JOURNAL

Rose-Marie Swift on Natural Beauty

Rose-Marie Swift, photographed by Olivia Rae James

Growing up in Canada, Rose-Marie Swift—clean beauty pioneer and founder of RMS Beauty—spent hours poring over black-and-white portraits of Old Hollywood stars. “I used to study them like crazy—from lighting to makeup application,” she remembers. Using her sister and herself as models, she began to experiment—and, after a stint doing makeup for burlesque dancers before their nightly performances, landed her first editorial job. That launched an illustrious career as a makeup artist, gracing multiple Vogue covers and working with the likes of Gisele Bündchen, Miranda Kerr, Patrick Demarchelier, and Annie Leibovitz.
When a health scare opened her eyes to the harmful effects of the chemicals found in most cosmetics, Rose-Marie set out to create her own line of all-natural products. We’ve been longtime admirers of her thoughtful, unfussy approach to beauty, and collaborating with her on our new DÔEN & RMS Beauty Sunkissed Set has been nothing short of a dream come true. We spent an afternoon with Rose-Marie (and her sweet pup, Ruby Moon) at home in Savannah, Georgia—and chatted about her beauty philosophy, the path towards building her own brand, and what makes our collaboration Sunkissed Set so special.

What inspired you to create RMS Beauty?

When I created RMS Beauty, I wasn’t focused on being the most successful brand out there, but wanted to create a brand that had integrity. After so many years working with fashion and makeup, I’ve learned a lot about the impact of daily exposure to chemicals in beauty care products. I’ve seen what works and what doesn’t live up to its promises. I see the results of taking a quick-fix approach to looking good. And believe me, I know first-hand the price our health can pay in the pursuit of beauty. I recognized the need for skin care and color cosmetics that are as pure as possible, and that create a solid foundation for anti-aging and long-term beauty. At the time, I had no real choice but to create a brand myself.

What’s your beauty philosophy? Do you have a signature aesthetic as a makeup artist?

I feel beauty is in the soul of the woman, her magic, and the energy she exudes. I love the look of healthy skin—that, to me, is what’s sensuous and beautiful. I also think less is more—always.

Can you walk us through your typical morning routine? 

I start with a morning cuddle with my yorkie, Ruby Moon. A short meditation and an affirmation—“I love you, I love you”—and then I take a cold shower.

I do a quick few pumps of an oral detox spray called Advanced TRS. Some other liquid magical remedies such as silica and my homeopathy drops in water. I brush my teeth with glycerine-free, fluoride-free toothpaste, and follow that up with my favorite RMS Beauty touch-me-ups.

I am loving my new spray mist serum (not released yet) with minerals and a few secret things I can’t mention just yet—it dampens my skin as a prep for my RMS Beauty Oil. Then a quick application of Back2Brow and my new Liplight in Bare as a natural lip treatment with a pH adjuster to give life to my faded lips. Then I take Ruby Moon for a little walk through Forsyth Park, which is right around the corner from my house here in Savannah.

Growing up, who did you find particularly inspiring when it came to beauty? Why?

To me, the most gorgeous creature in the world was Audrey Hepburn. She had simple and natural beauty with a hint of elegance and sophistication, which you do not see often at all. Her bone structure was beyond, yet there was a playful look to her at the same time. Her thick brows were so elegant.

“I feel beauty is in the soul of the woman, her magic, and the energy she exudes.”

What’s something about launching your own brand that no one told you?  

How hard it would be. Being a pioneer in the clean beauty arena was difficult, as it was a new concept that steered away from traditional formulations and ingredients. The industry doesn’t always embrace newness like that, and neither does the consumer. Back in the day, clean beauty was thought of as something that does not perform or last. Over the years, great strides have been taken in educating the consumer and proving to the industry that clean beauty has a place and isn’t going away. I like to say, “If you know, you know.”

What excites you most about the Berry color you’ve created in collaboration with DÔEN? What do you like most about the Lip2Cheek format?

Simple, elegant, and sophisticated meets simple, elegant, and sophisticated. How can you go wrong? This is the perfect color for enhancing any lip or cheek. Your own lips and cheeks, but better—totally user-friendly and beautifully wearable, just like DÔEN’s styles.

From top: Rosie-Marie wears the Fidella Top; she wears the Carmelina Sweater; she wears the Pacifica Dress with the Wren Mule

From top: Rose-Marie wears the Bayou Sweater; she wears the Pacifica Dress with the Wren Mule; she wears the Jane Blouse; she wears the Vivienne Tee

Published April 19, 2023