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All the glory, warmth and majesty of the sun -- darkened. A delicious blend of bitter almond, vanilla, frankincense and heliotrope, with a drop of cinnamon.


I love, love the almondy scent in the imp...almond is my absolutely favorite scent.

Once on, it's much sweeter and spicier. The cinnamon really comes out strongly in the first hour or so with a mellow undernote of vanilla, amber and almonds. I was hoping for much more almond once I put it on, but I like the mellow cinnamon.

It fades very quickly though - I put it on just before work at about 6:30 am - it's not quite 9 now, and I can't smell it at all, even when I hold my wrist to my nose. *sigh*

If only it lasted longer on me, I would adore this scent as a change from my usual sweet or fruity scents.

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At first: Almond, almond, almond. Can't smell anything else.

 

 

Drying: the almond fades pretty fast on my skin, and the cinnamon doesn't seem to come out that much. The drydown is a powdery heliotrope, which, I must say, is the most yellow scent I've smelled so far. So concept in a bottle is once again perfect. Not sure I'd biu another bottle of this, but I might replace my imp when it runs out.

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Bitter almond jumps out of the vial. The vanilla and cinnamon stay in the background, and I only caught the most fleeting impression of heliotrope. Then the cherryish scent recedes and Eclipse becomes very creamy and subtle.

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In the bottle- Smells alot like cherries...

 

On me- This one turns into a very warm, sweet blend... it's kind of uplifting. I love Eclipse.

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Eclipse:

 

Wet: Smells like cherry cough syrup.

Drydown: nicely vanilla, resin scents coming up but are barely recognizable. Cinnamon is definitely detectable.

 

Not quite the cinnamon-y delight I was hoping for, but it's not bad. I'd wear it again.

 

Edit, 3/20/05: I had to give Eclipse another try.

 

Wet: still smells like.. Luden's cough drops.

Drydown: Cherry goes away.. and this develops into a cinnamon-y, vanilla rum goodness.

Longterm wear: Eclipse definitely loses its staying power after an hour or so, but for the time I've got it, it's great. I think I might try this one as a lotion.

Edited by anmorata

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This is the third BPAL scent I've tried so far, and may be the first candidate for purchase of a bigger bottle! :P

 

In the imp and immediately on my skin - Maraschino cherries. STRONG maraschino cherries. I think this is my brain's initial reaction to 'almond'. This only lasted perhaps two minutes.

 

Wet - Cherry morphing into almond, with the frankincense looming but not overpowering it. Smells like "occult shop", which to me is a good thing.

 

After about an hour - Gorgeous, just gorgeous. The vanilla and cinnamon have come to the forefront, with the almond and frankincense humming underneath like a great bassline. Heliotrope is a scent I'm not familiar enough with to pick out, but there is just the gentlest waft of floral, which must be it.

 

After several hours - Nice staying power... I was out at a festival watching performers, and every time I applauded I got a nice little fresh whiff of Eclipse, but not too strong. A lovely, slightly sugary cinnamon/vanilla, with the other elements giving it depth and keeping it from being too sweet. Definitely getting at least a 5 ml of this.

 

Also, my friend who joined me at the festival has a lot of allergy and scent-sensitivity issues, and not only did Eclipse not bother her, she LOVED it, and asked me for the link to the BPAL site. :D

Edited by theshapeshifter

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Eclipse is definitely almond in the vial. A dry, true almond, not the cherry-almond of other blends such as Bastet and Black Phoenix. Immediately upon my skin, it's almond with an undercurrant of bananas! How odd....

 

As it dries down, for about the first hour it settles into a nice smooth mix of gentle floral with a soft cinnamon (smells similar to what's in Hamadryad to me) overtone. This seems to be a bit weaker than most of the BPAL blends I've tried. However, after an hour or so everything dies away except for the frankincense sticking to my skin. Not bad, just... I don't want to smell like weak frankincense. I might try it again, or just put it straight to swaps. One of the few blends that has fallen into the limbo of not bad, but not knocking my socks off either.

