IT Cosmetics
Jamie Kern Lima was unable to find a product that fully concealed her skin issues, so she decided to make it herself. Working alongside leading physicians, she fused state of the art technology with high-performance ingredients, creating a product that solved her problem, restored her confidence, and sparked a beauty empire. Almost 10 years later, IT Cosmetics has become one of the world’s top-selling prestige beauty brands.
Our Partnership
We were impressed with the strong connection Jamie Kern Lima had developed with her customers, primarily through sharing her own story and products while on QVC. We believed that IT Cosmetics’ problem/solution positioning was easy to follow and appreciated how the products were clinically proven and created alongside professionals in the medical field, plus delivered beauty and anti-aging benefits. After months of building a relationship with Jamie and her co-founder, husband Paolo Lima, our investment was completed in fall 2012.
Strategic Focus
Working together, members of our team and IT Cosmetics leadership developed several initiatives to drive growth. Some of these initiatives included expanding the product portfolio, launching new distribution channels, improving product branding, and increasing marketing to help boost awareness of the brand. We also helped Jamie and Paulo recruit senior talent to add to their management team.
Demonstrated Impact
In August 2016, IT Cosmetics was sold to L’Oréal for $1.2 billion, capping off an incredible four-year collaboration between TSG and IT.
“Partnering with TSG was one of the best decisions we made in our journey and their strategic support these past few years, along with their unwavering encouragement of Paulo and me to pursue the vision we have for this company, has been invaluable. As we gear up for this next chapter in our company’s story, I know that TSG’s mark will prove to be indelible.”
—Jamie Kern Lima, Co-founder & CEO of IT Cosmetics
