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"    Photo: Courtesy of RMS Beauty   When shopping for new beauty products, natural ingredients weren&amp;#039;t always top priority. But in the past few years, natural makeup has evolved, and organic products can now compete readily with other on-counter options. Makeup artist Rose-Marie Swift&amp;#039;s RMS Beauty brand is one such range, boasting flattering shades, lush textures, and natural, non-toxic ingredients. How did it all start? The 20-year makeup veteran found toxic levels of heavy metals in her blood, and was told that her job could have contributed to the health problem. That news inspired Swift to help other women embrace healthier beauty, an idea embodied in her makeup line, RMS Beauty.   In the spirit of Earth Day, ELLE.com spoke with Swift about natural ingredients she loves, spring makeup trends, and the challenges of starting her own natural line. ELLE: What was most important to you when creating RMS Beauty? Rose-Marie Swift: After years in the fashion and makeup industry, I&amp;#039;ve learned a lot about the impact of daily exposure to chemicals in beauty care products. I&amp;#039;ve seen what works and what doesn&amp;#039;t live up to its promises. I see the results of taking a quick-fix approach to looking good. I know first-hand the price our health can pay in the pursuit of beauty. I realized that women need a cosmetics line that is as pure as possible; one that creates a solid foundation for anti-aging and long-term beauty. ELLE: What qualities does your makeup have to include? RMS: The textures must be moisturizing and allow the skin to breathe and not look dry. The products need to feel like a second skin and blend beautifully. It needs to feel real, not feel like synthetic slippery silicones. I hate textures that dry and matte the skin. Dry, over-powdered skin and dry-looking mineral foundations (mostly on mature skin) suck the life out of skin and age it terribly. ELLE: What ingredients are most important for you? RMS: I am a major raw coconut oil advocate. In its purest state, it contains lauric acid (also found in human breast milk) which is antifungal, antibacterial and antimicrobial. It helps heal the skin and is one of the healthiest oils on the planet. I am a huge oil fan when products contain the right oils. Cheap, inferior oils that go rancid quickly are a big no-no for me. ELLE: What do you avoid? RMS: Chemicals. Some of them are actually toxic to the system and can raise havoc on one&amp;#039;s hormones. Yikes! ELLE: Are there any other natural beauty brands you think are doing a great job? RMS: I am a big fan of Dr. Alkaitis products. This guy knows what he&amp;#039;s doing and his products make all the other lines seem like Chemistry 101. I am also loving a small oral care company called Ascended Health that has a mouthwash/toothpaste called Oralive. It makes my mouth feel amazing. ELLE: What are the makeup trends we should be incorporating into our look for spring? RMS: Dewy, glowing skin is ruling again for spring paired with big-impact, brightly colored lips. Don&amp;#039;t forget a stronger brow. Love. ELLE: What&amp;#039;s a good go-to look we can create for a low-key spring weekend away? RMS: A little &amp;quot;Un Cover-up&amp;quot; for beautiful, natural, glowing skin, a hint of Living Luminizer over the lid and cheek bones for that light-reflective glow, and a light wash of the new Lip Shine in Sacred. It&amp;#039;s the most perfect, innocent red and can be used on both lip and cheeks. You can&amp;#039;t go wrong. For a night out, do the above but add the Cream Eyeshadow in Karma for a sultry and smoky dark eye. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.elle.com/beauty/news/a18681/rose-marie-swift-tips/>