La Vie Est Belle Lancôme for women

The reviews on here crack me up. If you compare the reviews of this perfume from other websites like Sephora, influenster, ulta, ect the reviews of this perfume are BEYOND glowing and positive. Then you come in here and all the negative Nancys come out. It’s hilarious the difference! I can’t quite figure out why.
I LOVE this stuff. It’s like a love potion for men. They quite literally go crazy for this stuff. And let’s face it, I’m definitely not wearing perfume to impress other women, so that’s a positive. If I like it and men find it sexy, it’s a GO! It’s so sweet and perfectly balanced. The longevity is perfection-totally worth the money! It’s just the scent of a beautiful, classy woman that has her life together. It’s great for any occasion and any season. No wonder it’s a best seller.

Someone in a fragrance community that I am in said that this perfume is what ai would generate if asked to create a perfume. It is such a boring, basic white floral. Smells like all the other popular white florals on the market. I really tried to like it, but it just left me with a pounding headache. After a couple hours, I had to scrub it off as it was starting to nauseate me. A rag ,rubbing alcohol, and soap still didn’t get it off completely. Never again.

It's nice but a bit cliche

This is the perfume you bought yourself when you got accept to a large company with an official tittle to your name. During those days, you wore this perfume religiously to boost your confidence. It’s bright, youthful and showed your enthusiastic attitude to everything.

Many years later, you look back and see how naïve you were, you were always too nice and sweet with everyone that they easily step on you. And you often doubt yourself on the strange sour smell that came out at the end of the day.

But still, it was a great time for you. You got some special treatments here and there, and those memories build your character now. You grow out of it of course, but sometimes, you would spray this on for some nostalgia feelings.

I hated this when it first came out in 2012. I sprayed it on a paper test strip and thought it was the worst thing ever . Fast forward to a month ago when I got a sample with a package and decided to spray on skin…. and I’m eating crow. I really like this! Ordered myself a bottle and am happy to have it!

The initial spray is just okay but once it settles it’s addictive, strong, beautiful, and doesn’t smell cheap at all. Not the most unique ever but it’s a nice fresh vanilla that undoubtedly smells good. And it performs during a time when so many don’t. That being said, it’s not for kids. It’s not juvenile or gourmand. There’s a time and place for those but this isn’t for when you want to smell like a pie.

Morale of the story: spray it on skin and give it a real chance. It’s a best seller for a reason and now that it’s been out a while, maybe you won’t smell like everyone else anymore😂

It's not for everyone, but honestly - it's quite likeable really. My housemate has a bottle and wears it quite regularly - it smells nice (to me at least!) from a distance, it's very versatile and it's reasonably priced. Yes, it's probably overdone if you are somewhere that lots of people wear perfume heavily, but I'm not, and it doesn't upset me overly much. Some things are popular for a reason.

The sillage is more like powdery spun sugar to me - quite light and soft rather than creamy and vanillic.

I can't bring myself to hate this one. Yes, everyone and their mama used to wear it; yes, it kind of feels like an artifact of a different 'era' at this point; yes, it's not terribly unique... But I can see why everyone loved it!

LVEB is sweet but not in a gourmand way, but more like the nectar of a flower (I suppose). It's feminine, elegant, and versatile (day / night, winter / summer, it'll do anywhere). The vanilla is soft & powdery. I don't get the praline / chocolate. All I get is floral notes and a light fruity dessert vibe.

It was my mom's signature when I was in HS, back when I didn't care much for fragrances, so I just sprayed myself with whatever she had, as an afterthought, right before leaving the house... Needless to say, smelling LVEB now brings back many teenage memories.

