BY AMANDA BLOYE, FW Writer

When Hana Zalzal began her career she never
dreamed she would become the founder of an
award winning cosmetic company recognizable
on a global scale. Sure she wore makeup, owned
makeup and had an underlying passion for the
beautifying products, but a career in the industry
seemed nothing more than a far-fetched dream.

Now, 10 years later, when Zalzal thinks
back on her career path, the change seems more
a natural progression than anything else. Her
brand, CARGO Cosmetics, is recognizable in
North America, Europe and even in the Middle
East. CARGO’s passion for innovation and
success has made them industry leaders in
packaging and product creation.

From engineer to cosmetics industry
champion, Hana Zalzal’s CARGO is a portrait of
success.

For Zalzal the transition into cosmetics came
fast and smooth. It was as though she woke up
and realized her life was about to change for the
better.

“It was a sudden transition,” Zalzal told
Fashion Weekly. “I was always passionate about
[cosmetics]. One day I decided to [take the]
plunge.”

With a Masters in Business from the Schulich
School of Business, Zalzal already had the savvy
and determination needed to launch her own
brand. From there she has let the products and
the CARGO team’s innovations speak for itself.

“[Our goal is] continued innovation,”
explained Zalzal. “Every product we launch
we look at it and ask how it can be better.
Package, formula and the overall product are
all considered. We are selling a service and a
product.”

One of CARGO’s greatest innovations has
been the PlantLove line of lipsticks. Giving
in to the industry trend of “going green”,
CARGO designed PlantLove to be 100 per
cent environmentally friendly. With the aid of
celebrities such as Courteney Cox, Lindsay Lohan
and celeb moms like Angie Harmon and Denise
Richards; PlantLove has inspired individuals to
lead greener lifestyles.

“PlantLove is one of my favourite products
that we offer because it has a great story behind
it,” shared Zalzal. “It reaches me on a personal
level. It’s exciting to be the first [company to take
this initiative]. Environmental cosmetics are a
growing market segment and we’ve received tons
of emails from individuals who love the concept.
The celebrities were very enthusiastic to help. It
just feels good on so many levels.”

According to CARGO’s PlantLove
press release, it is “the first-ever lipstick in a
compostable tube. Made entirely from corn,
[it] actually helps in the fight against global
warming.”

Not only are the lipsticks themselves earth
friendly, but the tube is compostable and the
outer box is infused with real flower seeds so,
once planted, it will grow into a
beautiful arrangement of wild flowers.”

Another product Zalzal is particularly proud
of is CARGO’s newest innovation, the blu_ray
collection. These products were designed for the
growing industry of high-definition television.
Zalzal, after talking to makeup artists,
discovered that products not only had to cover
imperfections in skin but that it now had to be
done with the lightest coverage possible. This is
because in high-definition any heavy coverage or
caked on makeup is amplified.

“The reaction to blu_ray has been huge,”
Zalzal said. “In HD every brush stroke and trace
of makeup shows so they needed a very natural look. The sales have been tremendous and the
line has grown. We have increased the number
of products and made them more eco-friendly.
We are also working to improve those that are
already existing.”

Although Hana Zalzal, in 10 short years,
has achieved success where so many have failed,
she remains humble. Her goals and desires are
always changing and her products are always
evolving so that makeup artists and consumers
receive the best in product innovation and
technology.

“They say it takes 10 years to become
an overnight success. The consumers have had a
favourable response so with that we’ve been able
to grow globally,” explained Zalzal. “I develop
my products when I see a personal need or there
is a need for the products in the market. We’re
going to continue to innovate and keep things
fun. We don’t want to get stuck in a rut.”

CARGO products are available at
Sephora and select department stores across
Canada. For more information on where to
buy or to purchase products online visit www.
cargocosmetics.com or www.sephora.com.