Swalwen Botanicals

A Reclamation of Skin HealthBefore there was a conversation about clean, green and natural skincare, there were communities of Indigenous womxn who cultivated and foraged for plants in the forests and meadows to use as food and medicine.

Instructed by cultural teachings, they identified the plants that, when blended together, could unlock health and healing. Today, Sḵwálwen (skwall-win) is an Indigenous skincare line that honors Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) plant knowledge and ancestral traditions by using sustainably harvested and sourced organic plants to balance, renew, repair, strengthen, hydrate and protect the skin.

Sḵwálwen is the Squamish word for heart. Each product has a Squamish name to honor the place where this plant knowledge comes from. Meet Our FounderSteward. Storyteller. Scientist. A protector of the collective and a keeper of knowledge, Dr.

Leigh Joseph, PhD, whose ancestral name is Styawat, is the ethnobotanist, researcher, activist, and Indigenous founder of Sḵwálwen. She is also a mother and wife, a daughter and community leader whose aim is to help heal the intergenerational effects of cultural trauma within the Squamish Nation by learning, working with and preserving Indigenous plants, and carrying them forward into the modern world.

Weaving together the wisdom passed down through her ancestors and the knowledge gained through her academic career, Leigh acts as a living bridge between past and present, plants and people. Leigh approaches the natural world gently and respectfully, harvesting with techniques that are ethical and sustainable.

Each batch of botanical-based products carries the richness and potency of the natural world, without any harsh chemicals, phthalates, synthetics or parabens. Sḵwálwen represents more than skincare. It is a ceremonial offering of Indigenous plant wisdom that keeps ancestral tradition alive.

Stewards Of The LandIn harmony with the teachings of our Sḵwx̱wú7mesh ancestors, our Sustainability and Regenerative Practices re...