I haven't worn this on my skin yet, as I'm not sure about it. It's nice enough. I do agree that it does smell a little outdated, but not in an "old lady" way. I love Flowerbomb, and this had been recommended as a similar scent, and I understand why. To my nose, it could be like a family with Flowerbomb being the youngest smelling, La Vie Est Belle the middle, and Coco Mademoiselle as the oldest.
I'm not sure if that will make sense or if I'm just coming to that conclusion because my grandmother wears Coco Mademoiselle.
It honestly reminds me of the original scent from Soap & Glory but in a more luxe perfume-y way.
It's a nicely projecting perfume when sprayed sparingly, and it lasts a long time. I quite like it but am not sure if I would buy it personally. I would quite like it if someone else were wearing it, but it feels a little too mature for me personally.

Just NO! Overly sweet, borderline boring

It does smell very "of its time" but I love LVEB. Iris, patch, sugary gourmand... it really is THE elegant example of its genre. Iconic.

OK now I think I get this perfume! but it’s not straightforward, because when my skin is considerably clean, it doesn’t work with my skin chemistry. It smells terribly outdated and it makes me gag.
The only woman this is suitable for, is probably someone one generation older, who decided torturing people by wearing this perfume is going to be their silent kind of vendetta.

But when it’s the end of the day, when there is more sweat and bacteria on my skin (I guess), it gets considerably better - I can recognize vanilla, patchouli and cassis. Unfortunately I don’t like patchouli nor cassis, so it still doesn’t smell pleasantly to me, but at least it’s not as terrible as when I am reasonably clean person….

anyway, not a perfume for me.

Beautiful….. but can no longer wear it. When I first smelled this on my best friend I fell completely in love I wore it through my last years of secondary school and through college with my first boyfriend. This is also my paternal grandmothers perfume so I just have very fond memories of it. It smells like sugary buttery praline. It’s so intoxicating and delicious . I had to stop wearing this though it didn’t go well with my skin chemistry- the dry down smelled like incense on me and it started to give me headaches. I love this on other people though.

it smells like a hug, because its my mothers perfume.
Its very warm. I feel like a confident woman wears this.
There is a note i dislike in this, Its pretty strong, then it gets stronger and in the end its soft and since the note is gone i love it. i wish there was a perfume only with the base

This is the most awful perfume I've ever smelled/owned. I was gifted LVEB when I was in high-school about 10 years ago. Still, when I think about the scent I start gagging. Never ever liked it. I don't smell any fruity notes. Just a sickly sweet powdery scent. I can't even say anything about longevity, because I sprayed it once 10 years ago, went and scrubbed my skin, and never again wore it. Outdated, gag inducing perfume. So many perfumes out there better then LVEB. I've had people tell me it's their signature perfume. I guess some people might like it. Kudos to them. Definitely a 0/10 from me.

when I was a cute, naive university student, I got this bottle. I thought I ate this and thought I was hot as hell. but one day, my weirdo cousin decided to show up and decided to douse herself with this perfume, since she always used knock-offs and thought the originals wouldnt also smell hard. she was wrong. how you could even finish 3/4 of the bottle in 4 days. anyway she smelled like axe chocolate and caused me a tiny bankruptcy.

she made me realize that I wasnt probably smelling hot but just chocolate. god bless her heart. now that I think about it, she saved me from this massive destruction of hell thats called la vie est belle.

many girls hate it, I hate it, but somehow, boys like this smell. they are such weirdos but it also makes the saying "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach" very true. because this smells like nothing but a very heavy hot chocolate with a dash of vanilla extract.

I still wake up terribly from my sleep paralysis masqurading as my cousin who doused this perfume all over her body tho. please do not do this to other people.

I really dislike this one, so extremely generic and basic. Does not smell like vanilla at all. This is exactly what every 40 year old basic woman wears. Headache inducing and painfully average. Smells cheap as well.

