one of the fun things that i like about focusing more on indie scents is discovering the newer entrants to the scene, such as the recently-debuted Canadian indie scent brand Pulp Fragrance which launched in mid-october last year.
i like the beautiful brand aesthetic which reflects a strong influence from pulp paperback novels, other underground / low-brow publications, and culture of the mid-20th century. these are beautifully depicted in their scent images and label designs, making the bottles themselves lovely displays in any scent lover's collection.
their website design is minimalist and simple to navigate, with a master scent list that is easy to peruse and a well-organised layout for their different seasonal collections. most of their scents are vegan-friendly, except for the specific few that contain animal by-products and are marked as "non-vegan" on their master scent list. their master scent list also specifically identifies common allergens (such as cinnamon and clove) in particular scents, another example of the attention to detail that i notice many indie perfumeries tend to take with their products and disclosures.
their website also has a useful display of the number of items in stock for the full-sizes, and one thing that i really respect about Pulp Fragrance is their dedication not to create FOMO (fear of missing out) - they have made it a goal to bring back scents whenever possible, to keep all seasonal releases up for at least three to four months at a time, and to restock all seasonal releases as soon as possible on a rolling basis.
Pulp Fragrance offers both local (Canada) and international shipping at prevailing rates, though they do offer free tracked shipping for all Canadian and US orders over CAD$100. at the time of writing this, delivery to the UK and countries on the Canada Post 'Service Suspended' list is temporarily suspended.
their website also keeps a running status update of the current turnaround time (at the time of writing, 5-10 business days) which is very useful for deciding the timing of placing an order. for this order, which was placed during the busyness of christmas season, it was around 14 business days from when i placed my order to when i received the shipping notification.
from a review of the master scent list (and rave reviews online) i decided to blind buy full-sizes of some of their more popular scents that i could see myself liking:
- 10ml of Ensnare (Embrace's darker sister at the other end of the woods, who lures you in with the promise of maple sugar sweets then latches the door behind you. Rich dark oud, labdanum, and a line of salt at the door.)
- 10ml of House on Widows Hill (Brandy as plummy as Roger's accent, old oak paneling, dusty thick carpets, a thread of incense & a roaring fire in the hearth.)
- 10ml of Long Winter's Nap (Sweet dreams of candied citrus, a touch of sparkling ginger aldehydes, smooth herbaceous lavender, and a gently-honeyed sweet skin musk with a hint of beeswax. (Note: this scent is formulated to be a quieter-sillage sleep scent that wears a bit closer to the skin.))
- 4ml of Bewitching Amber (A darker take on classic amber with labdanum, non-gourmand vanilla, woody vetiver, pine bark, cardamom & sandalwood musk.)
i also ordered a customisable sample set containing the following five scents:
- Embrace (A kindly kitchen witch who invites you in from the cold, feeds you pumpkin shortbread with butter, apricot preserves, and brown sugar & then sends you safely on your way. (Non-vegan butter CO2 & contains cinnamon.))
- Autumn Morning (Warm mug of hot chocolate, bowl of slightly spiced oatmeal, bouquet of carnations, and a cozy blanket on your lap. (Contains cinnamon & clove.))
- Portrait of Josette (Ethereal white amber, dry wood of a long-abandoned seaside house, a hint of orris, and the lingering memory of jasmine perfume.)
- South Star (Sweet creamy peach, vanilla beans, liatrix, & a woody-ambrette accord, all topped off with a hint of cinnamon. (Contains cinnamon.))
- Women In Dresses Running From Houses (Gooey marshmallows over a roaring bonfire, heliotrope, aged patchouli, and a whisper of anise.)
at the time of my order (and writing this), Pulp Fragrance offers one free sample of the buyer's choice with all orders; i had requested for a sample of their new scent Cathedral of Trees (Crisp cold air, cedar tips, pine boughs, towering fir and spruce, snow-strewn forest floor, & smoke-less sacred resins of frankincense and myrrh.) which is part of the Winter Collection that has just been released in late january 2021.
another nice touch from ordering indie; i also received two packs of gummy candy which were devoured immediately after this photo was taken, and another free sample And To All A Good Night (Sugary and gently-spiced holiday cookies fresh from the oven and drizzled with caramel, creamy egg nog spiked with coffee liqueur and sprinkled with a dash of nutmeg and cardamom, & the smooth, pale, aged wood of a well-loved rolling pin.) from their Holiday 2020 Collection.
everything arrived in great condition (including the candy) and my new full-sizes now have a proud place of honour on my display shelf, thanks to their amazing label designs that just bring me so much joy to look at and enjoy with their scents.
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this review is of products that i had purchased at regular price with my own money, save for the specific products which were given for free as disclosed above. i wasn’t asked to review this as a condition of receipt and didn’t receive any incentives for writing this. i’m not affiliated with Pulp Fragrance, and as always, all opinions remain my own.
Pulp Fragrance's website is available here. prices are CAD$4.75 (about US$3.50) for individual samples, or CAD$20.50 (about US$16.50) for a set of five samples, CAD$17.75 (about US$14.50) for a 4ml rollerball and CAD$36 (about US$28.50) for a 10ml rollerball (before shipping).
all information correct at time of publishing.
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