‘Please see my review of Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb‘ — this is how I originally started my post on the newest Lancôme perfume La Vie Est Belle. This big Lancôme launch takes a lesson from its flop Magnifique and does everything by the book: a fetching package (check), something pink (check) and a safe, easy to like perfume (check). It’s even better if you tag on a well-known spokesperson (check, Julia Roberts looks gorgeous in the ads).
While my initial reaction was to dismiss La Vie Est Belle as another copycat, after wearing it for the past couple of weeks I’m not so sure what I think. The citrusy top notes laced with tangy raspberries were facile, but addictive, while the gourmand drydown tempered by earthy iris was surprisingly mellow. I readied myself for another cheap fruit compote, but I discovered a trendy and likable perfume. I would have had an easier time making up my mind if it smelled cheap, but it doesn’t.
The idea behind La Vie Est Belle is not new as both Jessica and Denyse pointed out in their reviews. It’s the same fruity patchouli twist, and it will be instantly recognizable. What makes La Vie Est Belle more appealing to me than Flowerbomb is that it’s less sweet and more understated, as far as it can be possible within this genre. The freshness of orange blossom, the tartness of citrus and the chill of iris succeed at reducing the cloying sweetness at various stages of this perfume.
In French La Vie Est Belle means “life is beautiful,” but this Lancôme perfume is just pretty. It also makes me feel deeply ambivalent. La Vie Est Belle smiles happily and she’s eager to make you laugh as well. She’s not a femme fatale that requires a long courtship and loads of patience, but she’s not a teenager snapping bubblegum in your face. If you want a fruity patchouli and can’t stand the volume of Chanel Coco Mademoiselle, it would be a good choice.
On the other hand, it’s a typical un-classic perfume that the fragrance market churns out by the hundreds today. It’s so familiar and easy that it’s liable to become boring. Truly excellent fragrances reveal something new with each encounter, while La Vie Est Belle’s plot can be memorized very quickly.
In the end, I worry that I’m ready to dismiss La Vie Est Belle because it’s predictable. But as someone who has 5 nearly identical orange blossom colognes in my perfume wardrobe, I’ll be the first to admit that sometimes I just want a pleasant scent, not a perfume epiphany. I love opera, but I’ll happily listen to pop music, and as much as I adore three course meals at nice restaurants, a paper cone of fries with mayonnaise is a delicious treat. I won’t even say that I feel guilty about it. La Vie Est Belle certainly deserves a try, if only because familiar things can sometimes be comforting.
Lancôme La Vie Est Belle includes notes of Florentine Iris pallida, iris aldehyde, jasmine sambac, black currant, pear Tunisian orange blossom, Indonesian patchouli, vanilla, tonka bean, and praline. Available widely from Lancôme counters.
Sample: my own acquisition
73 Comments
Anna Minis: A very honest and careful review. I will certainly give this perfume a try! August 15, 2012 at 7:47am
Austenfan: I can only second this! August 15, 2012 at 9:08am
Victoria: I tried. 🙂 Not sure if I’ve succeeded, but I’ve given it a fair shot. And wore it for a whole week in our warm weather! August 15, 2012 at 11:22am
Victoria: I was worried that I was dismissing it too quickly when I started sampling it. There are plenty of new launches that I think are just really awful, but this one isn’t. Like Coco Noir, it’s just not that exciting. But I still like Coco Noir better. August 15, 2012 at 11:18am
Barbara: Hello from Krakow, V and company!
Your willingness to give everything a fair review is one of the reasons I appreciate this blog so much. Often these new ‘fumes are automatically dismissed by bloggers as junk. I wear Chance Eau Fraiche and gets lot of compliments. August 15, 2012 at 8:56am
Victoria: I think that the reviews I read of this perfume, the ones I linked to, were very balanced. I guess that it all comes down how one judges a fragrance–as an artistic endeavor or as a pleasant accessory. I struggle with this, because in general I see perfume as both, but not all perfumes are artistic. Then again, in the intro to Perfumes: the Guide, Tania Sanchez writes that even the most crassly commercial perfume is better than no perfume at all, and I cannot agree more.