I recently got a travel size of this at the thrift store. I actually like it! It is sweet but not sickly sweet. I think this is definitely a classic fragrance. It may be a bit overused or over hyped, but is that really such a bad thing? It can be okay to like things other people like. It has mass appeal and lots of people will like it on you. I have to be careful with this one as I get migraines easily. This is a POWERHOUSE. Two wrist sprays will last you all day- no joke I've had it on for 10 hours and it is still there. If you overspray this one, you may choke yourself and other people throughout the day. I'm not too sure I'll fullsize. I think the travel will be enough for me.

Feminine, yet refined. Flirty, but not sexual. Fruity, sweet, with hints of vanilla, but not cloying. This is a feminine classic for a reason and will be the perfect summer scent for me this year.

I have a funny memory of when my miniature La vie est belle bottle broke all over the bathroom floor at my parents place. My god father was visiting and he said it smells like an airport tax free store! It's funny cus it's true lol! It was lingering for a couple of days after... It smelt good though :P

It is an iconic perfume but maybe a bit too overplayed unless it is your signature scent.

Versatile and feminine. It’s a classic now and should be regarded as such. It is STRONG and you get a bang for your buck with this one — 2 sprays will last all day. Beautiful in every season, day or night.

I've wanted to buy this perfume for a while, because the notes appeal to my tastes perfectly. I held off because some people say it's overrated, but I decided to get it because it's just a really lovely scent. I can't find anything wrong with it, it's very sweet and feminine but not overpowering to me. I suppose some people could say it's basic, but I'd lean towards calling it a perfect example of a classic gourmand scent <3

It’s a classic by now, and while it doesn’t appeal to everyone, it should be recognized as such. It’s a very well made, good quality, beautiful fragrance suitable for all ages. It comes in and out of my collection, but I always return to it in the end. It’s sweet, but the sweetness is not cloying, so it’s very wearable even during the daytime. I crave it especially in the early Spring in the cold climates. It’s beautiful powdery iris blooms on my skin and I just can’t stop smelling my wrist. I have compared it to the newest flanker Iris Absolute, and while that one is undoubtedly purchase worthy and also great, I have still preferred this one. The Iris Absolute one is all about the Iris, a bit less sweet and has that bit of a detached elegance about it. I find the original however very uplifting. I can’t wait to receive my new bottle to help me greet the Spring and help me cure my winter blues with its magic.

This shit is amazing. It’s smells sharp and lovely

A beautiful mix of fruity and vanila note. Very safe for daytime and work in tropical countries. Nothing unique, i've smell similar notes from other cheaper fragrance. Last around 5-6h on me

I always receive the most compliments when I wear this! It’s my summer signature and I’m obsessed.

This is quite possibly the worst perfume I have ever smelled. This smells like a combination of oil lamp and incense, and not in a good way. The scent was so overwhelming that I immediately became nose blind to everything else. (Sprayed once on my wrist at Ulta) I felt nauseous on the way back home.
Good lord I thought clinique happy was the worst thing I'd smelled, but nope, this takes the cake.

Small rambling:

This fragrance is basicly Dior Sauvage's female counterpart. Everything positive and negative that was ever mentioned in regards to Dior Sauvage can be applied to La Vie Est Belle. They both achieved legendary status and in consequence they gained alot of hate that is unwarranted and can be attributed to the insecurities and malice of those propagating the hate. Sadly, the fragrance community is one of the most hatefull and ill intentioned communities i've ever encountered and it's an example of everything that is wrong in this world.

On a personal level, i've recognised the trend of designer fragrances and im gravitating towards the world of niche because thats where i will find what im looking for. Its a natural evolution to anyone who views fragrances as more then just beauty products and is looking into it as a hobby and is searching for the artistic part of it. There is nothing wrong with no longer finding satisfaction in such products.

On an objective level however, designer scents and LANCOME LVEB being a highlight, have a well defined space and role as massappealing fragrances created for the large consumer base. They are literally created to be likeable and pleasant to a big percentage of people so going so far as "HATING" a fragrance such as this (or Dior Sauvage for that matter) is illogical and is fueled by negative bias.

