Skincare and makeup brands are often born out of necessity, or by accident. In the case of IT cosmetics founder Jamie Kern Lima, her story is firmly in the necessity camp.
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Rank | Brand | Link | |||||
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1 | Carrot & Stick | Review | |||||
2 | Formulyst | Review | |||||
3 | Skinceuticals | Review | |||||
- | IT Cosmetics |
This former television anchor was often at work at midnight to prep for the morning news, and she needed a foundation that would be long lasting and cover up her rosacea- all under the harsh glare of studio lights and unforgiving HD television.
Lima felt she couldn’t find a product that suited her needs, so she decided to create her own makeup. The result was Innovative Technology Cosmetics. A turning point for Lima was when she appeared on QVC in 2010 to demonstrate Bye Bye Under Eye, a concealer that some users also applied as a foundation. It covered so well that it could even cover tattoos. The product sold out in minutes.
Today the company has been renamed IT Cosmetics and was bought by L’Oréal in 2016 for $1.2 billion. Here’s a closer look at IT Cosmetics, what it sells, and are the products right for you?
Is IT Cosmetics Skincare Worth The Money?
A common question about this brand is if the products are worth the cost.
In our opinion, IT Cosmetics products are worth the money, but there are other brands that deliver greater value.
One brand is Carrot & Stick, a clean skincare brand that perfectly balances the gentle nurturing of plants with the powerful results of innovative science.
What’s Inside IT Cosmetics?
Here’s a closer look at the active ingredients commonly used in the IT Cosmetics skincare products. Vitamin C, peptides, and retinol make up the core ingredients for the IT Cosmetics skincare line. These ingredients should all be part of your skincare routine.
Vitamin C
We’ve been hearing for years that Vitamin C is the best anti-aging ingredient. It’s a potent antioxidant that protects the skin from free radicals, the unstable molecules that contribute to the formation of premature wrinkles and fine lines on the skin.
Vitamin C also helps fade dark spots, evens out skin tone, and increases radiance. As if that wasn’t enough, research suggests that when vitamin C is applied to the skin, it significantly reverses aging-related structural changes by influencing collagen and elastin synthesis.
It’s in IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Dullness Vitamin C Serum.
But our favorite antioxidant serum is Carrot & Stick The Concentrate. It contains a multitude of plant and marine antioxidants to help defend against visible aging and free radical damage. Use it every morning.
Peptides
As you age, your body’s production of collagen and elastin slows down. These two proteins are responsible for your skin’s structural support. As a result, the skin loses its natural plumpness and smoothness.
While collagen is necessary for maintaining youthful-looking skin, the collagen protein is too large to absorb into the skin topically. That’s why applying skin care products that contain collagen won’t provide the anti-aging benefits you’re looking for.
This is where peptides come into action. Peptides are the building blocks of protein, and they are easily absorbed into the deeper layers of skin due to their smaller size.
IT Cosmetics Confidence in an Eye Cream is an anti-aging peptide eye cream that contains a peptide concentrate to smooth and firm the skin around the eyes.
If you’re looking for a peptide serum, we recommend Carrot & Stick The Repair Serum. It contains 7 plant-based peptides to promote plumper and smoother-looking skin.
Retinol
Retinol is the go-to anti-aging ingredient recommended by dermatologists and skin experts. It’s clinically proven to minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, improve uneven skin tone, restore skin firmness, and shrink the appearance of enlarged pores.
The only downside? Retinol can often lead to side effects like skin dryness, peeling, and irritation.
It’s in IT Cosmetics Hello Results Wrinkle-Reducing Daily Retinol Serum-in-Cream. Use retinoids at night. We recommend this retinoid oil serum. It contains Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, an ingredient that provides similar benefits with less irritation.
What Is IT Cosmetics?
IT Cosmetics is a relatively new brand that sells a full range of skincare products as well as makeup. The products were created with plastic surgeons and dermatologists. The skincare line includes IT Cosmetics moisturizers, primers, eye creams and serums. The makeup collection is more comprehensive, including foundation, bronzer, concealer and powder. For eyes, there is eyeshadow and eyeliner, as well as a full range of lip and brow products as well as IT Cosmetics brushes.
IT Cosmetics is arguably best known for its full coverage foundations which Lima often demonstrates herself to show how well it covers her rosacea and hyperpigmentation. In infomercials as well as appearances on QVC and HSN, Lima and her team of “IT girls” will take off all their makeup to show viewers their dark circles, acne or uneven skin tone and then apply IT Cosmetics products to demonstrate how well the products cover up skin concerns.
What Does IT Cosmetics Sell?
It Cosmetics is best known for its full coverage foundations but the company also sells skincare products. Here’s a closer look at the IT Cosmetics product line.
It Cosmetics Makeup
Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream with SPF 50 – This multitasking cream is a combination foundation, hydrating anti-aging serum and SPF 50 physical sunscreen.
Bye Bye Foundation Full Coverage Moisturizer with SPF 50 – The company bills this as a full coverage moisturizer that hydrates and covers redness, dark spots and pores. This is arguably IT Cosmetics most well-known product.
