be proud of each other, and more importantly be proud of who we truly are.
What skin care concerns do you think Arab women have specifically?
Given the climate of the Middle East, we are exposed to the elements of our natural surroundings everyday, from heat and humidity to sun damage and the fast-paced life of the city, which is why we all need to take care of our skin on a daily basis.
Having said that, our products are not only made for Arab women. What makes us unique is that we are for all women and men who live in the region or who are exposed to similar climates. We describe ourselves as a 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 21 and above.
Peacefull by Salama Mohamed. Photo: Courtesy
How does vitiligo affect your day to day life?
Looking back at who I was and who I am today, I can wholeheartedly say that my vitiligo is a blessing. It’s a constant reminder of taking something that makes you feel vulnerable, and turning it into your biggest source of power. My vitiligo reminds me on a daily basis how important self love and self acceptance is. And for me, that is how you change your environment, by embracing who you are. Love attracts love, it’s a domino effect! And soon enough, you will notice everyone around you accepting themselves and being tolerant of themselves and others. There is an incredibly powerful yet subtle influence we have on each other that I hope will have a domino effect around our communities and throughout the world.
Has your Emirati heritage influenced the brand in any way?
Absolutely! We have always been taught by our leaders and our forefathers 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 our aim is to represent everyone and bring them into a Peacefull space every single day.
Peacefull is now available at peacefull.com.
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