This was gifted to my mother and in her case it gives her a headache, but that is not something to blame on the fragrance itself. Any fragrance could be untolerable to any individual due to incompatibility on a chemical level. Now its collection dust in the back of my collection.

Onto the fragrance itself:

If the afforementioned Dior Sauvage paints a picture of masculinity, Lancome's L.V.E.B. is femininity in a bottle. Its a pretty scent: sweet, fruity, powdery, floral, versatile and massappealing. A signature scent type of fragrance, works well in any situation imaginable and in my honest opinion its impossible to objectively hate unless you are one of the cases where you physically cannot tolerate the fragrance.

From the few sprays i've done on my hand every now and then, to get to know this fragrance, i can tell that it has good performance. This fact coupled with the versatility and mass appeal of the scent tells me that this composition was designed to reach legendary status and fame and it achieved just that. The perfumers who worked on this "had one job!" and they aced it.

This was my second big girl perfume and it’s safe to say I hated it , smells terrible and is headache inducing it took me almost almost a year to finish it I tried to spray it even on the air just to get rid of it asap.

There was once a time and place for this perfume but nowadays it’s very outdated to me. It smells cloying like too much going on. The sweetness is too much as well as the patchouli. It was every moms signature and let’s just keep it at that. Let this perfume rest in peace! Lol it’s just not enjoyable to smell on myself or others anymore.

I hate this smell so much... the main accord says fruity but its so powdery to me and smells like a mature fragrance not in a good way

This smell makes me want to F-

Update:
Unrecognizable! This formula used to be so luxurious and stunning. It’s been reformulated and watered down to an unrecognizable and synthetic state. Lancôme, what have you done to your masterpiece? La Vie Est Belle is not La Vie Est Belle anymore. Will not be purchasing again

Smells like a rich aunt.

This very very attractive, for nights and colder weather for sure. It is indeed sweet. But not like those sugar sweet cheap cloyingly type. Also this is the only one i like in this line.

If you like Coco Mademoiselle? This is like the sweet version of it.

La vie est belle: a staple, a young classic, that is "only" 12 years old.
There is a very good reason if Lancome created so many flankers: this fragrance is a winner and a compliment getter.
Nonetheless, I find the customers' reviews here at Fragrantica very interesting.
Sure, patchouli centered gourmand creations are very polarizing: this one, like Angel by Mugler, is no exception.
Some perceive it as "piercing", "screechy" "loud": I guess it is the berries mixed with the florals and the patchouli.
I think it is very curious to read many who say "it has grandma vibes", while others do not like it because "it is too childish and sweet".
Age, like gender, in fragrances is VERY subjective indeed :D

I used vintage Poison when I was 10: I was never afraid of "making an entrance".
If ever, my tastes have mellowed with age. I would have never liked a Bianco Latte in the 90s, where I was actually a teen and the kind of target nowadays for such a scent profile ("Girrrrrls, I am obsessed!" and the likes).
On the other hand, a Cheirosa 62 would have not sold a single piece back then in the '90s, where Angel was considered sickenly sweet and had a fraction of the ethylmalthol of today's body sprays.
It's fashion, trends, tastes: they are, like people, constantly evolving and changing.

Back to La vie est belle: the name says it all.
After the very rough first 10 years of the new century/millennium, Lancome wanted to give people sweet, positive vibes, marketed by a known actress with a huge, wide smile: Julia Roberts.
This started the "literal gourmand" trend as we now know it (Angel did it in the '90s, but this one is the delectable archetype of the gourmand trend).

It is a pink, sweet, feel good, cozy fragrance, with a hand-tied ribbon to embellish the bottle and one of the first "praline" notes to be registered in a scent pyramid.

Is it good? Yes, it is.
Is it beast mode? (A very important prerogative, I reckon, nowadays): yep, it surely is. Undeletable, almost.
Is it SWEEEEEEEEET? It is, headache inducing, tooth decaying sweet.

