An Intimate Moment With Jamie Kern Lima, CEO of IT Cosmetics
Discover all you need to know about American cult beauty brand, IT Cosmetics, from the founder herself
BAZAAR had the honour of spending an intimate session with Jamie Kern Lima when she popped by for the brand's launch at ION Orchard's outlet. There, she share her story about the brand, what it stands for, and most importantly what products from the cult beauty brand she built that everyone should get their hands on.
Born with rosacea, Jamie Kern Lima had trouble looking perfect while working constantly in front of cameras as a news anchor. She felt that it was time that she bridged the gap between her beauty woes and the beauty industry. Then, IT Cosmetics was born, bent on making beauty products that don't just enhance a woman's existing beauty, but also work to improve on the skin underneath all of the product using cutting-edge technology. The brand finally launched in Sephora Singapore last September. Scroll down to see what Lima has to say:
Could you share with us your philosophy and your vision for IT Cosmetics?
Our whole mission is to create game changing products that really work. That do what they say and gives life changing results for everybody. And if we feel that they’re not better than anything that’s ever been launched before, we won’t launch it. It took us seven years for our first moisturisers to launch. There’s also the Bye Bye Under Eye™ concealers — which is one of our most famous product — and we took three years to produce a foundation. As a makeup company, it’s very easy to launch like 500 products in 5 seconds and you can put your name on anything. But I think the reason why we’ve grown is that the products work and they do what they say. They’re a solution to problems. We try to convey that not just in the name. So when we say Bye Bye Under Eye™ …
Is it really saying goodbye to all of that?
Yes!
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Can you tell us why it’s called IT Cosmetics?
Sure! "IT" stands for "Innovative Technology". We’re all about innovation and game changing products that really, really work and our mission is that our products help you become the most beautiful you. So if you have no brows and you want brows that look real, we have Brow Power™ that really looks like real. Every product we make is like making the most beautiful you. There are a lot of brands out there that claim to work. But you put it on, it doesn’t do what it says. Our whole mission and why we work with plastic surgeons and dermatologists is so we could create products that work so well that people freak out.
With a brand name like IT cosmetics, who do you think is an It Girl?
So we have literally so many celebrities who use IT Cosmetics, and we’ve never paid a celebrity to use our products. And to answer your question, who I would say is an It Girl is: Everyone. Because to me, it’s more important for anyone walking down the street that doesn’t have confidence in their skin to find it. To me, that’s what I care about. I’m grateful that so many celebrities use IT Cosmetics, and talk about it, tweet it, post it and do videos. I’m grateful, but that’s not who we are. This is for every person.
How do you feel to have this brand finally expanding to Singapore?
It’s a dream come true. I stood in front the Sephora in ION and watched people coming to our display. I started crying! It’s been such a blessing, and I feel that whether I’m in Singapore or anywhere else, everyone deserves to have products that work. That’s our whole mission, and that’s what drives us. Creating products that actually work. And if you walk into any store, most beauty products have a kind of similar looking model. We want every person to know that they’re beautiful and that they don’t need to look like anybody else. They just need products that give them their most beautiful skin and their most beautiful.
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With all the feedback you're given on your products, were there any story that moved you?
Oh my goodness, millions. I think even this morning when we had a cast member breakfast for Sephora, they’re sharing stories of how their skin has changed from using IT Cosmetics in a few weeks. My biggest thing though is I get stories all the time on how everybody’s skin is getting better but my favourite thing is when people say “I felt beautiful” or “I felt beautiful for the first time ever” or “I feel beautiful for the first time in a long time” .They can do that because that’s the thing we believe — product superiority. You shouldn’t have to be a makeup artist or an expert. It should do the work for you. It can be a 16-year-old girl who says “Oh my gosh, my acne’s gone away” or it can be an 85-year-old grandma who says “I felt beautiful and I’m going on a date with my husband”. So yeah!
What are IT Cosmetics’ top products?
Our CC Cream is our number one bestseller. The Bye Bye Under Eye™ concealer is number two. These are the two products in our whole like that I hear the most people say are life changing for them. You could wear the CC Cream then apply the Bye Bye Under Eye™ as a concealer. Even though it says "Under Eye", you can use it to cover anything. We also have Brow Power™, which is our universal brow pencil. The Bye Bye Pores™ powder helps to mattify your skin, and can also be used as a dry shampoo.
IT Cosmetics is available at Sephora islandwide
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By Syed Zulfadhli
Brow Power™ Universal Brow Pencil, $42, IT Cosmetics at Sephora (Photo: IT Cosmetics)
Bye Bye Pores™ Pressed Powder, $48, IT Cosmetics at Sephora (Photo: IT Cosmetics)
Bye Bye Under Eye™ Anti-Aging Concealer, $42, IT Cosmetics at Sephora (Photo: IT Cosmetics)
Confidence In A Cream™, $72, IT Cosmetics at Sephora
Superhero Mascara™, $42, IT Cosmetics at Sephora (Photo: IT Cosmetics)
Your Skin But Better™CC Cream SPF 50+, $62, IT Cosmetics at Sephora (Photo: IT Cosmetics)