What Happened to IT Cosmetics on QVC? | Full Story

what happened to Borghese Cosmetics

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IT Cosmetics quietly stepped back from QVC after years as one of the channel’s best-selling brands. The shift followed L’Oréal’s acquisition of IT Cosmetics in 2016 and a broader retail strategy that moved the brand toward Ulta Beauty, Sephora, and its own website. QVC still carries some IT Cosmetics products, but the days of Today’s Special Value deals are largely gone.

If you’ve been searching for IT Cosmetics on QVC and coming up empty, you’re not alone. Thousands of loyal fans have asked the same question: what happened to IT Cosmetics on QVC?

For years, QVC was the home of IT Cosmetics. Founder Jamie Kern Lima built the brand almost entirely on the QVC platform, selling out CC creams, foundations, and skincare products in record time. The partnership felt permanent—until it didn’t.

This article breaks down exactly what happened, why IT Cosmetics pulled back from QVC, and where you can shop the brand today. Whether you’re chasing a favorite foundation or just want answers, we’ve got you covered.

What Was the IT Cosmetics and QVC Partnership All About?

IT Cosmetics launched on QVC in 2010, and the relationship changed everything for the brand.

Jamie Kern Lima, who co-founded IT Cosmetics, appeared on QVC herself to demonstrate and sell her products. Her on-air presence was authentic, emotional, and incredibly effective. Customers responded—and sales exploded.

The brand became one of QVC’s top-selling beauty lines. Products like the CC+ Cream and Bye Bye Under Eye concealer became cult favorites, largely because QVC gave them a platform to shine. The shopping channel’s format—live demonstrations, host testimonials, and limited-time deals—was perfectly suited to IT Cosmetics’ “skin that looks like skin” philosophy.

At its peak, QVC IT Cosmetics sales were a major driver of the brand’s revenue. That’s what makes the brand’s quiet retreat from the channel so surprising to longtime fans.

What Happened to IT Cosmetics on QVC?

The L’Oréal Acquisition Changed Everything

The turning point came in 2016. L’Oréal acquired IT Cosmetics for $1.2 billion—one of the largest beauty brand acquisitions in history at the time. It was a massive win for Jamie Kern Lima and the team she’d built.

But with L’Oréal came a new retail strategy. Large conglomerates typically push their brands into broader distribution—think Ulta Beauty, Sephora, department stores, and direct-to-consumer websites. QVC, while powerful, serves a specific and somewhat older demographic. A brand under L’Oréal’s umbrella needed wider reach.

Gradually, IT Cosmetics on QVC shifted from a primary sales channel to a secondary one. New product launches started appearing first at Ulta Beauty and on the IT Cosmetics website. QVC’s role shrank.

Desiree Zirolli and Shifting Brand Faces

Another change fans noticed was the reduced presence of familiar faces. Desiree Zirolli, who became closely associated with IT Cosmetics on QVC after Jamie Kern Lima stepped back from regular appearances, built a loyal following of her own.

The question of Desiree Zirolli leaving IT Cosmetics has circulated widely in fan communities. While there’s no official confirmed statement about a formal departure, her on-air appearances on QVC became less frequent as the brand’s QVC presence diminished overall. Fans who followed her closely felt the shift personally—she was a trusted face who made the products feel real and relatable.

Does QVC Still Sell IT Cosmetics?

Yes—but in a much more limited capacity. QVC does still carry some IT Cosmetics products, but the days of frequent Today’s Special Value events and full product launches appear to be behind us.

If you search QVC’s website today, you’ll find a reduced selection compared to IT Cosmetics’ earlier presence on the channel. The brand’s main retail home has shifted to Ulta Beauty, where IT Cosmetics now has a strong in-store and online presence.

Why Is IT Cosmetics Harder to Find on QVC Now?

Retail Strategy After L’Oréal’s Acquisition

Post-acquisition, L’Oréal repositioned IT Cosmetics as a prestige beauty brand. That repositioning meant moving away from TV shopping channels and toward traditional retail and e-commerce. It’s a common pattern—once a brand scales through QVC, it often graduates to a broader retail footprint.

Competition Within QVC’s Beauty Category

QVC’s beauty category is crowded. With dozens of brands competing for airtime and Today’s Special Value spots, even well-loved brands can lose momentum. IT Cosmetics may have simply become less of a priority as QVC diversified its beauty offerings and IT Cosmetics found stronger traction elsewhere.

Direct-to-Consumer Growth

The IT Cosmetics website now offers the full product range, frequent sales, and exclusive bundles—things that were once QVC’s territory. Consumers who once turned to QVC IT Cosmetics sales can now shop directly, often with similar promotional pricing.

Why Do Loyal Customers Still Love Borghese?

The emotional pull of Borghese is real. For many consumers, using a Fango mud mask feels like a small ritual—a connection to Italian spa culture that mass-market skincare can’t replicate. Donna Marcella Borghese built the brand on that feeling, and it stuck.

Borghese skincare reviews from devoted fans often mention the nostalgia factor alongside genuine product efficacy. The Fango mask, for example, draws on volcanic mineral mud that genuinely helps with pore clarity and skin texture. That’s not just marketing—it’s a product with decades of loyal users to back it up.

The brand’s story is one of survival as much as decline. Despite the corporate restructuring, the market withdrawal from physical retail, and the Borghese discontinued products list that grew year over year, the core of the brand endured.

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Your Questions, Answered

What happened to Borghese cosmetics in 2020?

By 2020, Borghese had significantly reduced its product range and retail presence. The brand was no longer carried in many department stores and had shifted primarily to online sales. This followed years of ownership changes and corporate restructuring.

Yes. Borghese is still producing skincare products, particularly the Fango line. However, the full color cosmetics range—including Borghese lipstick and Borghese foundation—is no longer widely available or actively produced.

You can buy Borghese products through the brand’s official website, Amazon, and select specialty beauty retailers like Violet Grey. Physical retail availability is limited compared to the brand’s peak years.

The brand took its name and inspiration from Marcella Borghese, an Italian noblewoman who co-founded it. However, the Borghese family no longer has a direct operational role in the company, which has changed hands through various ownership transfers over the decades.

Yes. Revlon held ownership of Borghese at one point, which led to significant changes in how the brand was positioned and distributed. Borghese eventually separated from Revlon and continued as an independent brand under Borghese, Inc.

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what happened to Borghese Cosmetics

What Happened to Borghese Cosmetics?

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