But La Vie Est Belle is well-crafted, and that can’t be taken away from it. August 15, 2012 at 11:21am
behemot: Helllo Barbara! I am also from Krakow but I live in the US . I go to Krakow at least twice a year 🙂 August 15, 2012 at 11:12pm
Barbara: Bardzo mi miło! Nice to meet you! I always wanted to have more perfume loving friends, and it’s great to find this community here. I’m originall from Gdansk, but my husband is from Krakow and we live here now. Nice that you can visit here. I lived in Berlin for one year and missed Poland very much. August 16, 2012 at 5:40am
behemot: Nice ! Do you go to GaliLu on Slawkowska Street? August 17, 2012 at 1:12am
Ida: That must be one of the worst ads I’ve ever seen. Julia looks like a over-photoshopped horse. Jesus, it’s really bad! August 15, 2012 at 9:30am
Victoria: I saw ads in stores that I liked better, but this one was the only available digital version. August 15, 2012 at 11:23am
Nikki: We certainly need a perfume called Life is beautiful in times like this…reminds me of the great comedian Roberto Benigni’s La Vita e bella movie. The only perfume by Lancome I really like on others is Tresor, I can’t wear it. All the other pink stuff, i.e. Miracle, is just so teenager like, it is not worth it. However, I will now spray it on and give it a try. Regarding the ad, I am sorry to say, I will not buy a perfume to smell like Julia Roberts and the ad is quite ugly. Give me Catherine Deneuve or Sophia Loren or somebody else with sex appeal, but Julia Roberts?! Thanks for the review, Victoria! August 15, 2012 at 9:37am
Victoria: I love Julia Roberts and Deneuve and Loren, and I wish I could see more of them in leading roles, rather than playing older women. I still like the fact that they’ve used her, rather than some 18 year old model.
My favorite perfume from Lancome is Tresor, but I don’t wear it anymore. I love their classics like Magie Noire, Climat, Cuir. Oh, and Une Mille et Une Rose, but I don’t know if it’s still available. August 15, 2012 at 11:28am
yomi: Nice review, Victoria. Fruity patchouli is always nice even if overused. Patchouli seems to be featured more and more these days – it is certainly one of my favourite notes. Hope you are settling in nicely in belgium. August 15, 2012 at 10:11am
Victoria: Thank you, Yomi! The settling in is coming along slower than I would have like, but hope that we will find a permanent place soon.
I also love patchouli, especially when it’s dry and earthy. Are these fruity patchouli perfume popular in Nigeria as well? August 15, 2012 at 11:30am
yomi: Dear V, not to worry- I am sure there is a perfect cozy place just waiting for you .pray and I am sure God will lead you there…
Yes fruity patch scents are popular here ,angel and miss dior cherie are examples.
Nigerians LOVE sweet smells – to have a succesful scent here -sweetness is a must!
A friend from firmenich who is responsible for sales of functional scents once quipped’ why do nigerians love sweet smells so much’!
I have an orange tuberose floral/ vanilla fruity oriental scent in our collection – its called rocker girl. The patch balances the fruity sweetness. August 15, 2012 at 11:49am
Victoria: Fascinating! I would never have guessed what would be popular in Nigeria, but sweet wouldn’t have occurred to me. Are desserts a very big part of the cuisine?
Actually, there is a big African community here in Brussels, and I’ve seen stores offering various products from Senegal, Congo and Ghana. I need to explore more. August 15, 2012 at 12:00pm
solanace: The African community was the one thing I loved the most while living in Europe. My best memories have these guys involved somehow. August 15, 2012 at 6:41pm
Victoria: There is a whole area in Brussels called Matonge, where you can find great shops and restaurants. I love browsing at the stores and checking out interesting spices and vegetables. August 16, 2012 at 7:29am
Penny: I tried this perfume because of Julia Roberts was on the ad.Not only do I love it,I get tons of compliments every single time I go out,every time.I do wish
they made a body powder. Penny October 20, 2013 at 2:23pm
Victoria: Great! I’m sure it smells terrific on you. It’s a well-crafted scent. October 21, 2013 at 8:21am
smellslikeroses: A very helpful review. I know that this is so not for me, but I will tell my mom about it, she loves Flowermob and is looking for something similar. August 15, 2012 at 10:52am
smellslikeroses: *dies* Um, that should be Flowerbomb! Can you just tell how I feel about it? August 15, 2012 at 10:53am
Victoria: Ha ha! That’s a good one. 🙂 August 15, 2012 at 11:33am
Rachel: LOL! I love Flowerbomb but this slip of yours was hysterical. August 15, 2012 at 12:20pm
Victoria: Great! Hope that she will enjoy it. It’s less sweet, so it may be either a good or bad thing, depending on what your mom likes in Flowerbomb. August 15, 2012 at 11:33am
Rachel: I tried it the other day and also thought that it smelled almost exactly like Flowerbomb. Not bad, but I have Flowerbomb, Prada and Coco Mlle already. August 15, 2012 at 12:19pm
Victoria: Yes, it’s in the same ballpark! August 15, 2012 at 1:48pm
Raluca: I noticed that three well-known noses collaborated on the development of this fragrance. Is that right? Is it unusual for 3 famous noses to work together on one fragrances? August 15, 2012 at 12:24pm
Victoria: It’s a very common practice to speed up the development and to encourage the spirit of teamwork within the companies. Usually one perfumer is the leader, the creator of the main accord, while others add their own touches. August 15, 2012 at 1:50pm
Dionne: I got the chance to try this yesterday, when my EST brought over a bottle her SIL – who works for Lancome – had acquired. It really is a lovely bottle.
