Our Story
I am a modern-day nomad, originating from the vast lands of northern Chad, the cradle of humankind. Growing up, I learned a tremendous number of effective traditional beauty rituals, including Chébé, a custom during which Chadian women use a powder made of the seeds of the croton gratissimus tree to treat and grow their famous long hair.
The efficacy of Chébé, along with other African beauty customs, inspired me to create Salwa Petersen, my eponymous collection of award-winning, clean, high-performance beauty products that combine the best of nature and ritualistic recipes of Chad with today’s cutting-edge technology.
A graduate of Harvard and Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, after a first career as a lawyer, I shifted gears and went to work in product development for some of the world's largest beauty brands. Over the course of several years, I helped launch some of today’s best-selling personal care products and I learned a tremendous amount about luxury product formulation. Eventually, I myself became a sought-after expert in haircare and natural fragrance development.
My namesake brand, Salwa Petersen, is the culmination of that invaluable experience, combined with my extensive knowledge of the Chadian beauty rituals passed down for generations in my family.
More than just another line of products, this collection is an invitation to travel in time and space, to indulge in self-care—and to celebrate an authentic, free and contemporary lifestyle, inspired by the nomadic people of Chad.
Every product purchased contributes 2% to conservation projects in Chad with African Parks Network.
Welcome to my world, welcome to Chad, the land of of our common origins. Welcome home.
May the timeless beauty rituals of Africa now be yours!