espionage cosmetics – Page 3

Espionage Cosmetics Nexus – January 2017

By Sheetar 23 December 2016 23 December 2016

In first before the New Year is Espionage Cosmetics Nexus! January’s theme is, “Serenity Skies,” touted as being, “the NEXUS all Browncoats have been waiting for,” so you’ know it’s going to be Serenity and Firefly themed! They just recently discontinued the Cunning Hat nail wraps, so it’s great to see that there will be a new nail wrap for the Browncoats once the epic nail wrap battle voting has concluded. I couldn’t pass up the chance to photograph these on the hat I knitted, so here they are in all their glory!

ATMO – Showing a planet on a backdrop of stars, these glossy wraps have a foil finish to the stars, creating a beautiful wrap. I love how this is a subtle inside thing – you may never know there’s a Serenity reference in the wraps unless you’re part of the secret nerd nail wrap club which I think makes it all the more special.
Fireflies – Featuring little fireflies on a night sky behind some tall grasses, this is a really pretty glossy wrap. I’m pretty sure you can figure out which parts are the glow in the dark bits! Of course, this is a reference to the class of the ship from the series and movie, and again the subtlety makes this all the more fun – it’s either aww cute fireflies, or GORRAM, Fireflies!

I’m finding it hard yet again to choose a favorite! I really love both of these for different reasons, and I think maybe ATMO is edging out just a little bit, but there’s still time to think it over and get my vote in. Both wraps fit the theme perfectly and would cost $10 each on the Espionage Cosmetics website, so the value definitely exceeds the $15 month-to-month subscription cost. I’m eager to see what they’ll come up with for next month!! In case you’re thinking about subscribing and want to send me some love, hit up my referral link!

Subscription Boxes

Espionage Cosmetics BOOM!Box December 2016

By Sheetar 17 December 2016 17 December 2016

December’s Espionage Cosmetic’s BOOM!Box is here! The theme this month was, “Candyland,” so the box is filled with all sorts of candy-themed goodies from a peppermint print scarf to sweet lip balm, a bath bomb, and even a fancy chocolate in addition to the nail wraps and art print, all courtesy of Princess Sparkle Hooves. This month may make it into my top 3 favorite BOOM!Boxes so far, it’s just that good, and the theme is carried out so perfectly. Plus, who doesn’t love a box full of candy-themed goodies?!

The nail wraps are up first! On the left is, “Moar Dots!” These have a pretty neat pearl finish (I think that’s a brand new thing for EC!) and are reminiscent of those candy buttons that come on a paper strip. On the right is, “Oishii Treats,” which are pretty pastel nail wraps covered in all kinds of goodies. Both wraps fit the theme perfectly and will be fun to wear.

Next up, from Apothecary Noir come Frost Bitten Remedies, two lip balms in delectable flavors. One is Chocolate Orange flavored and the other is Cotton Candy and both smell positively amazing. I’m a total lip balm junkie, so these are going straight into my bag for a sweet treat for my lips this winter.

Another item from Apothecary Noir is this Jawbreakin’ Bath Bomb in, “Sweet Berry,” which is a sugary sweet, berry scented bath bomb. It’s just too perfect, wrapped in cellophane and colored to look like a Jawbreaker, another completely on point item. Our room for an upcoming vacation comes with one of those big, fancy jacuzzi tubs, so I get to use this in just a few weeks!

I received the green apple version of the ginger bread man chocolate truffle from The Truffle Cottage. WOW is it amazing! The outer shell is filled with a sugary sweet green-apple flavored creamy filling (you know I had to try it.. for science), and it is so, so good. The company also makes all kinds of nerdy chocolates, so I have to keep them on my radar for future gift giving.

A BOOM!Box exclusive in this box is the, “Simply Mint to Be Scarf,” in a fun peppermint candy print. I’m already dreaming up uses for this since I happen to have dyed the ends of my hair red and this will match perfectly. The scarf is 28″ across and is square, so it’ll make a great headband if I fold it over a few times, or I can use it around my neck for a pop of color with a plain top. I know I’ll get tons of use out of this!

And last (but not least!), this lovely print by Miss Mandible Designs. I believe that’s Queen Frostine from the Candyland game with her snowflake sceptre, standing in front of ice cream cones with peppermints in the corners, as if she’s taking a peaceful walk through her candy kingdom. It’s a beautiful print, and I know I say it every month, but I do need to get my tush in gear and get frames for all these great prints!

It’s definitely a great value for the cost which is $30 per month. The two nail wraps put us at $20 already, and that’s not even half of the box’s contents, so the value far exceeds the cost. The best part of this box, to me, is how perfectly the items line up with the theme – every last detail is just right every time, and I honestly love everything in every box. This one may be the sweetest box yet! (sorrynotsorry, it had to be done!) In case you’re thinking about subscribing and want to send me some love, hit up my referral link!

