Are IT Cosmetics Products Worth The Hype?

For years now, it feels as though IT Cosmetics have been the brand on every beauty blogger’s lips.  With their iconic CC Cream receiving rave reviews from everyone I’ve heard thats tried it, I’ve been intrigued to say the least.  Fast forward to last November when the brand slid into my inbox and asked if I’d like to try some of their best bits, I jumped at the chance and if you’ve been following my Instagram LIVE makeup videos, then you’ll know that I’ve been testing them out ever since.

IT Cosmetics was co-founded by rosacea sufferer, Jamie Kern, and several expert plastic surgeons and dermatologists who sought to create products that would conceal and correct skin imperfections such as hyperpigmentation, redness, discolouration and ageing.  Needless to say, they should know the skin very well and after trying out their products, I’d say they do!

As you’ll know with me by now, theres no haphazard, chuck it on once and tell people whether you’d rate it style reviewing in these parts.  I’ve been using these products for months now, alongside the rest of my makeup bag.  I’ve used the brushes with my other foundations and concealers, I’ve tried the powder over the top of several other bases and I’ve applied the foundation over a whole host of primers and tested its longevity through long work days, windy winter walks along the coast and nights out with dancing, fuelled by espresso martinis.  Needless to say, my opinion is fully formed and from the outset, I must apologise to your bank balances because it is true what they say, this brands products are absolutely brilliant.

Let’s dive in.

IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream Illumination SPF 50+

The IT Cosmetics CC+ Cream comes in 3 formulas; the original, the matte and the illumination, which is the one that I have.  This wonder foundation has been on my hit list to try for a long time and if truth be told, the only thing that has put me off buying it is the lack of beauty counter near me.  I don’t like guessing my foundation shade at the best of times so buying blind online isn’t something that I make a habit of doing, although I must say that I do love the shade comparisons on different skin tones that are part of the IT Cosmetics product imagery, they are useful.  Thankfully, the IT Cosmetics team selected the shade they thought would be best for me and I’m pleased to say that Light is pretty much spot on for me.

The IT Cosmetics CC+ Cream Illumination is a colour correcting illuminating full coverage cream foundation that does it all and then some.  It is the perfect hybrid between skincare and makeup with an ultra hydrating, anti-ageing formula, with SPF 50+ to protect the skin from the suns rays and amazing full coverage that colour corrects and balances the skin.

The hydrating, illuminating formula contains tiny light reflecting pigments to give the skin a gorgeous glow without being glittery or shimmery and as such, it is ideally suited to those with normal to dry skin or for those who find their skin to be dull in appearance.  It really does work; the glow that this foundation gives the skin is INSANE and the skin looks so incredibly radiant after it has been applied.  As you’ll know if you’re a regular reader of WhatLauraLoves, I have combination/oily skin so really, the original or matte formulations of this CC Cream would have probably been better suited to my skin and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried as to whether I would be able to get my use out of this product.  Usually, dewy or glow boosting foundations literally slide off my face and they’re something that I would tend to give a wide birth but the formulation of this foundation is fantastic; it lasts and LASTS, without settling into the fine lines on my skin.

I’ve tried it on its own and on top of several different primers and found that in every instance, this CC+ Cream applies flawlessly.  It really does blur the look of imperfections on the skin and leaves it looking flawless.  Sometimes illuminating products can end up illuminating imperfections but this one doesn’t, it really diffuses the look of open pores and fine lines on the skin and it really balances the colour of the skin from dark circles to redness and freckles.  The coverage is certainly full, much heavier than I would usually go for and while you can sheer it out a little by applying less, it is still full.  I don’t know if its because of the hydrolysed collagen, peptides, niacin, hyaluronic acid, antioxidants and vitamins A, B, C and E within the formula but when I look at my skin after I’ve applied it, my skin looks and feels plumped up, perfected and youthful.

The brightening glow that this foundation gives my skin is absolutely incredible but I do powder it down with another product from IT Cosmetics to lock in its longevity but even then, my skin still looks so radiant.  It think dry skins especially will absolutely LOVE this foundation and particularly those with dull, tired looking complexions.

