Rooted In Ritual: How Sḵwálwen Botanicals Is Reconnecting Skincare To The Land (Win!)

With a name that translates to “heart” or “essence of being” in the Squamish language, Sḵwálwen Botanicals is more than a clean beauty brand—it’s a deeply intentional, culturally rooted offering from ethnobotanist, skincare formulator, and founder Leigh Joseph. Inspired by ancestral plant knowledge and grounded in sustainability, Sḵwálwen (pronounced squal-win) crafts luxurious skincare that honours the land, Indigenous wisdom, and the power of ritual self-care. In this Q&A, Leigh shares the story behind the brand, her personal connection to traditional plant medicine, and her vision for the future of Indigenous entrepreneurship in the beauty world. —Noa Nichol

What inspired you to create Sḵwálwen, and how does it honor the traditional plant knowledge of the Squamish Nation?

I started Sḵwálwen as a creative outlet for my academic research in ethnobotany and Indigenous plant science. I saw an opportunity to share plant-based products along with stories, images and context for connecting self-care to the land from an Indigenous perspective. The business honours Squamish plant knowledge and ancestral traditions by using sustainably harvested and sourced plants to craft our skincare products.

I’m inspired by plants that my ancestors have been in relationship with, and build formulations around particular plant ingredients that carry cultural meaning and significance.

Sḵwálwen translates roughly to “heart” or “essence of being” in the Squamish language. Each product has a Squamish name to honor the place where this plant knowledge comes from.

Can you share a personal memory or experience that shaped your connection to Indigenous plant science and skincare?

As a child I spent hours in the garden, playing among the flowers and building little towns in the earth. As a teen I remember my grandmother noticed how much I loved to take care of my skin. I enjoyed creating rituals for facial care, and it made me feel good to care for myself in that way.

My paternal grandmother’s family is from the Snuneymuxw, or Nanaimo First Nations, and I visited her brother, my uncle Chester, and his wife Eva often on their land. My memories of that time include picking vegetables from their garden and seeing jars on their kitchen counters of Indigenous plant medicines. Hanging above the doors were white stalks of dried Devil’s Club to offer us spiritual protection. These early experiences instilled in me a deep respect for the natural world.

How do you ensure that Sḵwálwen’s harvesting and sourcing practices remain sustainable and aligned with ancestral traditions?

Rebuilding respectful and reciprocal relationships with plants is a way to take care of the land we live on, the health of plants, and our own health. Wherever possible we draw on teachings learned from family and community members that are connected to Indigenous plants and the land.

When I am harvesting, I view the practice as ceremony ~ one of gathering medicine. This approach has been passed down from my ancestors, and I carry their knowledge with me every time I step out onto the land with my harvesting basket in hand.

The plant ingredients in our products are sustainably harvested by myself and our team or ethically sourced to ensure that pressure isn’t placed in wild plant populations. Reciprocity is an essential part of honouring plants and the land, and we give back through initiatives including The Hiýáḿ Project, our collaboration with Satinflower Nurseries that facilitates thousands of seeds planted on Indigenous lands.

What are some of the most significant challenges you’ve faced in bringing Indigenous plant-based skincare to a broader audience?

I think the most important, and at times challenging, part of this process of bringing Indigenous plant-based skincare to a broader audience has been taking the time and care to ensure each aspect of Skwálwen reflects the ancestral foundations on which it is built. This has meant I’ve had to do a lot of work to ensure our suppliers understand the business’s core values and source packaging and raw material suppliers who are aligned with the vision and mission of Skwálwen. This isn’t so much a challenge as it is an important but very time consuming and expensive process to ensure the different parts of Skwálwen are operating as a whole to bring authentic and ethical Indigenous skincare products to a broader audience.

Sḵwálwen is more than skincare—it’s a ceremonial offering. How do you hope customers connect with the deeper meaning behind your products?