Unfortunately, this was HORRIBLE on my skin, which is actually pretty typical for many mainstream fragrances. (Someday I’m going to figure out just what’s going on with my skin chemistry.) Sour and piercing, it made my friend wrinkle her nose and comment, “It sure doesn’t smell like that on me.”
Sigh. August 15, 2012 at 12:35pm
Victoria: That doesn’t sound promising! Anything sour or piercing is automatically a no-no for me either.
Isn’t the bottle pretty? The cap felt a bit cheap, but the bottle itself is heavy and unusual. August 15, 2012 at 1:51pm
Villette: Victoria, I’m sorry to hear you’ve not yet found a place to settle. If you like, send me an email and I will forward to you the name of the relocation people who sorted me out in a day. August 15, 2012 at 12:55pm
Victoria: Vilette, thank you very much for your offer! We’ve actually ended up reaching out to the relocation people once we figured out that we would never be able to find a place on our own (and it doesn’t help that almost everyone we tried to contact was on vacation). So, we’re in the process, and things are starting to move along at last. August 15, 2012 at 1:54pm
Anne Sheffield: Thank you for this. I must admit I have a very over critic eye on every scent from Lancôme. Probably because I know someone who works for Lancôme group. It s just huge and englobbed so many brands, I feel everything that comes out from there is purely based on its commercial value and interest and nothing else. Everything is too obvious predictable and therefore has absolutely no finesse. But as I said I have a huge preconception of it already. That s bad! Kisses August 15, 2012 at 1:07pm
Victoria: Anne, that’s exactly how I feel. L’Oreal doesn’t exactly tailor its fragrance development to the brand, and it’s really a faceless, almost industrial process in the end. I mean, think about Lancome and its heritage, its products, skincare, its positive message to women that made it into such a respected brand. I remember how much I loved reading its catalogs 10-15 years ago. When the website was launched it had great advice and it was really like a little magazine. These days, it’s bland and similar to what everyone else is doing. And La Vie Est Belle is a good example of that. But at least, it’s a decent quality perfume. That’s already something to be thankful for. Or perhaps, my standards are so low for these big launches… August 15, 2012 at 1:58pm
behemot: I absolutely agree with your remarks how Lancome has changed. I remember their catalogs, original Tresor and Isabella Rossellini. She has beenn with them for a while..
Now they hire famous faces, but they change so fast.
I tried the new fragrance and I admit, I was expecting the worst, so I was nicely surprised by a rich, gourmandy opening on my skin. The dry down was disappointing, though. I know fragrances from Bath and Body works with more interesting dry down…
But it is not as bad as I expected 🙁 August 15, 2012 at 11:22pm
Victoria: The other day I saw Isabelle Rossellini on TV doing some sort of weird film about the mating process of seahorses. She was dressed as a sea horse. The whole thing was graphic and really bizarre.
So many perfumes today load up the top and completely ignore the drydown. That’s what I mean by a un-classic. Do you imagine going through several bottles of it? Even someone who loves it might be bored very soon. August 16, 2012 at 7:33am
behemot: I haven’t seen this film! Never heard of, but it sounds as sth really strange …. August 17, 2012 at 1:14am
behemot: Well the film is a bit strange .. There was another one with her about shrimp.
