Sephora Comes to Sydney

You know that fuzzy holiday feeling that comes with hearing certain brand names? Macy’s… Nordstrom…. Bloomingdales….

Usually I patiently wait for a trip overseas so that I can spend hours once again shopping in the ultimate makeup heaven, Sephora. My husband Gary hates it. I’m sure he will be disappointed to find out that Sephora will be opening it’s Australian doors in December – just in time for Christmas. To Gary that means sitting on a makeup chair for hours browsing on his iPhone, while I wander in (purposely bare-faced), browsing each and every skincare and makeup station starting with the best in serums and moisturisers. I figure that while I’m at it, I may as well paint and buff my face with some I.T Cosmetics CC Cream foundation and contour and highlight my cheekbones with some super soft Nars kabuki brushes. Of course I need to try the Marc Jacobs range of eye shadows (because I don’t have that in my makeup pouch at home), then line and shape my eyes and lashes with Givenchy’s jet black eyeliner and mascara. By this point, it would only be right to carry over a can of Bumble & Bumble hairspray to my husband and say “hey look, here’s that hair spray you love!” - just to stay in his good books. Then comes the time to spray him with a unisex fragrance that I secretly want to buy for myself. I would then run to the Sephora stand and stock up on lip paints that I can finally buy here in Australia, but still shop as though I’m on holidays!

Goodness me, I think it’s safe to say that we’re all so excited. Gary may be a little mad, but maybe he will like the place more if I mention Sephora comes from a name in the Bible.

Moses loved Sephora.

I sat down with Jamie Kern Lima from IT Cosmetics to have a chat about her launching the brand on our shores exclusively with Sephora Australia.

Jamie Kern Lima previously spent her career as a news anchor when she developed a common hereditary condition Rosacea and hyper pigmentation. Jamie would spend hundreds of dollars buying high-end makeup in an attempt to cover her skin. Countless products would cause irritation and cause her to break out, but the major issue she experienced was finding a product that would not only cover her skin condition, but also would be a great consistency and wouldn’t crease or crack.

“IT Cosmetics begin with ‘life’ rather than the perspective of artistry and colour. It's focus is to be innovative, life changing and skin loving”, shares Jamie, who’s excitement about the brand was simply contagious.

When Jamie decided to launch IT Cosmetics, (which stands for ‘Innovative Technology’) she wanted to approach makeup from a skincare angle, partnering with Plastic Surgeons and Dermatologists to create products that would be completely different to the way traditional makeup was made.

They started with ‘Bye-Bye’ concealer, every girls must-have. The concealer offers a full coverage that is crack and crease resistant and can be used under the eyes, on blemishes, or buffed out and used all over as a foundation (I need this in my life). This is the product that Jamie says really put them on the map and began a cult following for IT Cosmetics. Jamie’s favourite – the IT Cosmetics CC cream. A one-step wonder that provides the skin with a non-chemical sunscreen, moisturiser and full coverage foundation, all in one.

Jamie’s life changing approach also impacts lives in a charitable way. To date, 4.8 million dollars have been donated from IT's ‘hero’ eyebrow pencils. The Brow Power Pencil adheres to skin and mimics the look of real hair. For every brow pencil sold, $1 is donated to Look Good Feel Better. Literally heroic.

Australian women have tried the product while overseas and have fallen in love with the makeup, but of course, have no place to purchase the brand here in Australia. Jamie and along with many Australian women are very excited that IT Cosmetics will be launching exclusively with Sephora Australia set to open in December.