Magazine Feature, Published in South magazine
'Ageless Beauty’ Rose Marie Swift
Rose-Marie Swift, green beauty pioneer and founder of RMS Beauty—the cosmetic line consisting of living and organic ingredients created with the highest integrity—is a leading example of healthy beauty. Her experience as a make-up artist spans more than 35 years, with her work being featured in top-name magazines such as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Elle. Her artistry has graced the faces of the world’s most famous models such as Gisele Bündchen—a devout user of her cosmetics—and Miranda Kerr (who gifted Swift her Teacup Yorkshire Terrier, Frankie).
The creation of Swift’s acclaimed brand RMS Beauty started when she began experiencing health problems. After much research, she discovered her problems were due to the high levels of chemicals in her body, which she doesn’t hesitate to divulge that the make-up industry was a contributor. Along with the creation of RMS, Swift has become an outspoken advocate for women’s health through natural beauty. One doesn’t need to ask her to understand the secret to her success; Swift exudes a purity and authenticity in synergy with the brand she has created.
Her research when initiating her formulas begins in a lab in Charleston, South Carolina. Her office in West Ashley has more than 20 employees who handle most of the distribution and packaging for the company. Swift attributes the success of such a large brand run by so few people to the dedication of her employees.
“Your employees have to become like your disciples, be dedicated,” Swift says. “They have to have a respect and admiration where they eat, sleep and breathe the brand.”
She considers herself the creative of the company’s model and travels the world educating and conducting seminars on make-up application and fallacies of the beauty industry. Most recently, she traveled to Sweden, where she finds the culture to be healthiest. When she is working in Charleston, Swift scrutinizes each product and ingredient for their authenticity. Like her persona, she has created a truly healthy product through purity and transparency.
One of Swift’s founding principles in the success of RMS Beauty is putting the company first without the use of outside investors, which is why she chose the cost-effective location of Charleston as the headquarters for her company. Thus, after her visit to the Holy City, she came upon Savannah and became smitten with the idea of living in the Hostess City.
“Savannah’s got an edge, like New York. I love the eclectic energy of the city,” she says. “I could walk the squares for hours. Every day I see something new and beautiful and I am constantly stimulated by the parks, the mansions, the trees that are hauntingly inviting. Savannah hypnotizes me and sucks me into its energy.”
Swift embodies an energetic and healthy lifestyle, not only as a successful entrepreneur of health and empowerment, but also as an accomplished, single, self-made woman (which makes her an inspiration to women everywhere). It is apparent from her fresh-face, stunning looks and boundless energy that she is a result of her product.
In regard to her success, Swift is certain of one thing: being creative.
“Get creative,” she says. “You’ll never get anywhere doing what everybody else does.”
In addition to strolling the city with her pup Frankie, Swift enjoys interacting with her client base and giving personal demonstrations at the Blue Mercury shop on Broughton Street.