I was thinking here more of Isabella’s earlier incarnations when she looked nothing like a seahorse :):)
http://www.thenonblonde.com/2010/08/lancome-tresor-1990-eau-de-parfum.html August 17, 2012 at 2:00am
Victoria: Me too! That’s my Isabella vision. I ended up turning off the TV, because watching her in this strange get up was too much for me (and a bit depressing too). August 17, 2012 at 7:49am
Anne Sheffield: Just re read me…. I sound so bad. I know probably all perfume house are like that, but the thing is I know it ” first hand” with Lancôme. In my little world I still like to believe that Chanel, Hermes, l artisan, guerlain… Etc, all still create in a small dark room, with magic books and wooden floor, and only a few people, surrounded by glass jars containing rare flowers, leaves and cristals and moon dust, all brought back after dangerous adventures round the world by indiana jones…..
Anne August 15, 2012 at 1:23pm
Victoria: With Hermes at least you know that they work closely with one perfumer and they don’t launch one product after another (occasional flankers notwithstanding!) August 15, 2012 at 2:00pm
Wesley Parker: So Victoria, I’m dying to know what your 5 happy orange blossoms are 🙂 I’ve recently discovered that I love this note – and I’m on a quest for “the one” orange blossom. I fell deeply in love with a sample of Seville a l’Aube for the opening notes (gorgeous! addicted!) but wish the drydown were better – much of the loveliness vanishes, leaving me heartbroken. Trying to decide whether or not to spring for a FB anyway before they sell out! I’ve tried By Killian Sweet Redemption (good but somewhat strange – but a better drydown than Seville), and also BK Love (nice opening but drydown is too much burnt sugar. I’m 38 and it feels too young to me). A Lab On Fire’s Sweet Dreams is lovely, but too soft-spoken. Jo Malone’s is a very classic and fresh take – but I miss the complexity and sensuality of Seville. Meanwhile SL’s Fleurs d’Oranger is too cumin-y and naughty. Rubj EDP also has too much cumin, but I haven’t tried the Extrait. Sigh. Any orange blossom advice? 🙂 Sorry – I know this is off-topic from the original post. But I’m so curious which orange blossoms you love best. August 15, 2012 at 1:49pm
Victoria: Orange blossom is a favorite topic of mine! 🙂
Some of my favorite orange blossoms are Annick Goutal Neroli (pure, vivid orange blossom; like smelling flowers on the tree!), Jo Malone Orange Blossom (very similar to Neroli, but less sparkling), L’Artisan Parfumeur Fleur d’Oranger (also very true to life orange blossom), by Kilian Sweet Redemption (sultry), Hermes 24 Faubourg (elegant, ambery), Serge Lutens Fleurs d’Oranger (naughty, exactly as you said). I love Seville a l’Aube, and I’m wondering if I should get a bottle. But if you don’t enjoy all stages of its development, maybe it’s best to wear a sample and see if it can grow on you. August 15, 2012 at 2:07pm
Wesley Parker: Thank you so much Victoria! I do love Seville very much. I’ve almost used up my sample and now I’m hoarding it like a crazy woman, lol. It’s one of those that you want to apply and reapply for the glory of the top notes. The drydown is fine, it’s just that the opening is so achingly beautiful. I’ll have to try the Annick Goutal. I thought the Jo Malone might be my perfect bitter orange pick-me-up cologne for summer (as you said in your review, more floral than many others – which I like) – but if the Annick sparkles even more, I must try it! Seville of course is utterly different – sultry, warm and languid. Similar vibe to Sweet Redemption. I definitely want that sort of Orange Blossom in my collection too. Not sure I can do a “naughty” OB though 😉 Oh! I wish I could try the L’Artisan Fleurs d’Oranger – but in the US those limited editions can be very hard to get. I’m just happy that Luckyscent has some bottles of Seville (now if I can just make up my mind!) Thanks again! Wesley August 15, 2012 at 2:25pm
Victoria: I definitely prefer Neroli to Jo Malone’s Orange Blossom, and I would say that if you like L’Artisan’s orange blossom, you will enjoy Annick Goutal Neroli as well. It’s just as good and much less expensive.
