Escentual

Sunday, February 6

Hi, dolls!
I'm so happy to be back to blogging and I hope everyone has been staying safe and healthy! As you all know, January is a month I usually take a break from blogging/social media, however I still planned my content ahead and I'm excited to share it all with you. Since Valentine's Day is approaching, I wanted to do a little gift guide and inspire you all whether you are gift-searching for your significant other, friend or simply yourself. If you're interested to find out all about it, let's get right into the guide! 

This post may contain affiliate links meaning that if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. However, my reviews/opinions on products are always 100% honest and I'll only recommend items that I love!


You can never go wrong when it comes to Huda Beauty and this gift set proves it. Worth £102, now only £26(!) and if you're a student, you get yourself an extra 10% off. It's an amazing deal where you get 4 full-size Huda Beauty and Wishful products, as well as a Yo Glow Wishful sample. 



Another great makeup set worth £57 and available to purchase for only £25, giving you three universally-flattering pigments to play with. These three cheek tints are formulated with Yuzu and Dragon Fruit extract to provide your complexion with a natural flush of colour. You can also use my code 'OLIVIA15' for additional money off your purchase.




Eden Juicy Apple | 01 by Kayali is one of my favourite scents out there! They have created the perfect gift set just in time for Valentine's Day where you get to try a 10ml bottle of Eden and a full-size matte lipstick by Huda Beauty in the exclusive shade 'Lover.' It's a great set to gift to your significant other or simply to yourself!



Kylie's newest Valentine's collection includes a lip balm set with 3 different lip balm flavours and it's just so cute as a present! Who doesn't love three sweet, Valentine-themed lip balms?!


This amazing hair care set includes all Philip Kingsley's cult hero products - Elasticizer, Moisture Balancing Combination Shampoo & Conditioner and protective Perfecting Primer to treat any hair to incredible shine this Valentine's Day.



Escentual's Perfume Blind Trial is the perfect way to try fragrances before you buy them and experience something different. Fun and interactive, you get to test and explore 8 sample-sized scents, and the cost is fully redeemable in Pretty Pennies - meaning you will get £19.95 (the value of the box) off any of your Escentual purchase. It's the perfect gift for any fragrance lover out there!



Ladies, let's make it his special day this Valentine's Day with the newest scent from Hugo Boss. The Scent is a leather fragrance with the top notes of Maninka and Ginger, middle notes of Iris and base notes of Leather and Woodsy notes. It will become his favourite scent to wear for all of your date nights!



You can't go wrong when gifting him the perfect jumper this Valentine's. Knitted from the best wools and pima cotton, Canarie Shirts knitwear is to be worn year-round. They come in an array of colours, designs and neck styles to suit every gentleman's style and whims. Use the code 'JUMPERS40' to save 40% off when buying 2 jumpers or more. (*offer ends soon)


I hope you found my gift guide to be helpful! Let me know down in the comments what are you grabbing for your significant other/friends this Valentine's Day? xo

PS. Make sure to follow my blog if you haven't already by simply clicking HERE.

Love, Olivia xo 

Sunday, September 12

Hi, dolls!
I hope everyone is having a great Sunday! Today, I wanted to tell you all about a really fun perfume blind trial that I am a part of. If you're interested to find out all about these monthly discovery sets, then let's get right into the review!

This post may contain gifted items meaning I received these beauty products for free from the brand to try and test out. However, my reviews/opinions on products are always 100% honest and I'll only recommend items that I love!


What is the Blind Trial and how does it work?

Escentual was established in 2000 and they are one of the UK's leading online beauty retailers. Escentual's Perfume Blind Trial is the perfect way to try before you buy, and experience something different. Fun and interactive, you get to test and explode 8 sample-sized scents, and the cost is fully redeemable in Pretty Pennies - meaning you get £19.95 (the value of the box) off the total of your favourite fragrance from the website. 

There is a new box every month with a different theme - you can pre-order boxes and wait for them to arrive at the beginning of each month. Each box includes 8 x 2ml mystery fragrance sample and an exclusive invitation to the #EscentualScents Facebook group. That's the place where all the reveals take places - there's always two Facebook lives where the mystery samples get revealed and we find out all the fragrance names. I understand it might be frustrating to wait for a fragrance to get revealed especially if we really start to like it but think about it this way - the longer you wait, the more time you get to learn the notes and try to figure it out yourself. Also, as the Facebook group member, you get to discuss the samples with other members, and who knows, maybe even figure it out before the reveal day!


I was actually lucky to be gifted my first ever Blind Trial box in July and I've been a member ever since. I'm currently on my third discovery set and I am honestly enjoying it so much. Not only do I get to try 8 different fragrances every month but I also get to learn so much about different notes and fragrance categories. 


£19.95 (sold out)

Solar fragrances refer to perfumes that possess a sunny disposition. According to Thomas, AKA The Candy Perfume Boy, these are the fragrances that play with light and exude a warm brilliance that is entirely modern. 

The following fragrances were revealed in the Solar Discovery box:


I enjoyed the fragrances picked for the Solar box. The two I guessed before the reveal were Alien by Thierry Mugler (classic) and Libre Intense by YSL. My favourite is 4711 Original Eau de Cologne Splash which is actually a cult classic created in 1792 (!). Almost 200 years after, the juicy nuances of the fragrances have remained the same. It's currently available to purchase on Escentual's website for only £8.80 for 30ml. 


£19.95 (sold out)

Aquatic fragrances take inspiration from water, most usually the ocean. They are sometimes labelled as "oceanic" or "marine" fragrances because of this. This group of fragrances rely heavily on a material called Calone, which brings the impression of a sea breeze, crystalline waters and supreme freshness. 

The following fragrances were revealed in the Aquatic Discovery box:


August's Aquatic box was very fun to test, especially when I smelled E for the first time and realised it's one of my favourite fragrances out there - Cloud by Ariana Grande. In my opinion, it's a really good and affordable dupe for Baccarat Rouge 540! I also enjoyed Glow by JLo, I didn't think I would like it as much as I do now. 


£19.95 (sold out)

Fougere means 'fern-like' in French and describes one of the main fragrance families that also include Floral, Oriental, Woody, Chypre, Gourmand, Fruity and Citrus. Before receiving this box, I had no clue what to expect the samples to be like, however after trying them couple of times, I think it might be my favourite set so far! I really can't wait for the reveals of this one, let me know if you'd want me to do an updated post once all 8 samples are revealed. 



You can now pre-order your October discovery box - the theme is New Scents. It will help you discover the best new launches on site since June 2021. Expect to smell and discover niche, designer and luxury perfumes for all genders and preferences!


Final Thoughts
I love the Escentual's Perfume Blind Trial! As someone who constantly visits drugstores to smell different fragrances and brings home hundreds of samples, this is the perfect way to discover new perfumes monthly. Being able to sit down and study each sample as well as discuss it with other group members is really fun and I love the entire experience. If you love fragrances or know someone who does - this is the perfect set to try out and gift! 

Thank you to Ceryn and the entire Escentual's team for letting me be a part of this monthly Fragrance Blind Trial!

What are everyones thoughts about this Perfume Blind Trial? Is it something you'd be interested in? Can you spot any fragrances you love? Let me know in the comments! I'll be doing an updated version once the September box gets fully revealed xo  

PS. Make sure to follow my blog if you haven't already by simply clicking HERE.

Olivia and Beauty | Designed by Oddthemes | Distributed by Gooyaabi