RMS Lip2Cheek in Muse, Swatches and Review

The RMS Lip2Cheek is a multitasking cream product. As the name implies, it can be used on either the lips or cheeks. Or both, if you're into the matchy-matchy like I am. Like most of Rose Marie Swift's products, Lip2Cheek is a coconut oil based item that is pigmented only with natural minerals. It's also an all organic and all raw vegan formula that's never been heated about body temperature (98.6 F to some, but definitely 37 C to me). The consistency of Lip2Cheek is that of a firm cream. The best way to apply any RMS beauty product is to let your natural body heat warm up the product by swirling your finger in the pot. Rose Marie told me that these are designed to be used with your fingers because of the low melting point of the oils. Once warmed slightly, Lip2Cheek spreads nicely and naturally over the skin.

When I visited Rose Marie Swift, Muse was one of the two Lip2Cheek colors that she picked out for me. Which is a little surprising, since it looks so drab and beige in the pot. But when used on the lips, it makes for a sort of washed out retro look that's goes nicely with dramatic eye styling. The natural color of my lips is by no means overpowered. Instead, Muse sort of takes it down a notch while still looking completely natural. The color of the cream is not at all flat either. There are small reflective particles that are presumably part of that whole natural mineral pigment business. So overall, the effect is very flattering. Much more so than the concealer lip that's been popular recently.

When Muse is used on the cheeks, the pigment all but disappears. But the reflective mineral bits remain visible, and since it's an oil based product, there's a bit of a sheen. In short, it acts as a very subtle highlighter. My favorite. 

Muse also has infinite possibilities regarding mixing. Any of the other RMS beauty products could be combined with Muse to make it lighter in color, and less matte in texture. The other Lip2Cheek colors looked much more flat in comparison, so this really has the potential to liven up the other shades. 

RMS Lip2Cheek is available for $36 at various retailers, such as spirit beauty, the nature of beauty, and from the RMS beauty website. Since one pot is likely to last a lifetime, it's a pretty good investment.

Photo credit: Electron Microscopy Unit of the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center 

RMS Un-Coverup Concealer in 11, Swatches and Review

RMS Un-Coverup Concealer is a gem of a product. Brought to us by Rose Marie Swift, this a mulit-tasking product that can be used to conceal, but also to generally even out skin tone. I've been using it most under my eye and around my nose. As most of her products, this has a coconut oil base, so there was some concern over break out. I have somewhat acne prone skin (whatever that really means) and so far so good. My skin has been a complete mess since the seasons changed, but I don't think Un-Coverup Concealer has been anything but a help in that department. 

I was definitely concerned about matching a color to my skin. Un-Coverup Concealer comes in three flavors, 11 22 and 33: light, sorta light, darkish. All have a fairly yellow base. Having had so many failed matches with concealers in the past, it was a relief to have Rose Marie match me herself. Naturally she chose 11 for me, but she also demonstrated that 22 would work as well, depending on the effect I wanted. Personally I prefer pale, and was elated to see that 11 was a pretty perfect match. 

Un-Coverup Concealer is a transformative product, it looks so yellow in the pot, but spreads sheerly and naturally onto the skin. The coverage is medium to full and yet looks completely natural. I have neutral undertones which lean toward the cool end. I can get pretty rosey, but this yellow product actually meshes very well with the rest of my face. And it doesn't give my blue under eye circles a green cast (like stupid Dior did). I honestly think 11 would work for a huge spectrum of skin undertones, especially considering this is a product that the self-professed olive toned Grace London swears by.

Since this is an oil based product, it actually never dries fully. The skin remains very slightly tacky throughout the day, which would probably be a deal breaker for some. However, I think it's actually one of the most unique and awesome qualities about the product. As any concealer, Un-Coverup settles into the fine lines under my eye, but as long as I pat it out a little more sheerly, the problem is solved without sacrificing coverage. Since the product never completely dries, it remains manipulatable all day, so this problem can be corrected casually. With the usual concealer, if you try to blend it out again after in inevitably settles into those lines, you get cakey disaster. 