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This is almond cookies with a sprinkle of cinnamon on me. It's quite foody. The frankincense is very understated, but it gives an interesting zing to this one. The one I'm testing is an older, tarted imp, so I don't know how old it is. Perhaps the other elements simmer down after awhile.

 

It's not really me, but I would suggest it to all the almond lovers out there, and anyone who likes foody scents should give this a try. It smells like you could eat it almost. But don't!

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The first time I tried Eclipse it went over like a lead balloon. My skin decided to take the frankinscense amp it up to maximum volume, turn the almond it to sticky sweet cherry hard candy and kick every thing else out. I'm pretty sure I mentioned in my Black Phoenix review how not thrilled with this one I was. Made me kind of sad because when every one else describes it it sounds so yummy. Damn skin chemistry anyway, but after reading that some people have vastly diffrent experiences with some blends depending on what time of the month it is, and I did try it out right before I got my period I decided to give it another try.

 

In the bottle- Almond, with just little bitty wiffs of cinnamon.

 

Wet- Pew, there goes that cherry hard candy again, I mean it's so sweet and cherry candy the only word I can use to describe it is sharp.

 

Dry down: After about five minutes it stats to change into something yummy. The almond mellows out, the cinnamon and vanilla come up to give it a spicy creamy kick, and the frankinscense gives it a nice smokiness. Now this I like.

 

It stays that way for hours, eventually the frankinscense and almond almost disapear completely and it's mostly cinnamon and vanilla dancing around on my skin. I am so glad I gave this another chance! It's a very red foody scent to me. I just love it (but will be sure to avoid the hell out of it while expecting the monthly invasion).

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Eclipse

 

In the imp: almonds, almonds and more almonds! From first sniff, this is pure marzipan and macaroons. Yummy. I used to hate the taste of bitter almond flavouring (love almond as a nut though) but I like the smell. There is a hint of frankincense but it's the almonds that grab my nose first.

Wet on skin: still very almondy but there's something else. It's a darker, deeper smell-I don’t know what it is…oh my, now it smells like Christmas cake with marzipan icing!!! It's quite a yummy smell. But it also smells quite smoky and burnt like bonfire smoke, which is quite disturbing…There is a sweet foody smell other than almond, that's for sure-it's probably vanilla and cinnamon? That probably explains the Xmas cake smell. There is an undercurrent of something deep, dark, smoky and sultry here underneath that almond overload.

Dry on skin: same as wet really, first it's a blast of almond, but now there's something quite sophisticated underneath this. It's a warm smell, no doubt, but I can just about detect a lovely sweet floral in there-methinks that could be heliotrope even though I don't know what it smells like. It's becoming more sweet and subtle, a nice warm ambience and the burnt smell is gone, which is good. I think I am beginning to pick out the cinnamon in this too.

After 15 minutes: oh wow, this has mellowed out quite nicely and has changed completely! It's not as intense as before, and the almond is not as full on as it was, it's fading out. The smell is now just 'barely there' and it's a nice sweet subtle smell that is warm and comforting. I think this could be a mix of heliotropes and vanilla and maybe some cinnamon. But thankfully the smoky bonfire smell is completely gone. It's a great contrast to the intense smell that occurred when it was wet. I don't know but it reminds me of something I've smelt before, it's lovely, gorgeous and gentle.

After 30 mins: ditto above, that same gentle sweet warm smell, but now I can just about detect something brighter and sharper coming though. This could be almonds returning very slightly, or it could be the frankincense, which I hope becomes stronger. Yes, I think I can make out the frankincense in this sweetness, which adds an interesting edge to the dry phase of the scent.

After an hour: the sweet smell is still lingering on my arm, but I swear the almond has returned, but is certainly not as strong as before-it's just there in the background, making me smell like a bit like a sweet macaroon! Nice!

