Groceries aren’t the only products with expiration dates; CARGO introduces Lip Gloss  engineered for freshness with revolutionary, new Timestrip® Technology

Did you know that lip gloss, like food, has an expiration date?  Once opened and used, bacteria is introduced to your gloss.  Consequently, the product should be replaced nine months after opening.

Beauty innovator CARGO Cosmetics introduces glosses in packaging that incorporates cutting-edge Timestrip® technology.  Timestrip® is a tiny strip embedded in the cap of the gloss.  It keeps track of how long your lip gloss has been open.

This “best-before” date has become so important that European countries recently launched legislation requiring cosmetics companies to have a PAO (Period After Opening) time frame listed on their products.

But how are you to remember when you first opened the product?  Most women have multiple glosses in multiple locations:  purses, bathrooms, offices.  It is almost impossible to know when each gloss was used for the first time.

Enter Timestrip® technology.  Simply insert the strip into the cap of the gloss to activate.  The Timestrip® window will start turning red, indicating the passage of time.  When the nine months are over and the entire window is red, you know it is time to throw out your gloss.

CARGO Founder Hana Zalzal explains, “We are proud to be the first to offer this technology.   Women can now be assured that their gloss is fresh and effective.”

CARGO Timestrip® Lip Glosses will be available spring 2009 and will include:

CARGO Classic Lip Gloss ($22)
The same classic CARGO Lip Gloss formulation favored by make-up artists and celebrities is now packaged with a convenient Timestrip® component so you can monitor its freshness.  What’s more, the iconic, award-winning and non-sticky CARGO Classic Lip Gloss formula is now paraben-free.

Available in eight gorgeous colors:

• Dusseldorf – Shimmering Iced Amethyst
• Venice – Sparkling Ruby
• Alexandria – Shimmering Dusty Rose
• Tobago – Tropical Melon
• Big Sur – Deep Begonia
• Cyprus – Sheer Electric Strawberry
• Whistler – Delicate Peach
• Luxor – Spiced Cinnamon Latte

blu_ray™ Lip Gloss ($24)
Developed for high-definition filming, blu_ray™ Lip Gloss provides fuller, smoother looking lips. The innovative formula contains hyaluronic acid spheres and a peptide chain to plump lips and smooth out fine lines.  blu_ray™ Lip Gloss also improves lip elasticity, comfort and hydration.  Transparent pearl pigments ensure an even color payoff.  Available in seven luscious colors:

• Belize – Warm Sunny Pink
• Panama – Muted Raspberry
• Halifax – Palest Peach Blush
• Bogota – Rich Red Plum
• Vermont – Golden Café Latte
• Laredo – Shimmering Nude
• Montego – Classic Rose

CARGO Cosmetics encourages women everywhere to take a few tips from the pros when it comes to keeping their cosmetics fresh:

• Store your cosmetics in a safe place with a consistent temperature.  Exposure to extreme hot or cold can compromise your products’ safety and efficacy.
• Wash and dry your hands thoroughly before putting your fingers into a product.
• Clean or replace your brushes and applicators regularly.
• Use a cotton swab when applying make-up to a blemish.
• Put your contact lenses in before you apply your make-up.  Not only is it easier to see what you are doing, but also you will keep your lenses clean and avoid infection.
• Prevent infections from returning.  Stop using eye make-up if you have an eye infection and lip products if you have a cold sore.
• When in doubt, do a smell test.  Squeeze out a dab of the product and take a sniff.  If it doesn’t smell right to you, toss it.