ReVersa Rose Organic Skincare & Holistic Facials owner Marissa Morris stands in front of her shop's now-green front door. Photo by Tabitha Johnston

SHEPHERDSTOWN – On Aug. 27, 2020, Harpers Ferry resident Marissa Morris took advantage of an opportunity to expand her new business, ReVersa Rose Organic Skincare & Holistic Facials, and opened a brick-and-mortar shop at 124 West German Street in Shepherdstown.

She had no idea that, five years later, she would not only still have the shop but would also be expanding what it offered to the public.

“I didn’t see any direction for this, because it was opened during COVID,” Morris said of the shop.

However, her shop ended up thriving, drawing attention from an increasing number of people who are interested in organic skin care, tailored to their unique needs.

“People are gravitating to using more natural products, because there’s a lot of knowledge that’s coming out about our conventional skincare, conventional shampoos, conventional conditioners, conventional makeup – everything,” Morris said. “I really love to focus on products that are fragrance free, preservative free, free of chemical additives and emulsifier free, because it takes away from the pure ingredient profiles and their benefits.

ReVersa Rose Organic Skincare & Holistic Facials underwent a complete makeover this spring. Photo by Tabitha Johnston

“When I first started, I didn’t really infuse anything but rose hip oil, but now I have hundreds of different herbs all in my kitchen,” Morris said. “I go through a very slow infusion process. Before, everything could be knocked out in a day, but now everything is very slowly curated. Formulas take eight to 12 weeks, in the infusing process, to ensure they have the greatest herbal benefits possible.”

Her shop sells products for every possible skin need – from healthy aging products to clarifying oils to detox butters to toxin-free makeup – and offers brow and lash services, such as threading, lamination and a lash lift and tint. Those services and more, including a wide array of holistic facials using the Helena Pahava Method, are offered at the esthetician’s private studio at 1343 Washington St. in Harpers Ferry.

She particularly enjoys helping customers who are struggling with their skin health, whether they be suffering from acne, eczema, psoriasis, aging, rosacea or hyperpigmentation.

“I don’t usually have younger teenage boys that get facials, but a dad brought his son to me recently, who had a lot of cystic acne on his skin. They were looking for a more natural protocol and stumbled across my business. We worked on eliminating differently types of troublemaker foods and incorporating different types of healing supplements and herbs,” Morris, who became a licensed esthetician in 2022, said. “The next time I saw the kid, he had zero acne. It was incredible.”

Morris celebrated her shop’s fifth year in business in April by undergoing a complete renovation of her shop and studio. Both spaces now feature a more sleek design, featuring relaxing shades of green on the walls and doors that reflect her business’ vegan, eco-friendly mindset. She also added one new detail to her shop, which she is particularly excited about, a refill station, so customers can reuse the packaging from products and prevent unnecessary waste from ending up in the landfill.

Harpers Ferry resident Marissa Morris stands on the front step of her newly painted storefront at 124 West German Street in Shepherdstown. Photo by Tabitha Johnston

Looking back over the last five years, Morris said she is amazed at how much she and her business have grown. Many of her products are sold at small businesses throughout the region, which may yet expand even further, as she has been in talks with a nearby Common Market location that wants to begin selling her products. And, personally, Morris has seen herself grow astronomically in her knowledge of skincare and holistic health.

“I didn’t know how much I was going to learn from this business,” Morris said. “Having ReVersa Rose has truly transformed my thinking. I live a truly holistic lifestyle, now. I thought I was living one before, but then I started going down this rabbit hole and realized there so much more to learn.”

To learn more, visit www.reversarose.com or call or text 304-876-6555.