Subscription Boxes

Espionage Cosmetics Nexus – December 2016

By Sheetar 22 November 2016 22 November 2016

Another round of the Espionage Cosmetics Nexus has arrived! They get here a little ahead of the month, so this is for December’s theme, “Twisted Holiday,” with two nail wraps to fit the theme! I expected probably something with string lights based on the theme image, but like always, had no idea where they might take the theme!

Holiday Lights – A glossy nail wrap with a glow in the dark accent that is hinted at in the subtitle, “When Phoning Home Can’t Do The Job.” It’s a pretty clever way to incorporate Stranger Things into a holiday theme, and the nerd value here is subtle, but will no doubt be super popular.
Patron Spirit of Halloween – This is a glossy nail wrap with black and white stripes that are reminiscent of Jack Skellington’s tuxedo. I honestly really dig the simplicity of these and Nightmare Before Christmas is a favorite, so it’s going to make voting super difficult this month!

I have to admit that I’m still undecided! While I love Holiday Lights, I have a soft spot for Patron Spirit of Halloween and really love those classy but still spooky pinstripes. Both nail wraps fit the theme perfectly! The nail wraps each cost $10 on the Espionage Cosmetics website, so the value exceeds the $15 month-to-month subscription cost. Voting has started, so if you’re a subscriber, go and vote now (if you can choose a favorite!). Public voting usually opens in a week or two, so keep an eye on the Espionage Cosmetics Twitter for details! The winner goes on to fame and glory for sale to the public once voting has ended, and the loser remains a Nexus exclusive. In case you’re thinking about subscribing and want to send me some love, hit up my referral link!

Subscription Boxes

Espionage Cosmetics Nexus – November 2016

By Sheetar 24 October 2016 24 October 2016

November’s Nexus shipment arrived on October 21st and had two nail wraps that fit into the theme, “Gemology.” I wasn’t quite sure what to expect as usual, but I assumed it would be something along the lines of the super popular Turquoise from the June BOOM!Box. One of the wraps definitely is and the other has the unique EC nerdy twist! On to the contents!

Amethyst – This is a gorgeous glitter print of that lovely purple gemstone, Amethyst. I have to admit this is easily my favorite of the two. My maternal grandmother’s birth stone was amethyst, and I remember her talking about it when I was younger, so there’s some sentimental value attached to this wrap as well. Plus, it’s sparkly and purple and a little abstract which is just perfect.
Rebel Rose – Okay, so here’s where I turn in my nerd card because at first, I completely missed the reference and wondered why there were roses in a gemology theme. After I Googled it, I found it’s for the cartoon, Steven Universe, and is a nod to the character Rose Quartz! Quick video here if you’re as unfamiliar with that cartoon as I am – and hey, EC just expanded my horizons a little today, and that clip is really uplifting and beautiful. Anyway, pink is not my thing, so I’m going to share the love and pass these off to someone who will appreciate the rosy pink, silver foil, glow-in-the-dark nail wraps since they really are lovely, just not a good fit for me.

As usual, the theme is totally on point (even if I missed the Rebel Rose reference at first!), and both wraps are gorgeous, but Amethyst is the easy choice for me this month. The nail wraps each cost $10 on the Espionage Cosmetics website, so the value exceeds the $15 month-to-month subscription cost. The voting is already underway, and the winner will go on to fame and fortune for sale to the public once voting has finished while the loser will be a special Nexus exclusive. In case you’re thinking about subscribing and want to send me some love, hit up my referral link!

OH! Did your favorite not make the cut? You can still grab extras! As a Nexus subscriber you can purchase past ‘losers’ through the EC website. Check out their blog here with links to each month’s nail wraps including past losers while supplies last!

Subscription Boxes

Espionage Cosmetics BOOM!Box October 2016

By Sheetar 11 October 2016 11 October 2016

October’s Espionage Cosmetics BOOM!Box has arrived! It’s right on time and is full of goodies related to this month’s theme, “Haunted,” from spooky nail wraps to a nightmarish print and sparkly bats and even mysterious gems for your ears. It’s yet another amazing box and perfect with Halloween coming up this month!

Let’s start with the two nail wraps! On the left is Graveyard with a nod to Thriller in the subtitle. In my head, I could actually hear Vincent Price reading that line (also hey, earworm!). These are glossy nail wraps showing a graveyard scene against a dusky sky with glow in the dark ghosts swirling around the wraps. On the right is REDRUM, with a glossy print of the carpet from The Shining, and REDRUM scrawled on the wraps in glow in the dark ink. It’s so hard to pick a favorite between the two, but I know I’m going to be wearing one or the other this month for sure.

