shadowboxing: cargo mediterannean nights and hands of hope palettes

Beauty fiends like myself anxiously await the holiday season to see what kinds of gorgeousness the beauty brands will unleash upon us. Each season, the brands seem to one-up themselves by showcasing ever-showy baubles, palettes and trinkets – each one seemingly prettier than the last. And Cargo has wowed me with their newest holiday palettes, Mediterranean Nights and Hands of Hope. The shadows and bronzers, themselves ornamentally embossed, come packaged in chic black boxes with gold imprint that look like something straight out of Arabian Nights. The Hands of Hope palette offers up nine iridescent eye shadows, each carved out with the Hamsa hand – a symbol of peace, hope and prosperity. And the colors are breathtaking: some vibrant (like the jewelled purple) and some neutral (like the gorgeous Gunmetal Grey), they're just right for eye-makeup-look experimentation around the holidays.

Next up, we have the Mediterranean Nights palette, with four eyeshadows and two blush/bronzer duos inlaid with beautiful Middle Eastern-inspired patterns. This is the more neutral palette of the two, but no less beautiful. In fact, I had a hard time deciding which palette I liked more - they're both so stunning. Cargo shadows and bronzers are always top-notch: highly-pigmented, long-wearing, easily blendable and crease-free. These holiday gems are a prime chance to get extreme value for your money – (each are valued at roughly 100 bones, but priced around $30) – to treat yourself or to check off a couple of girlfriends on your gift-giving list this year.