CARGO is an iconic makeup brand that’s home to a few cult-classics you shouldn’t miss. Their powder bronzers are famous (and fabulous) for lacking those unflattering orange tones—while being available in several shades; and their BeachBlush hues can be found in the kits of makeup artists everywhere. But where has CARGO been? While distribution of the brand in recent years has been doing somewhat of a shuffle—the good news is, the integrity of the products themselves hasn’t been compromised.
Whew! Because I was actually worried about that, when some classic CARGO products arrived for me to get re-acquainted with. It’s still the CARGO I loved back in 2005, so I’m going to keep loving it. In the meantime, I wanted to introduce you to two of the Lip Gloss Quads…
CARGO’s lip gloss formulas are known to lack that sticky “tack” that some glosses have, so if you detest the “tack”, these will probably be for you. Now with that, comes the reduction of staying power—so these won’t last for hours. They do however, keep my lips moist, shiny, and comfortable, with even color—even if I find myself reapplying more often than usual. (Petrolatum, Castor Oil, Beeswax, Shea Butter, and Vitamin E base.)
CARGO does have lip glosses that are packaged in tubes with wand applicators—but think of the quads as more of a “pro” product. They’re packaged in industrial tins that travel well and are practically indestructible. The texture of the glosses is such that I HIGHLY recommend the use of a lip brush when applying, it’s just a mess otherwise. But hey—the pros use lip brushes, right? (My favorite is actually an inexpensive retractable one from Sephora, FYI!) Each shade can be layered, or even mixed to create your own unique hue.
The quads I tried were Oceania, and Argentina. Their individual shades don’t have names, but here’s a break down:
Argentina
- gold metallic
- rusty berry shimmer
- deep burgundy shimmer
- copper metallic
Oceania
- iced pink shimmer
- sparkling wine shimmer
- sheer candy pink shimmer
- berry shimmer
CARGO Oceania Lip Gloss Quad
Oceania swatches
My personal fave shade from Oceania, berry shimmer
CARGO Argentina Lip Gloss Quad
Argentina swatches
My personal fave Argentina shade, rusty berry shimmer
Bottom Line…
These may not be the most long-wearing lip glosses I’ve ever worn, but they sure are among some of the best feeling on my lips! They feel very hydrating and creamy, and the quads offer a gorgeous selection of shades. Also check out the quads in shades South Beach and Casablanca. As for long-wearing lip glosses from CARGO? Check these out. I haven’t tried them yet, but they promise to stay put for up to 6 hours.
Price & Availability…
$24 each; cargocosmetics.com, beauty.com, ULTA