This was a big surprise this month! Two full serums, two everything shadows and two mixing pots to go wild creating custom lip colors. Everyone got something a little different according to the product card. I received the serums in Soulless and Fatality and shadows in Shiny and Headshot. I’ll have to give these a try with the mixing pots to see what I come up with!

Two super fun items that fit the theme and round out the box. On the left is a set of bejeweled bat clips, Glittering Acro-Bats. There’s a card included that says they’re more than just hair clips and can be used to add a bit of bling to your handbag, as a necklace, on shoes, or anywhere else they can clip to. On the right are a set of earrings from Sparks Emporium. They’re red with an iridescent blue sparkly glow. Included along with the earrings is a 15% off coupon for any purchase from Sparks Emporium which is a nice bonus!

And finally, a print from Nerdy Post that reads, “Sometimes Nightmares are Real.” This is gorgeous between the lettering and lacy design around the edges and I just love it. It’s a departure from the character sort of artwork we’ve had in previous boxes, but it fits in SO well with the theme, plus it’s fun to get something completely different! I guess I really need to get on that whole finding frames thing, huh?!

As far as value goes, it’s definitely above and beyond the cost which is between $25 and $30 depending on the length of the subscription. Just with the serums and shadows alone, we’re already at $33, so then add in everything else and the value is way above the cost! This is another big hit, and honestly, those two nail wraps are AMAZING. Have I mentioned how incredibly bright the glow in the dark magic on the nail wraps is? Because it glows for hours after exposure, so much so that sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and startle a little seeing something glowing on my hands (and then remember it’s my kickass nail wraps and laugh at myself). I’m so thrilled with this box and cannot wait for the next one already! In case you’re thinking about subscribing and want to send me some love, hit up my referral link!

Subscription Boxes

Espionage Cosmetics Nexus – October 2016

By Sheetar 21 September 2016 21 September 2016

The theme for October’s Espionage Cosmetics Nexus shipment was, “Clever Girl,” which promised, “designs perfect for the adventurer gearing up for the ride of their lives through the age of the dinosaurs!” I’d say they absolutely nailed it this month, and while the designs both feature a nod to the Jurassic period, they’re completely different which is going to make deciding which is my favorite this month pretty hard.

Hatchlings – With a subtitle of, “Not The Mama!” from a show I remember and love, these glossy wraps feature lizard eyes and claws breaking out of a brown eggshell base. The details are fantastic from the crack lines to the colors of what lies inside. Really a fun way to show off the theme!
This Land – Another glossy nail wrap with a variety of flora and fauna, and a play on a scene from Firefly. I love the bonus subtle nerd content that goes beyond the actual dinosaurs on the wrap! Little Tyrannosaurus Rex and Stegosauruses march across the nail wraps with an accent wrap of green and purple leaves and flowers.

I’d say the EC team proved themselves as the ultimate Clever Girls this month – the tie in to Firefly was phenomenal and I didn’t see that one coming at all (though, DUH). The nail wraps cost $10 each on the Espionage Cosmetics website, so the value far exceeds the cost of the $15 month-to-month subscription. Subscribers then vote on their favorite of the two and the victor goes into regular sale on the website. That means that the other nail wrap ends up being a Nexus exclusive, never to be produced again! In case you’re thinking about subscribing and want to send me some love, hit up my referral link!

Subscription Boxes

Espionage Cosmetics Nexus – September 2016

By Sheetar 30 August 2016 30 August 2016

Whaaat?! It’s not even September yet! I love it when boxes ship early and exceed my expectations! The crew at Espionage Cosmetics shifted the shipping schedule around a little for the Nexus shipment which now ends up shipping between the 18-27th of each month and renews the 28th of each month for the following month, so September’s shipment went out on August 24th for me, and arrived today, the 30th. I loved getting the heads-up about the change, and being a newer subscription, I’m glad they’re keeping us in the loop as they fine tune the process. SO! This month’s theme was, “Ancient Mau,” and I had a pretty good idea cats and egypt would be involved, but as usual, you never know what sort of magic will tumble out of the glitter cloud.

Peek-A-Boo Cats – Little black cats peek around the edges of an orange-red glossy ombre base. There are even glow in the dark accents on the cats. Too cute! I have to admit that I’m more of a dog person (we have two), but I spent my youngest years being herded around by two cats, so these are absolutely welcome here! I have a feeling these are going to be saved for October so I can show them off around Halloween because the colors paired with the black cats are purrrfect (sorry, had to be done).
hieroglyphics – Okay, so the cats are cute, but this is DEFINITELY without a doubt the nail wrap I’ll be voting for this month. It’s a glossy nail wrap with gold foil accents featuring hieroglyphics and the eye of Horus. I’m a history nerd in general, but Ancient Egypt has always held fascination for me, so I am positively over the moon for these! They’re just stunningly beautiful and I cannot wait to wear them.

