Cargo • Catalina • Blush

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SamanthaJo19 on 10/9/2012 1:44:00 PM more reviews by SamanthaJo19

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

Such a gorgeous blush! Just received it in a swap and was so surprised at how pigmented it was! Never had a powder blush that was as pigmented. It's a lovely color, especially for fairer skin tones, being a light pink. It goes on smoothly and really is lovely. Just wish the packaging was better.

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Deanna2 on 6/18/2012 3:01:00 PM more reviews by Deanna2

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I love Cargo blushes and have several. The quality and texture are just outstanding. Catalina is a bright bubble-gum pink in the pan. It looks much softer on the skin. It is a nice matte pink and looks natural when applied lightly. I don't know if I would purchase this particular color again, because it seems like many lines have this shade. However, the lasting power is good and the big pans make it easy to get an even distribution of color on your brush. I love the tins because they're not plastic. Some have said they have difficulty with the lids. I don't store my makeup in the bathroom, so I wonder if that accounts for my not having this problem.

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*TOP REVIEWER* cgw1 on 4/11/2012 10:40:00 PM more reviews by cgw1

Age: 19-24   Skin: Dry, Fair, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I know it's silly, but the only reason I bought this blush was because the MUA of Gossip Girl said it was her favorite blush and it looks good on everyone. She was right that the color did suit my fair, cool toned skin. HOWEVER as some have said this is so chalky!! For me, it doesn't blend well (especially compared to The Big Easy which I also own). Also, I have to wear it with foundation on because if I just wear it on my bare skin it brings out the redness in my skin. It's a nice blush..but I'm swapping it away because I love NARS Mata Hari SO much better and I realized I was forcing myself to wear Catalina because it was new but I like Mata Hari a lot better. They're not the same color but I don't need a million cool toned pink blushes!

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Jacqu1em on 3/20/2012 11:56:00 AM more reviews by Jacqu1em

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

Sadly, I am down to the final rim of this product & will be sad to see it go. Perfect pigment, staying power & has never looking clownish on my near translucent complexion. Great in every season.

Once I have completed Project 10 Pan successfully, I will defintiely be repurchasing this as well as a few other shades I have been eyeing up! x

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Evalyn1889 on 12/7/2011 10:14:00 PM more reviews by Evalyn1889

Age: 30-35   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I love this blush! It blends extraordinarily well (on prepped or non-prepped skin to boot!) and looks fantastic on my skin, like my own natural coloring. I am about as white as they come (picture Anne Hathaway), but even on my friends who are of much warmer skin tone than I, it still looks amazing, almost natural. I would buy this a million times over if it didn't contain rather a great deal of chemicals that I don't want to give the chance to absorb into me (it rates 6/10 on ewg.org/skindeep, which kind of crushed my soul, I'm not gonna lie).
Their blu_ray blush rates 3/10, so I'd say look into that instead - the blend-ability is just as good

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emigrippa on 9/25/2011 12:50:00 PM more reviews by emigrippa

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Olive   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

Cargo Catalina Blush comes in a silver tin with a removable lid. The color in the tin is very vibrant and very matte, which I love since it will give you a more natural look. I have olive skin and with my other blushes it took quite a bit to get a desired result but with this product I don't need much. I purchased this blush on sale for $20 and it was worth every penny.

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juliemitc on 8/21/2011 2:39:00 PM more reviews by juliemitc

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

I recently was fed up with looking muddy using other blushes and I wanted to find a matte plain old pink. I was about to buy one of Tarte's new blushes, when I saw the cargo counter, and I remembered that I have Catalina in my stash. I swatched it and I really like the finish and pigmentation, so I decided to just go home and use the one I already owned. This whole month it is all I ever use. I love the pigmentation, but those with darker skin tones will have to use more. Also I like that it is basically neutral, even though I first thought it was more cool toned.