I’ve tried applying it with the various different foundation brushes that I have, as well as with my fingers, a Beauty Blender and the IT Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Complexion Perfection #7 Makeup Brush.  My favourite method of application is actually with the Beauty Blender, damp of course, as I find that it blends the foundation with my skin so flawlessly and while it takes a little longer to apply in this way, the results are definitely worth it, especially for nights out which is when I wear this foundation.  It’s a little too full coverage for daytime wear for my personal tastes so I like to save it for evenings out when I really want my makeup to look glam and flawless.  I really love how perfected and even my skin looks when I’m wearing this foundation and I’d really recommend anyone who wants to achieve a similar look to give it a try.

IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer

If you’re someone who loves an industrial strength concealer with serious staying power then the IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer is for you.  It’s a full coverage, anti-ageing concealer thats waterproof and not going anywhere once you apply it to the skin.  Theres currently 24 shades which is a lot in the concealer world so I doubt anyone would struggle to find a shade to suit their skin tone.

This concealer can be used to cover skin imperfections such as blemishes, dark circles, discolouration and hyperpigmentation, scaring and redness.  It is VERY thick so I find that you only need a teeny tiny amount; this 12ml tube will last you A LONG time.

I find that its best applied onto the back of your hand first to warm up the product, the use a flat brush or the pad of your finger to apply it to the area you’re concentrating on and a fluffy brush to puff it out.  Once applied, I find that setting with a tiny little dusting of powder works a treat at setting it in place and it doesn’t budge throughout the day.

Since IT Cosmetics are all about creating makeup that also has skincare benefits, this concealer has been formulated with lots of skin loving ingredients to nourish it and help it to appear younger.  These include peptides, vitamins, hydrolysed collagen, hyaluronic acid and antioxidants.  These help to boost hydration and plump up the skin which help to diminish the appearence of fine lines and wrinkles.

I find that it makes my skin look perfected and plumped up and I love that it evens out my skin too, especially if I use it on areas such as around my nose and the corners of my mouth as it brightens some of the dull tones I find on my skin here.  For the most part, it doesn’t crease; I just have a little area under my eye that has quite a deep set line when I smile and I find it settles a little into there but other than that, it remains crease and crack free.  It isn’t a concealer I’d choose to wear everyday as I feel its a little heavy for what my skin needs most days but I love it for nights out when I want my concealer to last and give me really flawless skin.  I also found it to be fab on holiday when I wore only tinted moisturiser and then the concealer on top in the areas that I wanted to brighten or conceal with added coverage.

IT Cosmetics have actually brought this concealer out in an illuminating formula that I’m dying to get my hands on.  I love something thats really bright underneath my eyes so I’d love to see how that looks.

IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores Pressed Powder

The product you’ll see that I’ve hit pan on already is the IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores Translucent Pressed Powder which is an absolute godsend for an oily skinned gal like me.  The mattifying abilities that this powder has without leaving the skin looking dull and flat is unreal.  I’ve been recommending it to anyone who’ll listen.

I simply LOVE applying this powder over all of my foundations but I especially like applying it over the top of the IT Cosmetics CC+ illumination, particularly when I’m on Insta LIVE as you can really see the mattifying properties and how it blurs the skin.  It gives the skin the most incredible airbrushed finish that is amazing if you have enlarged pores like I do as it blurs them like no other powder I’ve used.  I use it to set my makeup in place but I also pop it in my bag if I’m going out for a night out or a long day incase I do get any shine, in which case this literally takes it straight away and the mirror along with the brush thats inside the compact is actually really handy and great quality too.  What I love about it is that it doesn’t make the skin look really flat and matte; you can still see the radiance and glow of the skin through the powder, its just not shiny.

The powder is translucent and feels really light weight and silky on the skin.  Again, it combines the benefits of skincare within the makeup with its anti-ageing peptides, silk, hydrolysed collagen and antioxidants.

IT Cosmetics Brow Power Eyebrow Pencil in Universal Taupe

Another fave from the items that I’ve been testing that I’ve almost ran out of is the IT Cosmetics Brow Power Eyebrow Pencil in Universal Taupe.  This is one of the best brow products I’ve ever used as it glides onto the brows effortlessly and creates the most gorgeous, natural looking brows.

