I purposely left this one last for the Project Pan update, since this was slightly different from the rest of the items in that I opened a brand new product at the onset of the project, in an attempt to pan it in 12 weeks.
A face powder is one of those products that I use daily, and I was curious how much product I can go through in 3 months.
The Cargo HD Pressed Powder is one of my top 5 pressed powders – the shade #20 used to be always sold out so I stocked up on a few of them. After this one is finished, I have one more in my stash.
I remember when this powder was first launched – it was probably one of the first beauty products to tout “HD” in its name due to the emergence of HD TVs. I recalled reading how this powder was favoured by newscasters because how good it makes them look on HD TVs. Nowadays, every other product calls itself HD – I think the HD name has lost it caché. I also don’t hear much about Cargo in the beauty world anymore – I think mainly due to its lower distribution since its exit out of Sephora.
What I love about this powder is how it makes the skin look airbrushed – blurring fine lines, pores – without looking powdery or “made up”. It provides a medium coverage, blends seamlessly into my skin, and maintains a skin-like texture. The main downside is that this powder isn’t the best at shine control – that’s why I prefer this powder during the cooler months when my t-zone tends to be less oily.
I’ve been diligently using this powder Every.Single.Day. since the start of Project Pan. It turns out, I really don’t use that much powder! This is what it looks like after 3 months of use:
No pan in sight! There’s a slight dip in the pan you can at the sides, but I estimate it will be another 3 months at least, until I see any sliver of pan in the center.
I use a bit fluffy synthetic kabuki brush with this pressed powder – the one shown is from “Essential Beauty” (cheapo one I found at Winners years ago). Recently I also like using an oval “toothbrush brush” to smooth over the surface and pat onto areas of my face with tighter angles like around the nose (this brush shown is from Cailyn, also found at Winners, back in August). I don’t carry this compact in my purse since I find the packaging to be bulky. And although it contains a nice mirror, the compact doesn’t allow room for a sponge, so you would have to carry a sponge or a brush separately.
The ingredient list is pretty short:
Talc, Nylon-12, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Zinc Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Silver Oxide. May Contain (+/-): Mica (Ci 77019), Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491, Ci 77492, Ci 77499), Ultramarines (Ci 77007), D&C Black 2 (Ci 77266).
The Cargo HD Pressed Powder contains 8g of product and is made in Canada. It is sold at select Rexall and London Drug stores in Canada. In the US, Cargo is sold at Ulta, Walgreens, and Kohl’s.
Pros:
• Ultra fine powder
• Natural finish, not powdery
• Blurs lines and pores
• Good colour match
Cons:
• Not high oil control
• Compact not great to carry in purse
Stash worthiness: 9/10
And what the heck! The weight went up this week? I weighed this thing TEN TIMES and it still weighed 0.001 more than last week. 😮 This joke isn’t funny!
As usual, the only item that went down in weight was the Body Shop Fresh Nude Foundation:
Please check out my Project Pan Pals for their updates:
• Ingrid of Curly.Spring.Blossom
• Jodi of A Brash Attitude
• Chanelle of Chanelle Hayleyyy
And this is the last Project Pan item, and we’ll be posting our final summaries this Wednesday. 🙂
What’s your favourite face powder?
stash matters 
Totally agree with you that HD is just about a term that they slap on every product now, and now one step further with ultra HD & 4k!
Cargo has never really had any presence here, seen it in beauty boxes but I don’t think it’s ever been in a store!
I haven’t tried using a toothbrush style brush with powder, may give that ago still haven’t found a use I actually like them for yet!
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Toothbrush brushes are FANTASTIC for smoothing powders, I’ve found. This particular brush isn’t great with liquid foundation blending (it tends to REMOVE the foundation, due to how dense it is) but it’s great for creams and powders. The patting / sweeping motion makes the makeup blend right into the skin – makes pores disappear!
Ha, I have not seen 4K makeup yet!
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The ultra hd range from mufe is supposedly their 4K range. Marketing spiel, what’s next!
I’ve found the same with one I picked up with eBay, it’s nice and soft but just drags makeup off the face!
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Now I realize those toothbrush brushes aren’t created equal. I really appreciate how great the MAC one is – the bristles are the perfect level of density and flex. Try using yours with powder and see how you get on with it.
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This is how my UD powder was – I first hit pan last year!
I don’t think I’ve ever tried anything from Cargo, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen it in any stores!
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That UD powder was getting refilled nightly by the makeup fairies, I know it!
Yeah I’m not sure where in Montreal carries Cargo. Maybe Jean Coutu?
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Maybe the larger Jean Coutu that have the equivalent of the Galeries de Beaute like Shoppers. I know I saw Anna Sui at the huge one on St-Catherine.
I think the fairies decided to start refilling your powder, haha!
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Oh speaking of Anna Sui, they’re exiting out of Shoppers! 😥 They’re being replaced by Paul & Joe. I think that means no more Anna Sui in Canadian stores anymore since they exited out of the Bay too. 😦
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LMAO! The weight went up! I wonder why. Maybe it’s just random error…or….maybe facial oils got into it? 😀 Hehehehe j/k. The powder looks great. I was on the hunt a while back for the perfect pressed powder that was portable and didn’t come in a terrible case. Amazing how many don’t fit the bill.
I used to love Cargo lippies and e/s back in the day. Sad they don’t seem to be around much anymore, and they d/c their old line of great lippies. I do see them at Winners, though.