But it still is: perfumey, full of patchouli, floral, and LOUD, so not everybody's cup of tea.

I like it, put it on maybe twice a month, but tend not to do it when I have to meet many people in enclosed environments.
Still, this is a very well made fragrance. 7/10

-Good to know-
I received a 4 ml version of this from a friend. It doesn't have an atomizer, so it may affect the scent

-Safe for patchouli haters-
This is a very surprising perfume to me. Based on the notes, I should absolutely hate it as I can't stand patchouli's hollow sweetness. If I see patchouli on a fragrance list, I walk away asap. However, I can't detect it in this perfume - at least not the usual kind that I dread.

-How the scent develops on my skin-
The scent starts off very strong - it's "perfumey", slightly sweet, and floral with a hint of green stems. It makes me think of early spring when flowers are blooming but it can still be a little chilly due to wind. Within a few minutes it becomes less harsh, the greenery settles down and the perfume develops more warmth and sweetness. After this stage, the scent becomes very powdery and dated. I personally don't mind this as I'm known for loving "old lady" scents such as Chanel no. 5, but my friend (who gave me this miniature) found it very unpleasant. After an hour or so the powderiness disappears and all that's left is a warm vanilla with lactonic hints. This stage lasts the longest. The drydown on me smells a little masculine (perhaps a little peppery?) which I think is fun.

-Which season it may be best for (from the perspective of someone who lives in Sweden)-
I find that warmth boosts the sweetness a lot so it may be cloying in warm weather. I think it may work best in late winter (after december) and early spring. The floral but warm tones of this perfume may be perfect for a time when one is starting to get bored of the cold weather and yearns for warmer days. I find that it may be a little too fresh for autumn and early winter.

-Final thoughts-
Very cozy and I love that it's not linear. I really enjoy getting a whiff of it at different stages of its development. I don't dislike any of the stages either which is a huge plus.

I got this as a gift and I tried to like it but it’s just not for me. I’m not a fan of sweet fragrances but sometimes I do like them if done right and this one is just so sickeningly sweet it gives me a headache and it stings my nose. Just one small spray and it smells unbearable to me it makes me nauseous. The sillage and longevity is incredible, but since I do not like it it’s too much for me and I literally have to scrub it off every time I put it on. And it smells very basic and mainstream, nothing unique about it. Everyone and their mother smell like this. That nose-stinging note and the sweetness might be nice for some people but for me it’s a no.

Beautiful scent just not for me. I have one for sale 100ml 99% full with box. Message me if interested.

A cozy sweet amber with vanilla and something else that stings my nose. The sillage and longevity is incredible, but it’s too much for me. That nose-stinging note will keep it out of my collection. If you like warm sweet ambers, you might really like this.

I have so many things to write about this one.

I used this perfume in high school ( 9th and 10 th grade ) and still occasionally use it.
Although not being a gourmand fan generally, it is impossible for me to not appreciate the praline-vanilla dry-down. It opens with the radiational sweet and sharp black current note.
After one minute, the radiation leaves its place to loud sweet florals, as it still remains sharp.
As time proceeds, you witness the magical transformation of the perfume, ending in delectable praline.
Even though it is excessively sweet, it is not a bit juvenile it remains classy, bright, and elegant all day long.

What is flawed about it?
Its sweetness is beyond human toleration boundaries.
If one over sprays it, they would firstly suffocate themselves, and equally importantly, others around them with this.
The longevity is eternal, and washing the perfume off does not even stand as a solution as it sticks to EVERY surface it comes into contact with.
As someone who suffers from migraines, I remember times I have been desperate to get it off as I could not tolerate the sweetness.
My biggest complaint is when one tries to use it consistently every day, the sweetness of it accumulates on every belonging, resulting in nausea and dizziness.


Overall, I still think this perfume is still gorgeous. It would perhaps be amongst my favorite fragrances if it weren't this loud and sharp.
I am currently healing my relationship with La Vie Est Belle by applying it by leaving some time between and letting it shine.

