The cosmetics line started in 400 JC Penny stores. In just two years, the brand’s sales skyrocketed to over $5 million (Cowles). Iman cosmetics became the prestige brand for women of color, which at the time applied to black women. The steady growth in sales caught the attention of major distributors. In 2004, Iman signed a deal with Procter & Gamble, introducing her line to the mass market. The distribution agreement made her line available to mass retailers including Target, Wal-Mart, Walgreens and Duane Reade. The products were sold in 50 doors for each retailer. Even with huge distributors like Wal-Mart and Target, Iman still battled to reach her target market. She notes that most mass retailers responded to her product with caution, attempting to place them at the back of their stores. Despite the hurdles and setbacks, Iman cosmetics thrived. It created “one of the great makeup evolutions for women of color” and continues to redefine the cosmetics game …show more content…
It no longer distributes with JC Penny and is now owned by Impala Inc. With its main headquarters in New York, Iman cosmetics is sold through the world. The line is sold in the US in select CVS, Target, Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Duane Reade, and Walmart stores, independent regional retailers and military commissaries. Internationally, the brand is sold in Canada, France, UK, Africa, and the Caribbean in select department stores. In 2012, Iman cosmetics launched in Jamaica with cosmetics expert and artistic director of Iman Cosmetics, Byron Barnes leading the way (Drummond). The brand is popular overseas, with loyal customers in India, Nigeria, and Mexico. It offers one of the “largest selections of flawless finish makeup and state of the art treatment products available globally” (Reid). The majority of business is now conducted online because of retailers refusing to put her products with the rest of their makeup. The line is available online on their main site and at Target.com, Walgreens.com, and Walmart.com. In addition, the brand shifted to a more holistic vision (Iman). Today, the brand caters to all multi-cultural women. The Iman brand philosophy emphasizes that women of color “represent many races, cultures, and ethnicities,” thus the line is designed for “African-American, Asian, Latina and multi-cultural women with skin tones in a myriad of shades” (Impala). The line address the variety in beauty and cosmetics by focusing on