How Emirati influencer Salama Mohamed went from educator to entrepreneur

From being a small and silent member in a large family to becoming a spokesperson for vitiligo on the unfiltered platform of social media, Salama Mohamed has come a long way in her journey as an influencer. Now an entrepreneur and mother, she recounts how she found power in finding and using her voice.

Born and raised in the UAE, Salama grew up with a strong connection to her family and a great sense of pride in her heritage. “I come from a large family so there never was a dull moment in my household,” she chuckles. “They are my source of confidence, strength and comfort. No matter what lies ahead of me, my family is my strongest support system.”

It was after her marriage to husband Khalid Al Amiri and the birth of their two sons that the duo began to make social media videos. They naturally gravitated towards skits and educational videos as it was the type of content they personally enjoyed.

The videos quickly went viral. However, this brought along a challenge — and an opportunity — Salama did not quite anticipate.

“As my online reach began to grow, so did the limelight on my skin, my outer appearance and my overall self-esteem,” she says. “My community asked questions that allowed me to share my journey of living with vitiligo. Soon I realised that this was my life’s purpose: to educate people.”

During her journey towards this education, Salama realised that several others, like her, were also struggling to find clean, effective and inclusive skincare products. This is what gave way to the next chapter in her life: becoming an entrepreneur. After months and months of research, Salama finally launched her own brand, Peacefull. The brand is dermatologist-tested and tailored to the region.

However, Salama admits that coming to the decision of launching her own brand did not come easily. “My biggest challenge started off internally,” she notes. “I had to finding the courage to translate my vision into fruition. I knew that in doing so I was exposing myself, my insecurities and sensitivities to the public, and sharing with them my personal struggles as well as my journey of self-love and acceptance.”

She further reveals that there were some people who reacted negatively to her efforts. “With any endeavour, there will always be negative aspects here and there," she says. "However, the positivity has outweighed the negative. The key is to not dwell on any negativity and to focus on every positive, every win, every step forward: no matter how small.”

Salama credits her social media community for supporting her through all her challenges. “Social media has provided a platform for aspiring entrepreneurs, allowing them to build, connect and engage with their audience and community,” she says.

"It is where I connected with like-minded individuals with whom I can be open and honest about my journey. It has helped me create a space where I can be my authentic self.”