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I have NO clue how that happened. Your suspicion about the face oil MIGHT be it. I do blot off my brush between uses though. Grrrr.
You’re right, it’s surprisingly difficult to find a good compact. The best ones I’ve found are actually from MAC.
Cargo these days is kind of lack lustre. Or because I already own a lot of stuff from them I don’t feel the need to buy any more. I’ve been tempted a few times with those palettes I’ve seen at Winners but… I just know the quality won’t be on par with the singles!
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Oh man those 12 weeks have flown by. The powder looks great. We don’t see Cargo much here, I think you can get it online though☺ x
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Yes, it seems that it’s not well distributed. It is a Canadian brand though, so I can understand that it’s not as well-known.
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This i would wear !!!!!!!!
i like warmer to cancel the PINKORAMA …………
12 weeks out of makeup JAIL ?
I remember everything xo
xxxxxxx
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I know… I will break free SOON. 3 more days!
This powder would be good for normal to dry skin and yes, help with toning down pinkness.
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❤ ❤ ❤
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I’m really loving my Rodial Banana powder to set my foundation. I tried it once and thought for sure the color would be weird all over but it’s stunning!!! It’s so finely milled and it blurs beautifully. Going in with a light hand, you can barely tell the yellow tone and then with bronzer etc. over top it’s gorgeous!
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Where in Canada do they sell Rodial makeup? I’ve seen it mention a few time now (they have eyeliners too, right?) You’ve now got me intrigued!
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Oh man, I totally forgot that Cargo used to be sold at Sephora, it’s been that long!
You are so right about the whole HD thing – at first, it was definitely meant for people who worked in television/film, but now everything is called “HD”…it’s the same thing with the whole BB Cream trend.
You’ve done well with your project pan overall! I can’t believe the MAC blush and Shiseido powder didn’t go down at all though!
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Yes, it’s been YEARS! So sad. My first and last Cargo item from Sephora was this palette:
It was from 2009 and I depotted that sucker!
I feel like every trend gets exploited to point of pointlessness and then a “new” trend emerges – rinse, repeat!
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That palette is AWESOME! Love the design, so cute.
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This powder sounds lovely and I totally get what you mean about powder not feeling too powdery! You don’t want dry, cake face going on! I didn’t realise, you were posting your final thoughts on Wednesday, I’ve got my post planned (but not finished) for next Monday, hope you don’t mind! 🙂
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Oh no worries about posting next Monday instead of Wednesday. We originally wanted to clean finish for end of November assuming everyone had Christmas-sy things to post about come Dec 1st. It wasn’t a hard and fast rule! 🙂
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I love your Every.Single.Day !😂 The Cargo’s products I’ve tried (mascara, eyeshadow, blush) were not that good😁 My fav face powder is still LM Translucent Powder … This powder looks great though!!! Maybe I will find it one day at Winners … I just bought 2 Cailyn brushes and I’m smitten 😄
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Can you sense that I would say that phrase through gritted teeth? 😆
I love Cargo blushes! I think their eye shadows are hit and miss. And I did not care for their mascara.
Funny you should mention finding this at Winners because I did see it there not long ago, but the colours were all darker. Oooh do tell about your Cailyn brushes!
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Great post 🙂 🙂 I love press powders for daily use too. This brand sounds like a really good one x x
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I find pressed powders just more convenient than loose powders!
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Me to 🙂 🙂 x x
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Cargo at Walgreens? Where did you see that? Unless it’s some of those fancy-schmancy new ones that also sell Soap & Glory. We don’t got any of those in my area.
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I went on the Cargo site in the locators and it listed Walgreens! It does say Walgreen’s “Look Boutique” so it must be one of those fancy ones you speak of. It might be dependent on what State you’re located! Enter your zip here:
http://www.cargocosmetics.com/store-locator
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I find these posts so therapeutic… I dont know why lol. I hope that doesn’t come off too weird! It’s insane that after three.whole.months you haven’t come close to hitting pan. Makes the amount of makeup we all buy seem a bit excessive? Not that it’s going to change my behaviour 😂 but it’s worth noting I guess? You made a valiant effort my friend, even though your compact seemed to gain some weight. Not funny!
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No no, I get what you’re saying! These posts put a different perspective on makeup – it’s not just about looking at them but actually USING them. I think it’s just our human nature to want NEW stuff all the time. It doesn’t help that companies keep launching “new” things all the time – our curiosity just gets the better of us!
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Exactly! You explained exactly what I was feeling so well. It’s just as nice to see beauty being enjoyed as it is to see the newest and brightest 🙂
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Wow! I can’t believe the weight went up! That is strange!!
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It is! A mystery!
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Haha the weight went up 🙂 what is this sorcery? Im obsessed with Revlon’s photoready pressed powder.
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I haven’t tried the Revlon Photoready powder – I’ll have to check it out. I love the concealer from that line!
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This looks like such a great powder and so finely milled! Reminds me of my pressed Ben Nye Banana powder. For an oily skin gal I actually don’t use that much pressed powder but my favourite is the Nars pressed powder, it gives a really airbrushed finish on my skin 🙂 Jay x
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Ben Nye isn’t easy to find – did you order yours online? That’s interesting that you don’t use pressed powders much even though you have oily skin – do you normally just blot?
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I bought the Ben Nye powder in this make-up store in London that is specifically for MUA’s, I haven’t seen it anywhere else really. To be honest I only ever blot and powder if I need to touch up my make-up if I’m going out after work for instance otherwise I just let my skin do its thing haha!
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