Verdict: at first it was a really strong dark almond and burnt spicy fruit cake mixture, very strange but tolerable, but the dry phase is wonderful, sweet, gentle, bright and warm and more subtle. This really does seem to encapsulate an eclipse in scent, from totality to the return of the sun-it's dark and smoky at first with flares of almond but then it becomes brighter like the sun is returning, and the smell gets lighter, sweeter and lovelier.

Edited by yeahbutnobut

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In the bottle

medium strong Sweet Almond

 

On

The almond and vanilla are the prominent notes on my skin.

This is so scrummy. It's such a mix of perfect ingredients. For those afraid of cinnamon this cinnamon is barely distinguishable, just lending a subtle spice to the creamy vanilla.

 

30 minutes

It doesn't morph much, it's still smells like a bakery full of goodness. It does fade a bit though, but this is one that you don't mind slathering on or reapplying. It's so worth it.

 

Throw:

Medium

 

Scent category:

Foody/Spicy

 

Summary

I thought 3 Witches was good! This is less spicy and addictive then 3 Witches but it's so bakery like and good. Of ALL the foody scents that I've tried to date from bpal, (not including Snow White)this is the best yet.

 

Purchase again?

Yes, a 5ml

 

1-5 rating, 5 being best.

4.5

Edited by Shollin

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Wet a lot of almonds come out, with a bit of incense.

When it calms down, the almond note fades away leaving incense and heliotrope, making it a floral scent.

 

It's curious how this oil changes, dry it hasn't any sweet note (and my skin tends to amplify them). I can feel a citrusy bottom (maybe due to the incense on my skin).

It has something misterious indeed. :P

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This is one of the few blends with cinnamon that doesn't leave itchy red welts all over my skin, and I'm glad for that!

 

It's a potent, yet subtle almond blend, very marzipan-y, very Snowcake, but with a little kick of incensey spice from the heliotrope and cinnamon, respectively.

 

I don't know if this is what an Eclipse smells like, but it is a good nighttime scent, and great for winter parties.

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Almondy Tamora drydown!! :D This smells of pure almond wet, but it quickly dries down into that same yummy vanilla-heliotrope scent...not sure if I can detect the frankinsence, but the cinnamon is definately noticable...a yummy, edible blend :P

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This is the first scent I tried an imp of and ordered as a 5ml. The almond scent is warm and lush and yummy! I was thinking that this would be a good one to buy to give away as christmas presents but now reading about allergic reactions I just don't know. This is in my top five.

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The first time I tried Eclipse, I was disappointed. All I got was almonds, no sign of my beloved heliotrope, and I went to sleep pretty soon after.

 

So I tried again, and for the first 15 minutes, I mostly just get pungent, strong, bitter almonds and a stinging sensation. a light floral note struggled to announce its presence under the spiciness and bitterness.

 

After about 20 minutes, my wrist doesn't sting anymore, and almond and cinammon both share the stage in a spicey savoury smell that is a combination of both...

 

half an hour later, I just have almond/cinammon spice, and just a little bitterness. there's something plasticy-y drifting around underneath, that makes me think there's some ginger in here, as that's how ginger behaves on me. I don't notice any of the sweetness of heliotrope, which I was hoping would decrease the effect of the almonds.

 

after a couple of hours, I have a very soft, spicy, floral, which I think of as generically bpal in nature.

 

 

all in all, once the overwhelming almonds calm down, it's a savoury spicy smell, like the spices in baking but without any sugar... I'm reminded of Three Witches, but not quite as nice on me; cloves play much nicer than almonds... I don't think I can wait through the dry-down on this one, and even then it doesn't call to me.

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Yum! This smells like almond fingers. I love almond fingers.

 

Unfortunately, this one faded to the faintest hint of almond in about 10 minutes. Hmf. I love it, but it goes so fast! :P

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This one makes me so sad. Wet it was very cinnamony, though it dried to this lovely cherry scent that was quite amaretto-ish.

 

 

After that, it got quickly washed off because my skin had a big red blotch that was growing by the minute.