Sweet Redemption is my fall back perfume on days when I cannot make up my mind. It wears so elegantly, and yet it has that sensual streak that makes it fun. Oh, Rubj is another top favorite. So looks like you and I share similar tastes. August 15, 2012 at 3:16pm
Lisa: I have to admit: I’m really “meh” when it comes to any fragrance made by Lancome. Like Estee Lauder, Clinique, etc., Lancome fragrances all have a similar “flavor” (for lack of a better word) that does not inspire me to buy, or even sample. However, I always enjoy reading well-crafted reviews of perfumes, even if I *never* intend to buy them myself. (Odd, yes?) Thanks for another great one, Victoria! 🙂 August 15, 2012 at 3:44pm
Victoria: These big launches just tend to smell the same these days, and although I know that I can find something unusual among niche perfumes, I wish that there were more distinctive launches from big houses.
But I’m glad that you’ve enjoyed my review. I hope that it wasn’t too rambling. August 15, 2012 at 4:02pm
Lisa: Not at all rambling — just honest. 🙂
And I think that having a fondness for all things fragrance means keeping abreast of *everything* that’s released. Even though I don’t “do” Lancome, the company might one day release a ‘fume that really piques my interest.
I’m still waiting for a no-holds-barred review of Justin Bieber’s Girlfriend. This fragrance became a sort of running joke amongst literary agents and writers on Twitter not too long ago. So I sampled it at Sephora this past weekend, and … ::shudder:: August 15, 2012 at 4:22pm
Victoria: To me Lancome symbolizes a quintessential French style, and when I was growing up, it was my mom’s favorite makeup line. I remember the products in the beautiful jars that she would store on her dresser. But today I find very little of the same elegance about the presentation and the line overall. I understand that it has to shed it retro image and to move along with the times, but I wish it were able to do so gracefully, the way Chanel does (a tall order for any line, I guess!) August 16, 2012 at 7:27am
gio: Thanks for the review. I can’t stand Flowerbomb, it smells like very sweet candy on me. If this is similar, then I’ll pass. August 15, 2012 at 4:11pm
Victoria: Then you’ll definitely not care for La Vie Est Belle. It’s less sweet, but it’s in the same style. August 16, 2012 at 7:25am
solanace: This one will be available at my local mall. Sigh. August 15, 2012 at 6:48pm
Victoria: I bet! You won’t be able to hide from it. 🙂 August 16, 2012 at 7:30am
Anna Minis: Anne Sheffield made a romantic picture of an old fashioned perfumer! But in our time there are exciting stories as well. Here is one: ”Nasomatto” reports: he was somewhere in an exotic country and saw two eagles in the air, fighting for a civet. They dropped the civet and Nasomatto seized it. Unfortunately, he did not have a knife at hand, so he devoured that animal with his teeth. Less impressing: Nasomatto collecting camel’s excrements in the Amsterdam Zoo . August 16, 2012 at 4:35am
Victoria: Anna, this is weird and hysterical! Nasomatto press releases are really surreal. August 16, 2012 at 7:34am
Anna Minis: I wonder if he thinks we believe this!(speaking of Nasomatto). August 16, 2012 at 8:54am
Victoria: 🙂 I think that he believes it himself! August 16, 2012 at 9:31am
Austenfan: Gave this a sniff today. Let’s say I’ll stick to my Trésor, and Cuir. I found the opening very, very sweet, it did calm down a little bit after this, but I wasn’t interested enough to try on skin.
I was wearing my precious Vamp, don’t want to spoil that one.
I love the honesty and nuance of your review, by the way. August 16, 2012 at 2:35pm
Victoria: Can’t imagine how it could compete with your Vamp! Well, you’ve smelled it, so now you know what to expect. I think that it’s well-made perfume, but it threads the same ground as Flowerbomb. I often like Flowerbomb on others (if worn in small doses), but only in passing. It’s really far too blunt and sweet. August 16, 2012 at 3:00pm
Haefennasiel: All those TEETH scare me! @_@ (I know it’s a shallow comment, but there it is … ) August 21, 2012 at 12:34am
Victoria: Ha ha! Well, now that you mention it… August 21, 2012 at 7:55am
CedriCeCCentriC: What’s interests me in the fragrance world is not only the scents themselves, but also everything around it: marketing, packaging, advertising, etc… For it’s a whole.
