A few months ago, I had the opportunity to purchase a product in New York that had received a lot of praise but wasn’t yet available in Italy or Switzerland. That product was the CC+ Cream from It Cosmetics, which is a top-selling product in the USA and Canada.
The Story of IT Cosmetics
IT Cosmetics is an American brand that creates all-in-one products that combine makeup and skincare. The brand was launched in 2008 by Jamie Kern Lima, a former Miss USA, TV host, and journalist. It is said that Lima was inspired to create her own brand after struggling to find products that could address her own skin concerns, particularly rosacea. Unable to find suitable products, she decided to create and produce them herself, seeking the help and advice of plastic surgeons. She wanted products that could provide skin benefits through their ingredients while also correcting discoloration and redness caused by rosacea. After going into production, the brand’s success was cemented by the product’s appearance on the US satellite channel QVC. Today, IT Cosmetics is also a best-seller at Sephora USA.
IT Cosmetics’ Best-Sellers
The brand boasts five products among its best-sellers. The first is the CC+ Cream a high-coverage corrective cream for skin discoloration. It is followed by Bye Under Eye, an ultra-pigmented concealer, the Bye Bye Pores powder with a matte finish, the Brow Power eyebrow pencil with universal color and a natural effect, and finally the Superhero mascara enriched with biotin and capable of strengthening lashes.
Of the five, I purchased the CC+ Cream and the concealer, and while I’m still testing the concealer, I can give my opinion on the famous CC+ Cream after using it for a few months. .
The CC+ Cream
The absolute bestseller of It Cosmetics is the CC+ Cream Color Correction Full Coverage, which claims to have anti-aging agents, a moisturizing serum, and an SPF 50 sunscreen in it.
The latter is one of the product’s strong points. It is a mineral sunscreen that, unlike chemical sunscreens, is less allergenic and therefore able to meet the needs of problematic skin Sun protection is guaranteed for two hours. As rightly specified on the packaging, to maintain constant sun protection, the product should be reapplied several times throughout the day. But this applies to every sunscreen.
The second ingredient on the product’s INCI list is snail secretion filtrate, an ingredient that may surprise some people but has recognized moisturizing and soothing properties. For those who want to learn about the effects of snail secretion filtrate and the extraction process, here are some references. (Scientific study, Wikipedia)
Apart from snail secretion filtrate, the product’s INCI is not the cleanest and contains some potentially irritating ingredients.
ACTIVE INGREDIENTS: TITANIUM DIOXIDE 9.0% ZINC OXIDE 6.3% INACTIVE INGREDIENTS: WATER, SNAIL SECRETION FILTRATE, PHENYL TRIMETHICONE, DIMETHICONE, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, BUTYLENE GLYCOL DICAPRYLATE/DICAPRATE, ORBIGNYA OLEIFERA SEED OIL, BUTYLOCTYL SALICYLATE, CETYL PEG/PPG-10/1 DIMETHICONE, CYCLOPENTASILOXANE, CYCLOHEXASILOXANE, MAGNESIUM SULFATE, POLYGLYCERYL-4 ISOSTEARATE, DIMETHICONE/VINYL DIMETHICONE CROSSPOLYMER, ALUMINUM HYDROXIDE, HEXYL LAURATE, STEARIC ACID, CALCIUM STEARATE, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, TRIETHOXYCAPRYLYLSILANE, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN, CITRUS MEDICA LIMONUM (LEMON) PEEL OIL, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, SORBITAN ISOSTEARATE, PHENOXYETHANOL, CITRUS AURANTIUM BERGAMIA (BERGAMOT) FRUIT OIL, 1,2-HEXANEDIOL, DISODIUM EDTA, CITRUS AURANTIUM DULCIS (ORANGE) PEEL OIL, CITRUS AURANTIFOLIA (LIME) OIL, VITIS VINIFERA (GRAPE) SEED OIL, PUNICA GRANATUM SEED OIL, PINUS SYLVESTRIS LEAF OIL, PERSEA GRATISSIMA (AVOCADO) OIL, NIACINAMIDE, CITRUS GRANDIS (GRAPEFRUIT) PEEL OIL, CHOLESTEROL, ANTHEMIS NOBILIS FLOWER WATER, LACTOBACILLUS/HONEYSUCKLE FLOWER/LICORICE ROOT/MORUS ALBA ROOT/PUERARIA LOBATA ROOT/SCHIZANDRA CHINENSIS FRUIT/SCUTELLARIA BAICALENSIS ROOT/SOPHORA JAPONICA FLOWER EXTRACT FERMENT FILTRATE, PERFLUOROHEXANE, OLEA EUROPAEA (OLIVE) LEAF EXTRACT, GLYCERIN, EUCALYPTUS GLOBULUS LEAF OIL, CAMELLIA SINENSIS LEAF EXTRACT, CHRYSANTHEMUM INDICUM FLOWER EXTRACT, PUERARIA LOBATA ROOT EXTRACT, PERFLUORODECALIN, MORUS ALBA FRUIT EXTRACT, MAGNOLIA KOBUS BARK EXTRACT, GLYCINE SOJA (SOYBEAN) SPROUT EXTRACT, DIOSPYROS KAKI LEAF EXTRACT, CINNAMOMUM CASSIA BARK EXTRACT, ARTEMISIA PRINCEPS LEAF EXTRACT, PENTAFLUOROPROPANE, CURCUMA LONGA (TURMERIC) ROOT EXTRACT, STEARETH-20, HYDROLYZED HYALURONIC ACID, COLLOIDAL OATMEAL, HYDROLYZED SILK, CITRIC ACID, SODIUM BENZOATE, POTASSIUM SORBATE, ALOE BARBADENSIS LEAF EXTRACT, N-HYDROXYSUCCINIMIDE, HYDROLYZED COLLAGEN, CAPRYLHYDROXAMIC ACID, TOCOPHEROL, THIAMINE HCL, RIBOFLAVIN, RETINYL PALMITATE, PANTOTHENIC ACID, PALMITOYL OLIGOPEPTIDE, NIACIN, FOLIC ACID, CHRYSIN, CARNITINE HCL, BIOTIN, ASCORBIC ACID, PALMITOYL TETRAPEPTIDE-7, CHLORHEXIDINE DIGLUCONATE. MAY CONTAIN: IRON OXIDES (CI 77492, CI 77491, CI 77499).
It Cosmetics’ CC+ Cream has a very light citrus scent and a rather thick texture. It is available in 7 shades: Fair, Light, Medium, Medium Tan, Tan, Rich, and Deep.
The packaging is not particularly beautiful but aims for practicality, especially thanks to the dispenser pump. Applying this product is quite simple, either using a brush or simply using your fingers.
Many people appreciate this cream because it covers like a foundation while having a lighter texture. Once applied, it hides imperfections like a medium coverage foundation. Additionally, the product can be used as both a foundation and a primer under another foundation. The camouflage effect is thus enhanced.
While this CC Cream can be considered among noteworthy coverage products, it falls short in terms of longevity. When used alone, it is not able to guarantee impeccable makeup all day long. In fact, the product does not completely fixate on the skin and tends to migrate. To ensure good results in terms of duration, a finishing powder must necessarily be used.
The use of a powder is also recommended for those who do not like the glossy effect. The final result of the product is, in fact, “glow.” Alternatively, the product can be used as a primer, and a matte foundation can be applied later.
The feeling of comfort of this CC cream applied to the skin is equal to that obtained by applying a moisturizing cream. What surprised me was that despite the composition that made me a bit skeptical, my skin improved with the use of this CC Cream. Recently, unfortunately, I have been suffering from a diagnosed rosacea, and I found relief from using this cream instead of foundation, and I also noticed greater hydration of the skin. But it is essential to emphasize that, in conjunction with the use of this cream, I paid close attention to my diet, excluding all foods not loved by rosacea.
Conclusion:
The confirmation that the product was designed for problematic skin was given by the fact that when used on skin with active rosacea, it did not cause any problems. However, the product’s INCI can be problematic due to the presence of potentially irritating ingredients. It Cosmetics’ CC+ Cream is capable of providing foundation coverage but falls short in terms of longevity. Due to its glow finish, I would not recommend it for combination or oily skin.