 

I thus can't comment on the scent beyond this. It seemed like something I'd love to buy a big bottle of if it wasn't for the skin reaction. *sniffle* *mourn* *cry*

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eclipse.jpg

 

When wet there is the gorgeous/scary smell of almond which rings out, with a perfumy (almost carnation) undertone in the shadows. Then a part appears from the carnation section which oscillates between "plastic" and something so heavenly sweet and fugitive that as soon as your nose finds it, it flees to be replaced by the plastic smell. But that glimpse of heaven is so lovely you start to regard the plastic smell as the prelude to the beautiful one, and you interpret the plastic smell as good.

 

At times I smell a scent I used to find at a very expensive hairdresser's place. They sold an extraordinary line of soaps and skin care called Cyclax, and once my mother bought a box of their soap. The smell was heavenly and very much reminds me of Eclipse, at least part of the blend, anyway.

 

When I first got this scent I didn't think it was the best one I owned. As time wore on I found myself reaching for it more and more frequently. Now it has assumed a place of honor in my favorites list and I don't ever want to be without it. I just love Eclipse, it is really excellent and it grows on you.

Edited by olympia301

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I put off trying this one for a long time, because frankincense scares me. But I got it in a swap with joseybird, and I'm glad I did!

 

I have tried other scents with almond, and my skin eats them. This one stayed strong a lot longer.

 

In the bottle, I could smell the cinnamon. For some reason, cinnamon never shows up on my skin, but I'm still hoping it will happen as this dries.

 

I keep getting mental images of making cherry pie, but I think that is because we used to add almond extract at the tearoom; I'm not sure I'm smelling cherry.

 

The frankincense is not overpowering, which is what I was afraid of. I think I'm going to keep this one around for the fall/winter, but I can't imagine wearing it in the summer. It would be better when I'm shivering and need to be warmed up!

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Rating (on skin): 4/5

Summarised in a word or two: Almond-y vanilla.

 

In the imp: Almond, sweet to the point of being sickly.

 

On skin, wet: Sweet almond and vanilla. Reminds me of Dana O'shee.

 

On skin, dry: There is a difference, but this reminds me quite a bit of Dana. They both do the same vanilla-almond thing when they dry on my skin. Lovely, but still very sweet.

 

Conclusion: No trace of frankincense, heliptrope or cinnamon! I love the vanilla-almond combination, but as with Dana, this may be too sweet for me. I think the cinnamon could have tempered that sweetness perfectly, but, no dice.

Edited by Aredhel

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Divine! Fabulous! I love this scent. It's a yummy, foody scent, and the vanilla, almond and cinnamon are the notes that show on me. The cinnamon actually comes on quite strong, and is quite lovely undershadowed by almond. It reminds me of those stands at fairs and malls that sell roasted nuts, they have that wonderful smell from a mile away. My 5 ml wish list is getting too big! I have to quit loving so many! :P

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Beautiful almond start. This one's magical to me. It's perfect marzipan at first. I so want a big bottle, but I'm afraid to say that in sensitive spots (crook of my elbow), it makes me so red and itchy.

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Mmm...starts off surprisingly fruity, both in the imp and on my skin at first. Then as it dried, I had a whiff of a very very light bit of floral for just a short time. After that, it's dried to a sweet cinnamon sort of scent. That's just fine and dandy with me. :P

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Eclipse is almost all almond and frankincense in the imp, but there's just the slightest hint of spice down beneath all the rest of it.

 

On my skin, I swear that it smells like a cross between Coca-Cola and Dr. Pepper -- it's got the vanilla/cherry/almond thing going from Dr. Pepper, and kind of the slightly spicy sweet heliotrope and cinnamon thing that reminds me of Coke. It's not unpleasant, but after a while, it fades.... very quickly, actually. It's kind of sad, really, as I wouldn't mind walking around smelling like a caffeine-laden soft drink, if the oil stuck around a bit longer.

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