Additionally, Rose Marie showed me how this product can be massaged into the pores in my T-zone to literally make them vanish. I've never had a product be so effective for concealing pores. Although washing with an oil cleanser at the end of the day is very important if you use Un-Coverup to this end, because I could definitely see how pores could get clogged with this usage. 

Unlike basically every concealer/ foundation on the market, the formula of Un-Coverup doesn't contain any water, so the tiniest amount of product goes a very long way, and it will last and last without worry of expiration. So the value is actually a remarkably good one at $36 for 7 grams. 

This is definitely a new holy grail item for me. Nothing will every replace the Ellis Faas Concealer in my heart, but there's plenty of room for Un-Coverup. Every time I put this on my face, it seems like skin care. It keeps my skin hydrated and beautiful. And it has nothing but beneficial all organic ingredients. True love.

RMS Beauty: An Introduction and Review

RMS beauty is the brainchild of Rose Marie Swift, makeup artist extraordinaire. I had the extreme privilege of going to Rose Marie's own apartment, and getting an introduction of the line from the genius herself. And I mean that, not only is she a riot and a nice person, she's also one hell of a genius. After years in the beauty industry, Rose Marie started to suffer from mysterious health problems. With some research, she began to realize that the synthetic chemicals in basically all cosmetics were impacting her health very negatively. Since then, she has striven to spread the word about chemicals, and to introduce people to her philosophy. RMS beauty is the ONLY cosmetics brand that is honest for god 100% organic. Also, none of the formulas are heated above body temerature, so none of the naturally beneficial ingredients are compromised. Most, if not all, of the formulas are based in coconut oil, which is naturally anti-bacterial and all around good for your skin.

To introduce you to the brand, I bring you the Lip Shine in Moment. You might think, "why on earth did you think this weird brown goop would be a good introduction??" Now, don't be deceived. In the pot it's like, "holy damn, it's so brown, brown, brown is all I can see!" but on the lips, it's seriously true love. I have pretty neutral undertones, and very pale skin, and it looks ah-mazing. I would actually go so far as to say that this is a universally flattering color. I could image all sorts of skin tones rocking this sultry sheer brown. It's so damn sexy, I can hardly get over it. Rose Marie whipped this sucker out, and I thought, "hm, really?" But she put this on my lips, and I immediately went, WOW. It was after that she told me that she had developed this color for Giselle Bündchen, which is sort of a neat factoid.

I tried really hard to capture the color in pictures. I hope it comes across, because it's very unique. The only color that is comparable would be the Ellis Faas Glazed lips L305 that I reviewed previously. I feel like this color is so cutting edge. Its so in line with the soft natural tones and naked lashes that were shown during fashion week.

The formula consists of mostly coconut oil, and is completely non sticky. It's actually just barely a lipgloss. I would categorize it more as an extremely moisturizing tinted lip balm with luster, based on how it feels on the lips. The packaging is sort of to die for also. All of the pots in the RMS beauty line are made of frosted glass, with tinned screw on tops, which means they're also 100% recyclable.

Swatch on skin, still looking brown and scary

Here it is on the lips. I had to really pack it on in order to show the color, so the lustrous quality is very much showcased. I hope you can see how amazing it looks on the lips.

Swatch on lips, now do you see!?!?!

Seriously, if you are into eco-beauty and organic, then RMS beauty is the only line worth using. In another life, I use only these cosmetics. Every time I put them on my face, I feel like I'm doing my skin a service, a good deed. I've been using and loving the Un-Coverup Concealer for the past month, and that has quickly become a holy grail product for me (review to come shortly).

If this color is still really scary, then the Lip Shine also comes in a safe pink called Bloom. If you want to learn more about Rose Marie Swift (and even set up your own appointment with her if you live in NYC) then please go to her website, rmsbeauty.com. RMS beauty is also available from Nature of Beauty, and Spirit Beauty Lounge.