Also this is really odd, because I have rosacea, I had stopped using baby pink blushes because it emphasizes my redness. However, when I wear more natural make-up, I cover up the rosacea mostly, then add this to my cheeks and it gives me a perfect flush continue along my cheeks after the areas where my natural redness stops.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Seattlemama on 7/28/2011 5:58:00 PM more reviews by Seattlemama

Age: 36-43   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond, Curly, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I really like this blush a lot. It's the perfect natural pink that isn't orangey at all but manages to have a bit of warmth to it. Not sure how that works but it does. It gives a soft, glowy flush. It is very matte with no sparkle whatsoever. I wish it had a bit more depth to it - being so matte, it feels a little flat - but other than that, it's pretty perfect.

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kdhill on 5/26/2011 10:23:00 PM more reviews by kdhill

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

Firstly, this tin packaging is extremly annoying, i literally had to put on rubber gloves to open it. I dont even close it all the way because i'm afraid it will get stuck. Other than the packaging the product is excellent. This color is a bit sheer on me considering its light pick and i'm pretty brown (nc45). The color shows up as a light powdery pink which isnt everyday wear for but goes perfectly with certain looks. I alos love the smooth silkly texture, its as if your putting on a second skin.

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jennyfercl on 4/17/2011 8:59:00 PM more reviews by jennyfercl

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Olive, Neutral   Hair: Black, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

This blush is surprisingly versatile despite looking cool in the pan. I'm an NC25-30 and warm olive skinned, and it works on me! The pigmentation is great, I personally use a very light hand with this one since using too much would easily look very artificial on my skin tone. This pan will likely last me forever and although it's good enough to repurchase I wouldn't for that reason. I would recommend it though! It's always best if you can try it out, I took a risk by buying it online through their website since new customers get 20% their entire purchase the first time. Luckily I liked it.

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BeccaRose89 on 4/17/2011 8:33:00 PM more reviews by BeccaRose89

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Blue    

This is a beautiful blush! It gives a natural flush of colour that looks like a natural cheek colour that has been enhanced. The matte texture adds to the product's "blendability" and natural look. It does show up a bit bright, so blend, blend, blend. I use a stiffer bronzer brush from Sephora to really blend the blush into my cheeks, as I found a normal blush brush doesn't move the fine powder around enough to look natural. A good everyday blush! And there's so much product in the cute tin.. it will last forever!

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jacquiem on 4/8/2011 5:46:00 AM more reviews by jacquiem

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Blond, Curly, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

I absolutely LOVE this blush. There are a ridiculous amount of good things I could say about it. Perfect shade for Fall, Winter, Spring & Summer! Gives the perfect glow especially on my NC20 skintone. One of my favourite things about it is the fact that there's no shimmer whatsoever! Making the glow even MORE believable. I apply this over my TopShop cream blush in Neon Rose everyday otherwise I risk looking sickly :) Can't wait for the Summer months to wear this with a tan! Not to mention, I've been using this daily for about a year now & have JUST hit pan. Amazing. Definitely see for yourself! :) x

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glitterandsmut on 3/13/2011 4:27:00 PM more reviews by glitterandsmut

Age: 19-24   Skin: Very Oily, Fair, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Medium   Eyes: Other    

The reason I purchased this blush was because the makeup artist for gossipgirl uses it all the time on the show for all the girls, so I thought why not. And I'm so glad I did!

This might look like a really bright cotton candy pink but it delivers such a beautiful natural looking pop to the cheeks. It brightens up my whole face and makes me look soft and pretty. This blush is both sheer and buildable (I have very very fair skin) and I think would work for anyone from fair to medium deep skin tones. A HG and a definite repurchase for me.

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mamamanda on 1/20/2011 11:05:00 PM more reviews by mamamanda

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Olive   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

I was quite wary of this product at first. It seemed much too bright and i was scared I would look like a clown rather than a more natural flush. But the blush creates a soft but sweet sweep of color. I use a duo fibre brush though as i find it easier to control. I like that the cargo blushes are in tins as i am less likely to break it which somehow i tend to do. I love matte blushes and this one is a keeper

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*TOP REVIEWER* xxhna on 1/20/2011 10:19:00 PM more reviews by xxhna

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Medium, Neutral   Hair: Black, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I was quite happy to find this being sold in JCPenney Sephora's. I had only seen pictures online so seeing it in person, I was a little shocked at the bubble gum pink color. But application & blending showed a dolly pink look on my skin (NC30). I'd say it even looks natural.