Bye Bye Pores Pressed – This finishing powder comes in just one shade and is designed to blur the appearance of pores and imperfections with Bye Bye Pores Optical Blurring Technology. It is also available as a bronzer.
Bye Bye Under Eye – It Cosmetics describes this as a “life changing concealer.” Available in 48 shades, this concealer is hydrating and waterproof, and the company says it won’t crease or crack.
It Cosmetics Skincare
Confidence in a Cream Moisturizer – Designed for all skin types, this cream is formulated to hydrate skin and plump up fine lines while improving the appearance of pores and discoloration for a more even skin tone.
Bye Bye Redness Correcting Cream – Available in three shades, this cream is designed to calm skin and hydrate it will covering any redness.
Bye Bye Pores Primer – Apply this oil free primer to create a smooth canvas for applying foundation. It is meant to neutralize skin tone.
Is IT Cosmetics Cruelty Free?
IT Cosmetics is owned by L’Oréal, and L’Oréal, says it “does not test any of its products or any of its ingredients on animals and has been at the forefront of alternative methods for over 30 years.”
Where Can I Buy IT Cosmetics Products?
IT Cosmetics are available on the company’s website, as well as Sephora, Ulta and department stores such as Macy’s. The collection is also sold on QVC and HSN. The website offers deals such as travel kits and some offers are available on infomercials. Starter kits are not available at this time.
How Much Do IT Cosmetics Products Cost?
IT Cosmetics products are priced at a mid-range level. Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream with SPF 50 retails for $39, and No-Tug Waterproof Anti-Aging Gel Eyeliner is $22. Confidence in a Cream Moisturizer is $48 for a two ounce jar while the Vitality Lip Flush Stain 4-in-1 Hydrating Lipstick is $20. Celebration Foundation, a powder, sells for $36.
OUR TOP SKINCARE PICKS
Rank | Brand | Link | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Carrot & Stick | Review | |||||
2 | Formulyst | Review | |||||
3 | Skinceuticals | Review | |||||
- | IT Cosmetics |
Do IT Cosmetics Products Work?
When deciding if a product is right for you, it’s important to keep in mind that everyone’s skin may react differently to the same product, so a little trial and error is always needed. That said, IT Cosmetics certainly has its fair share of devoted followers. According to the company, its Confidence in a Cream Moisturizer is the number one anti-aging facial moisturizer in the US based on NPD units for 2018, and Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream with SPF 50 was also the top CC cream from 2016-2018. IT Cosmetics has over 150 beauty industry awards, along with press mentions in magazines including Allure, New Beauty, People, Marie Claire, Shape and more.
But what do actual people say about the products?
On Sephora’s website, the IT Cosmetics CC+ Cream with SPF 50 has over 190,000 “loves” and gets a four star rating from over 3,000 reviews. Over 1600 people gave it five stars, with feedback such as “this is my all time favorite foundation. It’s hydrating, provides medium natural-looking coverage, has benefits in the formula AND sunblock. Seriously, the perfect foundation. I’m 35 years old and have been using this for years” and “I love this product and I am on my second tube. It’s moisturizing, refreshing and just makes your skin look bright, but without looking oily. It smells SO GOOD!”
The chief complaint of people who were not fans said that the product caked on their skin or left dry patches. “Totally settled into my fine lines, and not a smooth even application, very streaky. I’ve tried, and returned so many of their products. I guess it’s just not a compatible brand for my skin.” Other users said it was too oily for their face- “Please don’t get this! It was such a waste of money. The coverage is awful, & all day my face has looked terribly oily.”
Vlogger KathleenLights tried out the Bye Bye Foundation cream and said it was dewy and provided great coverage, and liked that it didn’t cake around her mouth and nostrils. She recommended applying a primer first as she thought the product settled into her face, and noted that the foundation didn’t last all day – she said it lasted for about five hours.
Bye Bye Under Eye Full Coverage Anti-Aging Waterproof Concealer gets over 10,000 loves on Sephora and a 4.4 star rating from nearly 200 reviews. Most reviewers said that it provided full coverage and a little product goes a long way. “This concealer has very good coverage, lasts all day and looks natural not cakey, it does not settle into fine lines and it does not need a setting powder so you don’t get that dry look like when using a powder.”
What Are Some Alternatives to IT Cosmetics?
If you’re looking for skincare products to address the signs of aging, we recommend Carrot & Stick. Carrot & Stick maximizes the use of powerful ingredients and minimizes the use of superficial ones, resulting in advanced skincare solutions that help promote healthy, more youthful-looking skin. We recommend The Repair Serum, followed by The Moisturizer.
pat Original review: Sep 24, 2021.
I have been using the Je Ne Sais Quoi Vitality Lip Flush Gloss and Lipstain but up unitl recently the Ulta an Sephora in my area said they were no longer carring this item any more. I Loved this ! can you please tell me where I can order it or buy in store some where? This is the best lip stain and it does not dry out my lips. Thank You