Developing a skincare ritual that’s connected to the land and Indigenous plant knowledge is powerful. I hope our customers feel they’re caring for themselves by slowing down and mindfully taking the time to engage with these potent botanical ingredients, many of which have been used by my ancestors for thousands of years. Our plant relatives are part of our collective community, and taking time to truly experience and appreciate their gifts strengthens our connection to the earth.

How does reclaiming traditional plant knowledge help heal intergenerational trauma within Indigenous communities?

Reclaiming traditional plant knowledge is connected to cultural knowledge and identity and health and wellness from an Indigenous perspective. Indigenous peoples have been told for over a century that they don’t belong on their own lands. Many barriers have been put in place to prevent Indigenous people from accessing the land and the knowledge to continue carrying out plant-related activities. Parts of our shared history in Canada such as residential schools, the 60’s scoop and the Indian Act have significantly impacted the access and ability for Indigenous peoples to go out on the land to gather plant foods and medicines. For these reasons, it is essential to find ways for Indigenous people to reconnect with land-based practices including harvesting plants. When people go out to harvest culturally important plants, the experience contributes directly to healing and reclaiming knowledge that supports identity and cultural reclamation.

What are some of the most powerful Indigenous botanicals in your formulations, and what are their skincare benefits?

Our Shkweń collection features Devil’s club (Ch’átyay̓ in Squamish), a culturally important plant that has long been used to treat ailments. It’s very soothing and anti-inflammatory for the skin. Gathering Ch’átyay̓ here in Squamish is a special experience for our team. We harvest it sustainably to infuse the inner bark into a beautiful organic carrier oil for our Shkweń Bath and Body Oil and Shkweń Renewing Facial Serum.

Another key ingredient is wild rose, or Kalkáy. Its petals soothe and soften, while its seeds, which are rich in nutrients, fortify the skin’s barrier. Rose reduces redness, irritation and inflammation. This makes it a well-tolerated ingredient across a range of skin types including sensitive skin.  Our Kalkáy line features seven (soon to be eight!) products with this ingredient, including our bestselling Kalkáy Facial Oil.

How do you balance traditional plant wisdom with modern skincare science in product development?

I love the creative process of developing product formulations. I look to Indigenous plants for inspiration in how these beautiful botanicals can be applied to skincare while considering what active ingredients will complement them. This results in innovative and effective products that bring together Indigenous plant knowledge with the science of skincare.

What impact do you hope Sḵwálwen has on the clean beauty industry and Indigenous entrepreneurship?

I hope Skwálwen positions itself as a broadly known luxe Indigenous skincare brand that prioritizes clean, innovative and culturally grounded products. I hope that Skwálwen paves the way for other Indigenous brands to grow into mainstream beauty retail and to increase Indigenous representation in all ways possible. Indigenous voices need to be heard and the beauty, joy and strength that Indigenous businesses are built on deserves to be widely embraced.

What’s next for Sḵwálwen, and how do you see the brand evolving in the coming years?

This is a really exciting time of growth for Sḵwálwen. We have several new product launches in the works, and we’re expanding our retail presence in Canada and the US as a leading Indigenous-owned brand. I hope to continue to grow our initiatives that give back to Indigenous communities and the land in the coming years as this is a central part of Skwálwen’s mission and ethos.

Win! A Beautiful $174 Shkweń Rainforest Set From Sḵwálwen Botanicals!

One lucky Canadian winner will receive a beautiful $174 Shkweń Rainforest Set from Sḵwálwen Botanicals! To enter, head over to Vita Daily on Instagram, follow @skwalwenbotanicals and @vitadailymedia and make sure to fulfil all the entry rules in the caption of the corresponding contest post. Contest opens April 8, 2025 and closes April 15, 2025. Complete contest rules and regulations here. Please note: if you are the winner, you will receive a DM (direct message) in Instagram directly from @vitadailymedia. Please be wary of fake accounts, which often use similar handles with an extra or missing letter, number or symbol. We will never ask for a payment or for your credit card number, and we will never ask you to click through a link. If you are unsure whether you have been contacted, via Instagram, by us or a fake account, email us before responding.