Theres a spooley brush on one end which I use to brush my brows upwards before application of the pencil and then afterwards I use it to brush through my brows to ensure the product is evenly distributed and they all blend together so well.  On the other end is the soft pencil which has a slanted, oval shaped tip.  This enables you to create thin brows with precision or thicker, bolder brows with ease and depending on the pressure that you apply, the universal brow shade should adapt to suit the majority of brow colours too.

The pencil itself is so soft and feels almost nourishing, as crazy as that sounds.  Sometimes I’ll use brow products that make my brows look dry and crispy or they drag on the skin whereas this one really has a glide to it which gives a really natural looking result that you can build or soften depending on how you like your brows to look day to night.  Once you’ve applied the pencil, it doesn’t go anywhere until you remove it; it’s so long lasting.

IT Cosmetics Makeup Brushes

The IT Cosmetics makeup brushes are by no means cheap but if the three that I have are anything to go by, then they are some of the best on the market, without a doubt.  All of the IT Cosmetics brushes are cruelty free and are made from soft, synthetic hairs, with many having handles designed in such an ergonomic way that they can be used with ease regardless of whether you’re a makeup pro or a novice.

The IT Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Complexion Perfection #7 Makeup Brush is a dual ended brush with one end for foundation and the other for concealer.  I’ve tried using it with the CC+ Cream but I don’t think that it works well with it as the foundation is so thick that the bristles seems to clump together however it is the perfect brush for applying a lighter foundation such as the Clarins Skin Illusion.  I love the way it effortlessly buffs the foundation into my skin, giving it a really airbrushed look.  Similarly, when it comes to the concealer side, I find that a lighter weight concealer is best.  IT Cosmetics have a fantastic range of more densely packed makeup brushes that I would love to try with the CC+ Cream as I think that they would be better suited than the fluffier brush that comes on the Heavenly Luxe Complexion Perfection #7.

The IT Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Retractable Concealer Makeup Brush is a dual ended brush that’s great for on the go.  It has a fluffy blending brush on one side and a more densely packed flat brush on the other.  The former is ideal for buffing concealer into the skin for a seamless blend and a flawless finish, particularly where liquid concealers are concerned and the latter is better for thicker, cream concealers that you want to concentrate in a particular area such as under the eyes or on a blemish.  Both sides work well and I’ve also found them to be pretty good for using on the eyes too if you forget your eyeshadow brushes as the flat side can pack on colour all over the lid and the fluffy side is good for blending shadow through the crease.

I must admit that while I do think that the brush is handy to have and travel friendly, the cap on the flat brush side fits nice and snug but the side with the buffing brush feels a little loose and theres a few times I’ve had to fish it out of the bottom of my bag!

My favourite brush of the three though has to be the uber soft IT Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Wand Ball Makeup Brush which is an absolutely gorgeous brush to use as it applies powder so well to the skin.  It is lightly rounded and tapered so you can use it to apply any powder products whether it’s an all over face powder or a bronzer swept across the sun kissed high points of the skin.  It gives an airbrushed look without caking on the product and I’ve found that it works equally as well with pressed powders as it does with loose.

Superb quality makeup brushes are hard to come by and are worth their weight in gold as they make light work of your makeup application!  I would really recommend all 3 that I have tried, they’re well worth the investment.  I’ve washed them countless times since I started using them in November and they’re still looking absolutely perfect; no shedding in sight and I’m confident that they’ll remain in tremendous condition for many years to come.

I’m so impressed with the IT Cosmetics products that I’ve tried out and I honestly couldn’t recommend this brand enough.  For me, my stand out favourites are the Bye Bye Pores Pressed Powder and the Brow Power Eyebrow Pencil, both of which I’ve almost used up but I really do love everything.  It’s all incredible quality and so well made, looks so flawless on the skin and is long lasting.

IT Cosmetics products are available online via their official website, as well as on Boots.com and Cult Beauty.  You can also find some brilliant deals online through QVC. I’ve found the official website to be a brilliant source of information not only about the product itself but with regards to shade selection too.  Each shade is swatched and shown on different skin tones.  The breadth of shades across the product range is really impressive and I’d definitely recommend their website to be your first port of call when considering a purchase… plus they often have great deals!

So finally, to answer the question, ‘are IT Cosmetics products worth the hype?’  ABSOLUTELY!

Which product sounds like it would work for you too?  Are there any other IT Cosmetics products that you’d recommend to me?