“La Vie est Belle” has the advertising campaign that most works on my nerves this year. A few days ago I saw what I think will be the definitive tv ad. The youtube video has been removed since, as the official launch is the aug 26.
The video featured all the usual perfume commercial clichés: the hollywood star, the staircase, the party, the moonlight… you name it, they put it in it. Yet, it’s none of those clichés that aggravated me. Plus, I love Julia Roberts.
No, it’s a phrase written and said just at the beginning of the commercial: “In a world of diktats and conventions, could there be an other way?”… What??? I don’t know who is behind that concept and how it past further than a brainstorming. Lancôme (and L’Oréal for that matter) is a c-o-s-m-e-t-i-c-s company and isn’t it in the 1st place because of diktats and conventions that people spend billions on anti-aging creams and makeup? I find this concept so hypocritical and clumsy. “La Vie est Belle” is already a concept in itself, why make things further complicate. Any shot of Julia Roberts movie Eat, Pray, Love would have done.
Anyone else saw the ad? Am I the only one who thinks it’s gauche? Am I crazy?
Anyway, that won’t keep me from going to test the fragrance. LOL
p.s. : Lancome has now started the use the phrase as a teaser on both their websites and Facebook pages worldwide. August 22, 2012 at 10:57am
Victoria: Cedric, I haven’t seen the TV ad, I’m going to check it out on Youtube. I think that most perfume ads are really about the cliches, with some rare exceptions. August 22, 2012 at 12:01pm
Franky W: I love Lancôme facial products. I also enjoy Julia Roberts acting. As for the La vie est belle … it is much too strong for me. I sprayed lightly and it still was too strong an hours later so I washed it off prior to going on my errands. The fragrance was still there.
I do not like for ME and will not buy.
Franky September 1, 2013 at 2:38pm
ioana: hi, I am sorry if this message is offtopic, but i am wondering if you could help me figure out if this la vie est is original . did the design change? i remember the bottle to be a bit lighter… thank you so much! October 31, 2013 at 9:03am
Victoria: I don’t think that it was lighter, but it’s hard to say via the photos on the website. You might like to google Lancome.com and compare against it. October 31, 2013 at 11:36am
Patsy: I have worn this since its release … I get comments daily – fresh, clean. All comments are positive and glowing. Oddly, I do not smell this scent on myself – others do. From what they say … it is lovely. For this reason alone, that it pleases others I will continue to wear this fragrance. April 7, 2014 at 9:15am
VY: I have to say this perfume surprised me. Not a huge fan of Lancome, I was recently gifted Tresor for my birthday, not sure if I like it before opening the box, I tried it at the store. I was disappointed, it didn’t have that allure that I was expecting.
I then tried La vie est belle, which was kept right next to Tresor, instantly liked it, fresh and modern, jasmine orange blossom, together was wonderful. I quickly forgot about Tresor, asked for a sample of La vie and walked away. kept smelling it all day. I have to say, it has excellent sillage, even the drydown is pleasant.
I would recommend it as a comfortable fragrance everyday wear, whereas Tresor gave me an impression that it may be appropriate for a cold winter night, wear somewhere exclusive, a special date maybe. Again, I’m not sure, I’ll have to try it more at the stores to see if I like it. August 10, 2016 at 12:45am
Ilijas: I’m plucking up the courage here to plonk in my take on La Vie Est Belle, so here goes.
This fragrance has succumbed to the credo of sweet = good, therefore sweeter = better.
The caramel-ish, dense and superlatively sweet dominant note is so strident and abrasive on the nose, and it is completely out of balance with the rest of the notes. They only serve to underpin and very feebly round out the sickly sugariness of it all.
I hadn’t realised that the caramel mixed with fairy floss (cotton candy in US) note (and, no, it’s not praline, it’s caramel) is what I’ve been smelling from the young lasses in the office. It explodes through the air like the radioactive cloud from Chernobyl.
I love gourmand. I love sweet.
However this is an appallingly cheap and nasty interpretation of it. December 31, 2016 at 5:50pm
Ilijas: Sorry for the rant! January 3, 2017 at 3:51am
Candace: I am learning to love more of the classics but this is such a light-hearted, playful scent that is easy to wear in any season. May 12, 2019 at 9:37am