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dumbdookie on 1/9/2011 7:10:00 PM more reviews by dumbdookie

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Black, Straight   Eyes: Brown    

As many have mentioned, Catalina in the pot looks rather intimidating. The color seems to be a bit too bubble gum pink and bright for most people's preference. However, this blush was perfect for the fall/winter time for me! It gives a nice, cool flush of pink, perfect for the colder weathers. It's very natural and the color on my cheeks is as if I was just out in the cold, hence the rosiness =) The product also comes in a very big pot - lots of product, totally worth the price! Catalina is very pigmented, you really don't need to go crazy when applying this. I just swipe my blush brush over the pot 2-3 times lightly to get the color and then swipe it on my cheeks lightly. It's easily buildable, but it's also very easy to over-apply. I probably wouldn't repurchase this product, just because I'd like to try out other blushes (and because this product will last me a while!).

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caramel87 on 12/2/2010 2:17:00 AM more reviews by caramel87

Age: 19-24   Skin: Sensitive, Medium, Warm   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

In the pan, Catalina is a bit scary. It's a cool-toned, bubblegum pink shade, but upon application it turns into the most natural flush I have ever seen. Once I apply it, it looks a bit cool and unnatural. 3 seconds later, it transforms into this amazingly flattering shade of natural, warm, glowing pink. For reference, I have a medium golden (i.e. yellow undertones) complexion (NC35-37). It's the same color as the natural flush I see in my cheeks after a good run. I imagine it would react a little differently on cooler skin tones, but I believe it would still look stunning. The fact that it starts out cool makes me feel like it would stay cool on cool skin tones, so it wouldn't clash with the skin's undertones or any of that nonsense.


***I've uploaded 2 pictures of arm swatches. You can see how the unblended start of the swipe looks a bit cool-toned, while the rest of the swipe appears much warmer against my skin.***


Catalina has a beautiful satin finish. There are no shimmers or glitters here! Just a perfect glowy, satin, natural finish. This is by far the best finish I have ever seen on a blush. It looks amazingly healthy and radiant on the skin, without ever having to worry about looking like a disco ball. The texture is just heavenly! When I first received this blush in the mail, I thought it was a cream blush. It looked so smooth and soft. After lightly tapping my brush into it, I applied it to my cheeks and noticed that it blended in effortlessly. It just melted into my skin rather than just sit on top of it and look fake. The finished look was stunning; no trace of powder-iness. Very natural and ultra smooth.


In the tin, you get a generous amount of 8.9 grams, which retails for $26 USD/CAD. The price might initially scare off some people, but the quality AND quantity are well worth it! This blush has become a daily staple for me, so I would personally pay even more than $26 to get my hands on it. It is truly unique, and undeniably stunning.

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Sass111 on 10/24/2010 6:59:00 AM more reviews by Sass111

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Green    

A bright light lollypop pink, I have to apply this very lightly as it is highly pigmented. So it will last me forever, I doubt I will ever have to repurchase as I will be 80 before this is all gone. It is a good cool toned true clean pink. When applied lightly it is great, gives me a nice lift. English rose kind or colour. The texture is a bit chalky, I have another Cargo Blush in 'the big easy' which is not chalky so the formulation seems a little different. Still it is pretty good and seems to have quite good staying power. Packaging is average, I prefer hinged lids. Tonnes of product in this container though.

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susanwylie67 on 9/8/2010 9:56:00 PM more reviews by susanwylie67

Age: 36-43   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

I really like all the cargo blushes I've tried, but I chose to review this one, because it's my favorite, and most surprising. It looks bright bubblegummy pink in the tin, but goes on as a perfect pop of pink flush. It's just a flattering shade on almost anyone that I have tried it on. If you need something to perk you up, and make you feel pretty and awake...give it a swirl:)

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*TOP REVIEWER* gioja on 8/17/2010 1:38:00 AM more reviews by gioja

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

This is one of the most beautiful, flattering, natural looking blushes I have. The really good thing is not only that this colour perks up my completion, lightening my whole face with a healthy glow, but also its semi matt consistency that works really good for my combo skin, also for touch ups during the day. My biggest complain is that you can hardly find this brand (and particulary this blush) outside of the USA.

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