I'd heard good things about CARGO blush, especially from Delicate Hummingbird, but the price ($26) was high enough that I knew I would only buy it with a discount. There's not a whole lot of swatches of the blushes online, but I managed to decide on what color to get through judicious use of Google and MUA. I knew I wanted a color that I didn't already have in my collection, and ultimately decided that Tonga, a pale nude pink, would be the most different and versatile choice.
Tonga is a light warm nude pink, which seems to be nuder than Catalina but pinker than Louisiana. In spite of the light color, Tonga is very pigmented. The texture is soft but not powdery; I find tapping my fluffy blush brush gives me the perfect amount for a cheek, and once applied, looks extremely natural. The nude tones in it make it really flexible, and it can go with pretty much any look. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about it, though, is the wear: it lasts all day without fading. We're talking 12+ hours on super-oily skin, and it doesn't budge. Awesome!
This shade is probably best for fair to light-medium skin tones, since it's pale enough that it might not show up on darker skin, but CARGO's blush range is quite extensive and includes several deeper, more pigment-rich colors that would work for a wider range of skintones. If you're light-complected and looking for a long-wearing, flatteringly natural nude blush, CARGO Tonga is an excellent choice. I definitely recommend getting a Bloom certificate from LivingSocial/Groupon when it's available, since you save $6 on the blush, plus get $14 of other free stuff!
Overview
$26 for 0.31 oz, available from Bloom and some Sephora inside JCPenneys
Quality: 9.5
Effectiveness: 5
Ease of Use: 5
Senses: 5
Pigmentation: 5
Duration: 5
Consistency: 5
Price: 1.5
Value: 4.5
Packaging: -0.25
Grade: A-
Overall, I am extremely pleased. I've found myself reaching for this really often, not just because it's new and therefore interesting (I am shallow, yes), but also because it lasts so long and looks so great doing so!
Have you tried any CARGO blushes? Do you have a favorite nude blush? What do you think of Tonga?
CARGO Tonga
The blush comes housed in a metal tin that is quite hefty, both in weight and size; it's nice for keeping on your vanity, but definitely not ideal for traveling (since the lid isn't a screw-on, I imagine it would come off pretty easily en route). One really great thing about CARGO blushes is the size: 0.31 oz, nearly twice that of NARS blushes (0.16 oz), for $1 less.
Tonga swatched heavily (left) and lightly (right)
Tonga is a light warm nude pink, which seems to be nuder than Catalina but pinker than Louisiana. In spite of the light color, Tonga is very pigmented. The texture is soft but not powdery; I find tapping my fluffy blush brush gives me the perfect amount for a cheek, and once applied, looks extremely natural. The nude tones in it make it really flexible, and it can go with pretty much any look. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about it, though, is the wear: it lasts all day without fading. We're talking 12+ hours on super-oily skin, and it doesn't budge. Awesome!
This shade is probably best for fair to light-medium skin tones, since it's pale enough that it might not show up on darker skin, but CARGO's blush range is quite extensive and includes several deeper, more pigment-rich colors that would work for a wider range of skintones. If you're light-complected and looking for a long-wearing, flatteringly natural nude blush, CARGO Tonga is an excellent choice. I definitely recommend getting a Bloom certificate from LivingSocial/Groupon when it's available, since you save $6 on the blush, plus get $14 of other free stuff!
Overview
$26 for 0.31 oz, available from Bloom and some Sephora inside JCPenneys
Quality: 9.5
Effectiveness: 5
Ease of Use: 5
Senses: 5
Pigmentation: 5
Duration: 5
Consistency: 5
Price: 1.5
Value: 4.5
Packaging: -0.25
Grade: A-
Overall, I am extremely pleased. I've found myself reaching for this really often, not just because it's new and therefore interesting (I am shallow, yes), but also because it lasts so long and looks so great doing so!
Have you tried any CARGO blushes? Do you have a favorite nude blush? What do you think of Tonga?