Thus, I should note that throughout my usage of the perfume, I have not gotten any negative feedback regarding its sharpness or loudness.
( I have asked my friends if the loudness disturbed them.) It has gotten compliments and remained a crowd-pleaser when applied in appropriate amounts.

My overall rating would be a 6/10. I would call it a classic.

Lavie est belle on it own might be too sweet but it is incredibly beautiful when layer with Jo Malone red roses or even Diptyque Eau Rose or MFK A la rose 🌹. I really enjoy the combo in the cool evening of spring.

Another sweet Lancome that doesn't agree with my skin. It was a gift, I wanted to like it and finished the bottle /small one fortunately/. Got some compliments for it and I understand why it's so popular. The sillage and performance is a beast. I hated La Nuit Tresor too, maybe it's the praline that I dislike. I like sweetness but this is way too much, at one point it turns pungent. Test and wear for a day before buying.

Soft nougat, sweet fruits and feminine flowers. It’s strong yet inoffensive. Just like Alien it became common. I liked it at first, but then I smelled it on a smoker and I was repelled.

Smells like vape. A repulsive creation in the same vein as Black Opium which should be avoided by all but very young teenage girls.

I don't get the hype about this one! I just don't like it....smells stale and stuffy!

O famoso clássico sofisticado.
Este, sem dúvida, é o cheiro da "mulher clássica de Paris". Um perfume jovial, sensual, atemporal e único. Um perfume que vc sente sua qualidade a cada borrifada.
Dulçor na medida adequada. Não é melado.
Floral íntimo e nada incômodo.
Uma bomba perfeita! Agrada a maioria.

tried really hard to be open minded about this, but after smelling it on paper I couldn't even bring myself to spray it on my skin. It's so excessively strong and sweet that that aspect of it overshadows anything positive about it. I ended up looking up the pyramid, because I couldn't pick out a single note other than vanilla and praline.

to make it short, overspraying this one would be criminal, this thing is absolutely nuclear. I'm sure some people can pull it off though, if used very sparingly.

i like sweet perfumes. but beware of overspraying. they last so long at one point i can still smell myself and get sick of it. comparing to other perfumes, this LVEB is just 'strongly sweet'. nothing special

This was the first full-sized bottle I bought in my perfume collection. The ads and hype enticed me, and it smelled beautiful on a sample card. It was incredibly disappointing on my skin. I tried it many times and it just didn’t perform well on me: it smelled sharp and harsh - very headache-inducing and unpleasant. Almost sour.

I meant to sell the bottle but didn’t get around to it; I’ve now had it untouched for years. It smells SO different on me now. It’s still a STRONG scent, especially on the first spray. Get past that first strong smell and it becomes sweet and beautiful. I think fruity-floral-vanilla is the perfect description. THIS is the scent I was hoping for when I first bought it! I like spraying it on myself or on my bed - after so long it’s such a beautiful sweetness.

I bought this 10 years ago and I have only worn it once since then. It's a bit sweet but it's too strong, I can never find a good occasion to wear this, there are so many other perfumes I would prefer to wear before this. It just sits in my shelf and sadly I never use it. But the bottle has a beautiful design I would say.

I had avoided LVEB for a long time, even though I have a friend who wears it constantly and it smells fabulous. I was somewhat put off by its popularity. But recently took the plunge, and after sampling it, decided to purchase. This may be contentious, but on me this smells like a much lighter version of Mugler's Angel - I skip the top and middle notes, and head right for the base notes (as I do with Angel). Now I like Angel, but unfortunately it is just too heavy unless I am going out for the evening; however LVEB is perfect on me for daytime, as the patchouli is less strident, and allows the sweetness of the praline and vanilla to make their presence felt. I even took the plunge and bought a gift set with body lotion included (although I will admit that it was on sale for a ridiculously low price just after Christmas). So this has been a nice surprise.

