IT Cosmetics CC Nude Glow has launched and it's the best thing I’ve ever put on my face

“What’s that foundation called that you were going on about and said I would love?” This is one of many, many Whatsapp messages I get from friends on a regular basis. Normally following on from a meet-up where I have given a ten-minute monologue waxing lyrical about a particular product. It’s also the reason why I keep a screenshot of said product on my phone at all times because it is the one product I have recommended the most. And it is….drumroll, please…IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream SPF50, £32.50. In short: the best product I have ever put on my face...until now. 

And that's because the newest iteration of the IT Cosmetics CC creams has taken the top spot - meet IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Nude Glow SPF40, £33 which has hit the shelves exclusively at Cult Beauty today.

What is IT Cosmetics?

If you’re unfamiliar with IT Cosmetics, let me give you a bit of background info. IT Cosmetics came to the UK in 2016 after launching in the US with much success. One night when mindlessly scrolling through TV channels, I landed on QVC and watched the founder, Jamie Kern Lima demonstrating the CC cream. Jamie was a former news anchor who suffered from rosacea. She knew first-hand the dilemma that anyone trying to even out their skin tone or who was just looking for a base product that would make their skin look as good as possible without looking totally unnatural, faced. At the time there were really only two options in the makeup world: choose a full coverage base that looked cakey and felt heavy and uncomfortable on the skin, or choose something lighter, that felt nice to wear but didn’t last very long or do as good a job at covering and concealing. 

She was determined to create something that could do it all, so she teamed up with a team of plastic surgeons and dermatologists to combine their know-how with her vision. In true shopping TV style, I watched her apply the product to only half of the faces of a group of different women. Some had rosacea, some had pigmentation issues, and they were all skin tones and ages, and this one product was solving all their issues with no fuss and bother. Just one pump, a bit of buffing in with a brush, and they were left with half a face of flawless-looking skin. I was genuinely stunned and bought my first tube straight away.

Why is IT Cosmetics CC Cream so good?

• Non-cakey coverage. It offers a full coverage level of foundation without feeling like you’re wearing shedloads of makeup on your skin. In fact, many of my friends haven’t realised that it’s classified as a full-coverage foundation because it feels so lightweight.
• Staying power. This is not a product that will slip away halfway through the day. My sister-in-law couldn’t believe that she didn’t have to do her post-lunch break touch-up like she has to with all her other bases.
• Colour-corrects. Unlike many other foundations this contains colour-correcting pigments (hence why it’s called a CC cream) that neutralise any redness or sallowness in the skin, meaning your skin will look more even and brighter. Whilst I don’t have rosacea, I have a lot of redness in my skin and this zaps it away without be having to apply concealer on top. Makeup artist, Rose Gallagher who has two types of rosacea is it Cosmetics’s brand ambassador and she frequently takes to her Instagram to demonstrate just how easily the CC cream corrects and perfects skin without the need of a separate colour corrector or primer.
• Serious SPF protection. We all know how important it is to find a brilliant everyday SPF - but it’s also essential if you are prone to redness or sensitivity to wear an SPF to help prevent flare-ups as well as to protect your skin from future damage. It can be quite tricky to have high factor SPFs in tinted products because of the impact that the SPF ingredients have on the pigment of the base - although if you were in the market for the best tinted SPF we’ve got you covered - but this manages to contain a broad-spectrum SPF50 and still deliver true-to-skin shades. In the autumn and winter months, I feel this gives my skin all the sun protection it needs without requiring a separate SPF on top.
• Skincare benefits. Jamie formulated products with plastic surgeons and dermatologists because she wanted all IT cosmetic products to contain skincare ingredients so that skin was getting long-term benefits as well as instant transformation. In this, there’s hydrating hyaluronic acid, hydrolysed collagen which softens wrinkles and improves elasticity in the skin, protective antioxidants and skin caring vitamins A,B, C and E.
• Inclusive shade range. There are currently 16 shades of the original CC+ however, there will be another 6 shades introduced at the beginning of next year and each can span quite a few tones. I can wear three shades. Fair light and light during the winter months and light-medium in the summer or when I’ve self-tanned.
• For all skin types. Not long after the original CC cream launched two new versions followed. There is the ‘turquoise tube’, the Oil-Free Matte, £33, which caters for more oily and combination skin types. And then the version that became my absolute favourite, Illumination, £32.50, the ‘pink tube’ which contains light-reflecting particles for extra glow. Sadly, Illumination is now slowly being discontinued to make way for something new...

Meet IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Nude Glow SPF40, £33

This is a product born from customer feedback. Loyal It Cosmetic fans asked for a CC+ product that was a little lighter in coverage for days when you don't want or need a full coverage base and the brand delivered. 

As you can guess from the name, the finish is all about making the skin look as glowy as possible. It does this in two ways. The first is an instant glow created by brightening pigments that make light reflect off your skin more effectively. The second is more of a long-term glow plan with the inclusion of niacinamide. There are lots of benefits of niacinamide but it’s particularly good at reducing inflammation and calming the skin which means less redness and flushing. It’s also great at reducing hyper-pigmentation and making skin look brighter. It is launching with 22 shades and it already has a huge following. Rosacea sufferer, makeup artist and mega influencer Rose Gallagher took straight to her Instagram to announce IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Nude Glow SPF40 launch day. 

Our verdict

While I never found the original version heavy on the skin or like I was wearing a full-coverage foundation, CC+Nude Glow is noticeably lighter in consistency, it felt like I had nothing on. I only have a little redness on my skin and it covered that easily and perfectly but for anyone with more to conceal, the original is still your best bet. However, what it offers over the original is a serious glow factor, as you would hope from the name, which I hope you can see from the video but I think it’s more noticeable in real life. 

For me, anything that makes my skin look glowy, healthy and fresh without being overly shimmery and glittery is the holy grail of makeup products. I now have a screen grab of this saved on my phone and it has already been WhatsApp-ed to many, many people. 

IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Nude Glow SPF40, £33

IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream SPF50, £32.50.