Rose-Marie Shares the Story Behind Her Most Iconic Products

Back in 2009, when the beauty world was dominated by powders and matte everything, RMS Beauty launched onto the scene with something radical: makeup that nourishes skin instead of covering it up. At the heart of that revolution are three products that have become industry legends—Lip2Cheek, UnCoverup Concealer, and Luminizer.

They weren’t dreamed up by a marketing team. They were born in the trenches of photo shoots and backstage runways, where founder and master makeup artist Rose-Marie Swift worked with the most photographed faces in the world.

“These weren’t marketing ideas. They were things I needed as a makeup artist and couldn’t find—so I made them. And turns out, that’s what women wanted too.” – Rose-Marie Swift

Lip2Cheek: The Multitasker Before Multitaskers

Rose-Marie’s philosophy has always been less-is-more. When she set out to create her first color products, she wanted something that mimicked the way she used makeup backstage—one product, multiple ways.

“I didn’t want 50 products weighing people down. With Lip2Cheek, I wanted to give women something they could throw in a bag, dab on lips, cheeks, even eyes if they wanted. It’s about freedom, not rules.” – Rose-Marie

It quickly became a cult favorite for its adaptability. With shades ranging from fresh pinks to earthy berries, Lip2Cheek has been spotted everywhere from red carpets to beach bags.

“I call it my anti-clutter product. It does everything without trying too hard.” – Rose-Marie

UnCoverup Concealer: The No-Makeup Concealer

When Rose-Marie launched UnCoverup, concealer was synonymous with cakey, chalky formulas that looked good on camera but disastrous in real life.

“As a makeup artist, I saw how those heavy concealers aged the skin," explained Rose-Marie. "They settled, they cracked, and honestly, they pissed off the models. I wanted something that looked like real skin—like you weren’t wearing anything, just better skin”.

UnCoverup’s creamy texture was intentional. “Other cream concealers in pots were always full coverage. I went the opposite: lightweight, breathable, more like a tinted moisturizer in a pot. It just melts into skin”.

The name? It was Rose-Marie’s cheeky nod to what it really does. “It doesn’t cover up your skin—it uncovers it. That was the whole point.”

The Living Luminizer: A Glow Before Glow Was a Trend

If we had to pick one product that put RMS on the map, it’s likely Luminizer. A tiny pot of opalescent sheen, it became the signature of Rose-Marie’s dewy skin aesthetic.

“Everyone was obsessed with powder highlighters or glitter back then," explains Rose-Marie. "I hate the word shimmer—it sounds like little flecks of craft glitter. I wanted glow. Real skin glow. The kind you get when light just hits the high point of your cheekbone.”

Unlike metallic or glitter-packed highlighters, Luminizer melts into skin, catching light without ever looking fake.

The turning point came at a J.Crew campaign shoot in RMS’s early days.

“All the makeup artists used the Luminizer, and customers kept asking, ‘What’s on the models’ faces?’ That’s how word of mouth spread—it became the product everyone wanted.” – Rose-Marie

It’s not an exaggeration to say Luminizer revolutionized highlighter as we know it. Today, nearly every brand offers a cream luminizer—but Rose-Marie was the first to do it and actually coined the term.

“To me, Luminizer is my calling card. It’s the definition of my style—healthy, luminous skin that never looks like makeup. It’s skin, but better.” – Rose-Marie

The Icons That Changed Clean Beauty

When RMS Beauty launched, “clean beauty” wasn’t a buzzword yet. But these three products helped put it on the map—and in makeup bags around the world.

They’ve won countless awards, been featured on runways, and most importantly, changed the way women think about their relationship with makeup. “These products weren’t created to be trendy. They came from my kit, my frustration, and my obsession with real skin. That’s why they lasted—and why women still love them.” – Rose-Marie

✨ Want to learn how to use these icons for your own routine? Book a free Artist Advice consultation with one of our RMS experts.