Yawn. Smells like many other perfumes. Boring.

a cute young floral scent, its safe but no wow factor, it’s something you gift a young teen.

You either love or hate this perfume.
It's a strong perfume so if you are a fan of light perfumes you are probably not going to like this one.
It's definitely a fragrance ideal for colder weather. I feel like it can cause headaches during summer.
It still smells good but it's not unique since it has so many dupes. But it smells beautiful.
My advice - be careful when spraying this one. One spray is enough because it's a strong perfume.

It's sweet, it's comforting, elegant, warm, upbeat. A tad woody, even. It might not be the most unique, but definitely a nice fragrance.

I love floral/fruitchouli scents, and this is no exeption! I have a sample size of the scented body lotion from LVEB, so it might be slightly different... But I love it enough to say that once I finish my small bottle of Flowerbomb, I'll replace it with a small size of this one. Might alternate between the two in the future

Forever Love

I have to be hater with this one. I believe that after its success, the perfumery went into a crisis. Green, herbal, chypre perfumes have disappeared and they all try to be a sharp pastry. I can't even stand it.

After hearing so much about this perfume, I finally gave in to see what the fuss is all about. Well, after spraying it twice, I still don't know. Usually I enjoy gourmand sweet scents and I don't mind if they're strong, so I thought "if people say it's too sweet, I'm probably gonna like it".. except that's not the case. The sweeteness is not fresh, nor "edible", it's just ok. It's not exciting or anything, but it feels kind of "correct". The notes of jasmin and iris are very pleasant. I wish there was something more unusual instead of the pear, it doesn't add anything at all. Overall I'm not impressed. Pungent yet forgettable.

This is a perfume that I feel is safe and that you can't go wrong with. I love how this smells on me, and I feel a part of that is how much I used to smell my mother wearing this perfume when I was younger. It will last you ALL DAY, and people can definitely smell that you have this on; I always get complimented any time I wear it. It's even a comfort smell for me! It lasts a long time, but I wish it was cheaper.

I kind of get why it's popular, it lasts well, it's pleasant, albeit overly sweet for my taste.
It gives me mum vibes: sweet, cozy, but wouldn't turn my head in the streets.

I used to like it & was my favorite on ~2016-2017 then I hated it because its over done . not unique , I got sick of the amount of times I smelled it on others. ITS EVERYWHERE & a lot of copyyyys
boaring

I got Flowerbomb this winter as a gift, and have been loving it and wearing it nonstop. However, I have been craving La Vie Est Belle so much lately. It’s real winter outside with blizzard and lots of snow, and the exquisite powdery sweetness of LVEB is all that my heart is wishing for. LVB is a very comforting, happy and luminous fragrance indeed. BTW, it seems like Luminous Body Mist by BBW this year is a perfect layering combo. It smells very similar to me. It’s a timeless fragrance, a true masterpiece.

If I were rating this perfume on just its initial spray, it would get a negative review from me. That initial spray is STRONG and the complete opposite of sweet. It was tart and brash, but not in a good way. I was about to write this perfume off, but the dry down is where this perfume shines. I am smelling it now as I type this, and I am impressed by this perfume's complete transformation in front of my senses. Now it smells much sweeter, and I pick up on more of the praline and vanilla, which I love. It also has great longevity and sillage. I am happy to say this is a perfume I would wear again. However, I'd probably spray it an hour or two before leaving.

A very long lasting and sweet scent that has a beautiful dry down! (It lasts over 12 hours on my skin). I personally love mixing other perfumes with LVEB because they blend well with the praline and vanilla. :)

This has been my go to perfume for years now, and i will continue to repurchase it.

A former co-worker of mine used to wear this one a lot at the office, you could smell her from a mile away whenever she did. To me LVEB smells overly sweet and cloying, it gave me a headache every single time and it wasn't even me who was wearing it. I know this is a cult favorite, but not for me personally.