The nail wraps usually cost $10 each on the Espionage Cosmetics website, so the value definitely exceeds the cost of a month-to-month subscription at $15 per month. Subscribers then vote for their favorite of the two, and the winner goes on to regular sale on the website. That means Nexus subscribers get a super limited edition nail wrap that will never be produced again! As usual, I’m looking forward to seeing what they come up with for next month and I’m LOVING this subscription – I get two brand new nail wraps before they’re released to the general public, and I get to vote for my favorite and hope it wins. This whole thing is ridiculously exciting. I’m not sure any other subscription box does something like this! In case you’re thinking about subscribing and want to send me some love, hit up my referral link!

Subscription Boxes

Espionage Cosmetics BOOM!Box August 2016

By Sheetar 14 August 2016 31 August 2016

Another Espionage Cosmetics BOOM!Box has arrived! This one showed up on my front steps on Friday the 12th which was just a hair behind schedule, but we were given an email update alerting us to the ever so slight delay. It’s still the first half of the month, so it’s not a big deal to me, but I definitely appreciate the communication! This month’s theme was Retro Gaming, so of course I expected a little Zelda, some 8 bit joy, but as usual, had no idea how they’d incorporate that into the products in the box. I’m yet again astounded by how well everything fits into the theme and how fun this box is! I feel like I’m a kid again.

Three eyeshadows were included this month, all with fun names and colors that fit the theme. On the left is an Everything Shadow in “1up,” and it’s a perfect shimmery green. On the right are two brand new items to the Espionage Cosmetics line, pressed powders in “Console,” the blue, and “Pixel,” the pink. The two even blend together to make a stunning purple color and there are tutorial cards included, courtesy of @thepryncess. Having the tutorial cards is HUGE for me since I’m really not all that great with makeup, and seeing new ways to use these shadows is a big help.

Up next are TWO new nail wraps this month. On the left is “8-Bit Hearts,” which, if you’ve ever played Legend of Zelda or really any 8 bit game with a heart health meter, you’ll recognize these right away. On the right is “Power Up” with a nod to the Konami Code, featuring a glittery scatter of 8 bit doodads from games (Rupees from Legend of Zelda!). I absolutely love both of these and cannot wait to wear them.

Hooboy does this bring back memories! It’s a notepad with floppy disks for the covers. It’s completely brilliant, and I got a good laugh out of the use of the America Online for Windows 3.0 disk. I honestly love having notepads like this to carry around to jot a quick note. I’m probably faster at grabbing a notepad and pen than finding that app on my phone to take notes (weird, especially for a computer/tech nerd like myself), so I will definitely be carrying this around with me!

On the left are three stickers and dude, OREGON TRAIL! That one I didn’t expect to see in this box (Retro Gaming, so DUH, of course Oregon Trail), but I’m SO PSYCHED to have that sticker. It may have to go on my car right away. On the right is a beautiful print by Fox Smith. It’s in the style of traditional Japanese prints, but that’s definitely our beloved Mario riding Yoshi, attacking a koopa paratroopa. It’s such a fun new take on a classic we all know and love. I’ve got a spot in the guest room (also known as the Lady Lair) picked out for this and the other two prints from previous boxes once I decide on frames. (Note to self, go find frames!)

WOW. Just.. wow. This necklace is a gold Triforce from GeekStar Costuming. It’s acrylic with a mirrored back and it could not be any more perfect! In case you missed it, I’m a beekeeper, and while the husband and I were trying to come up with names for our hives, the one that stuck instantly? Hive Hyrule with Queen Zelda. This is what happens when the power of two nerds combines to name beehives. So yeah, I love this A LOT A LOT, and you can be sure I’ll be wearing it all week to show off my nerd pride. Also included in the box was a discount code for 20% off a future purchase with GeekStar Costuming.

As far as value goes, it’s definitely above and beyond the cost which is between $25 and $30 depending on the length of the subscription. The sentimental value of seeing childhood favorites reborn into nail wraps, makeup, stickers, notepads, and jewelery? PRICELESS. Every box so far has been a wild hit and I find myself eagerly awaiting the next shipment because I just know they’re going to knock it out of the park every time. It’s like I’ve finally found my people and they get me, they really get me. I just cannot possibly say enough good things about this box. In case you’re thinking about subscribing and want to send me some love, hit up my referral link!