Skwálwen Botanicals - Indigenous Luxury Beauty Brand

Botanicals Skin Care

We just love our latest new brand! From the west coast of Canada, on Squamish Nation Lands, Leigh Joseph PhD, ethnobotanist, researcher, and activist, created the Indigenous skincare brand Skwálwen Botanicals as a way to connect the past and present and continue to pass along the plant wisdom of her ancestors. Leigh uses traditional Indigenous plants in her formulas, while also using techniques that are ethical and sustainable.

While we always love all our new products, a few favourites that we want to mention are: 

Skwálwen Botanicals Cranberry Rose Glow Serum

Typically in our product selection a 'serum' refers to an extra product outside of the cleanser/toner/moisturizer routine that is best for a specific purpose (ie. helping with acne or pigmentation or anti-aging ....serums are more concentrated and are like little 'boosters' on top of your routine). Serums are not moisturizers and are typically not hydrating since that's not their purpose - in this case it is; they've named this product a serum but it's a beautiful facial oil that has more brightening antioxidants in it then their Rose Facial Oil (which is better for sensitive/irritated skin).

This serum/facial oil has a gorgeous golden saffron tinge to it which comes from the sea buckthorn, and along with the cranberry, blackberry, raspberry, and rose, it makes a powerful elixir for maturing or dull skin.

Skwálwen Botanicals Cranberry Rose Cleansing Clay

This waterless cleansing clay is as pure as it comes - since it doesn't need a preservative, it's a very concentrated and effective use of botanicals. It acts as a super gentle exfoliate (the type that can be used daily) and with rose as its main ingredient, it's perfect for sensitive, irritated, or mature skin. 

Cleansing clays aren't the best for makeup removal so I like these types of cleansers for morning use or for those who don't wear makeup.

Skwálwen Botanicals Wild Rose & Yarrow Salve

I thought I'd put this one on here because I just love a good multipurpose natural salve. Since salves are oil-based (instead of water-based) they can get away with being 'cleaner' formulas that are really gentle on the skin (they don't need a lot of extra ingredients like emulsifiers, preservatives, etc). 

Salves are great for so many things - dry skin patches, eczema, bug bites, cracked dry hands, psoriasis, burns, chafing sores, and so much more. Also don't overlook using it as a facial moisturizer if your skin is feeling particularly dry (at night of course; a salve would be too oily for daytime use).

Skwálwen (pronounced skwall-win) is the Indigenous Squamish word for 'heart'.

We really hope you enjoy our latest addition - we were absolutely thrilled to find such a great local Indigenous skin care brand found to add to our offerings. It's important to us to find brands that are sustainable and use plant medicine as their base for products. With Skwálawen Botanicals, you're also embracing a heritage where their traditional indigenous beauty rituals are being passing along to us in their beautiful product range.