ILIA

ILIA is a United States cosmetics company headquartered in Los Angeles, known for "skin-centric" clean makeup that blends colour cosmetics with skincare ingredients. It was founded in 2011 by Sasha Plavsic, together with her brother Zachary [6]. Although the company is US-based, the brand's own account roots its origins in founder Sasha Plavsic's upbringing on the ocean-side coast near Vancouver, Canada [1]; the corporate entity itself operates from Los Angeles.

In 2022 ILIA was acquired by Famille C, the Courtin-Clarins family holding company, which took a majority stake while the skincare group Clarins retained a minority interest [6][7]. The brand continues to trade under its own name, and its founder and chief executive remained in place after the deal.

According to the company, ILIA began with an ingredient list. Plavsic's mother encouraged her to read the label on a favourite lip balm; finding ingredients she considered unsafe, Plavsic set out to "re-create her favorite lip balm so that it would be safe, effective and natural" [1]. That first product grew into a broader makeup and skincare line. Her brother Zachary, a sailor who competed at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games, joined as a business partner.

On 1 February 2022, the trade press reported that Famille C, the Courtin-Clarins family's holding company, had agreed to buy a majority stake in ILIA. Reporting at the time clarified an ownership structure that is often simplified: the majority owner is Famille C rather than Clarins itself, and Clarins holds only a minority stake, alongside minority holdings retained by Plavsic and chief executive Lynda Berkowitz [6][7]. Some general references describe Clarins as ILIA's owner [10], but the trade coverage of the deal places the controlling interest with the family holding company. Clarins's role was framed as operational support across international expansion, regulatory guidance, research and development, packaging and supply chain. Famille C's deputy chief executive, Prisca Courtin, described the ambition as making ILIA "the worldwide leader in clean color [cosmetics]".

ILIA presents clean beauty as "thoughtful beauty" rather than a strictly natural-only formula, summarising its stance as the view that "not every natural ingredient is good for the skin, nor is every synthetic bad". The company says it selects ingredients with input from chemistry and regulatory specialists, combining natural, organic and synthetic components, and discloses all ingredients, trace ingredients and derivatives even where US rules do not require it. Fragrance is avoided in most products, especially complexion items, and disclosed when used.

The brand frames makeup and skincare as a single category, captured in its trademarked line "Makeup That Makes Your Skin Better". It places particular emphasis on sun protection, stating that SPF is "what protects and powers these actives, making them up to 200% more effective" [1]. Its products are positioned toward a natural, dewy finish and appeal to skincare-conscious buyers looking for multifunctional formulas that stand in for serums, moisturisers and SPF.

ILIA's defining product is the Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40, launched in 2019 and marketed as a combination of makeup, skincare and mineral sun protection, with ingredients including niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and squalane [8]. The product became the brand's commercial anchor: it surpassed one million units sold, and the company reported that 70% of customers repurchase within twelve months [7]. Other recurring products include the Limitless Lash Mascara, the Multi-Stick cream blush for lip and cheek, the True Skin Serum Foundation and the Lip Sketch hydrating crayon.

The brand's products are described as cruelty-free and Leaping Bunny certified, and formulated without more than fifty ingredients including parabens, phthalates, sulfates and talc. The Super Serum Skin Tint is additionally described in editorial coverage as silicone-free, free of chemical sunscreen, vegan and fragrance-free [8]. ILIA's revenue grew from $30 million in 2019 to $100 million in 2021, with roughly half coming from direct-to-consumer channels and the remainder through retailers such as Sephora, Credo, Space NK and Mecca [7].

The Super Serum Skin Tint has drawn industry recognition, including an Allure Best of Beauty award and a Byrdie Eco Beauty award in 2020 [9]. Both Glamour and Allure named it the best clean foundation in 2020 [8], and it was later cited as a top pick by other consumer publications.

ILIA is a member of 1% for the Planet and says it donates 1% of Super Serum Skin Tint sales to reforestation through a partnership with One Tree Planted, with a stated goal of planting one million trees. The brand reports supporting forest restoration in Los Angeles following wildfires and tree-planting in the Amazon across Brazil, Peru and Ecuador. It also runs a makeup-empties recycling programme with Pact Collective, through which customers can mail back up to ten used products using prepaid labels.

ILIA remains commercially active. Since the 2022 acquisition by Famille C it has continued to operate under its own name, with founder Sasha Plavsic and chief executive Lynda Berkowitz retained, so the brand is best described as acquired rather than absorbed. It continues to release new products and to sell globally through retail and direct-to-consumer channels.