Very dark and fruity sweet scent, long lasting (at least 10 hours on me!) and pretty. It reminds me of potpourri but it's still very young and fresh. This is a safe blind buy for anyone from 18-45+ it's definitely one that transcends ages.

Undeniably beautiful, unique and long lasting. Makes me feel nostalgic of some (not too) old times. LVEB has provided me unconditional comfort and support when I needed it and for that reason it holds a special place in my heart.

For the longest time, when I was between the ages of 19 and 23 this was my favorite perfume in the whole wide world. It was my signature scent!. I bought everything and anything that smelled close to this in any way.
Now ask me why I did a sample of this recently and not only could I not stand it, I felt overwhelmed and almost choked!
Safe to say a lot of Lancome's pieces are beasts!
Well, I am dropping this review cos I've come to accept that I have lost my interest for LVEB and oh, such good times.
My current obsession is now LNT (which choked and overwhelmed me back then)... Oh well!

La Vie Est Belle is one of my all-time favorite scents and I am not even here to talk about how basic a white girl that makes me. Yes, it's common, yes it has mass appeal, but why does that make it bad? Is the Mona Lisa any less a beloved work of art because everybody knows her? Is the Eiffel Tower too cheesy to appreciate because it's so iconic? The wide-reaching love for this scent doesn't make it any less a masterpiece. If the notes are not for you, if it disagrees with your body chemistry, sure those are good reasons to dislike it. But saying it's too common and that equates to bad is just plain hating. I personally love the warmth, the sweetness, the musk and the ease of wear. Every time I wear this, it's like coming home. It is a comfort and a joy.

My favourite. Love from first sniff. 💓 I sniffed it from a friend when we went out for dinner and had to ask her what she was wearing. I promised her I would not get it for myself. I lied. I owned it the next day... 😀

I've been wearing it at every opportunity for a year now in-between trying new scents. It has everything: longevity, silage, perfect combination of all the notes I love without making me sick.

I'm not good at describing perfume notes and dna, but only how I like it and how it makes me feel.

This is good example of a perfume that smells good on others : vanilla, praline- yummy gourmande, while on me this is utterly generic and utterly boring, fruity floral with a touch of musk. No vanilla, no praline.
On me it's very perfumey, as in literally duty free ladies perfume department smell.
It is ubiquitous, at least here where I live.
Totally agree with @ vpace 91. Sorry La vie est belle, I like you on others, but not on me.

P.s. the day after, on my clothes I get strong blackcurrant note which I really dislike ( and which I generally have a problem with.)

way too sweet for me

The sillage on this stuff is crazy, Lancome's sillage are always a powerbomb (especially Idole Nectar, I still could smell it in the air after I put my arm down.) I don't typically wear this, my mom does as it's her favorite! But it smells DIVINE. It doesn't give me true gourmand vibes but the sweet vanilla is THERE and I can appreciate it, she's sweet and delicious and the simple notes are done so well, the fruitiness is divine and I'm really tempted to try Soleil Cristal as I always love a powdery coconut vanilla scent, and Lancome pulls off seemingly simple notes in the most divine and unique way possible.

Received it as a cute miniature version when buying a serum from Lancome these holidays.

In my skin it reminds me of Elie Saab GON very much, with GON being much sweater in me so the point that I can’t wear it. The base of LVEB is clearly vanilla as opposed to almond, but the end result is very similar: white flowers with some fruity note and a praline/cookie base.

I find LVEB very strong, very pleasant and very ubiquitous. For me, sweet smells like this one make me think of a younger woman / late teen, and sweaters and hugs, so comforting!

I got a mini version of this as a gift. In the beginning it is very strong, almost giving me a headache. I get a lot of the jasmine note and a lot of the woodiness. As it dries it gets better and better, I can't smell the fruity notes as much, but I still enjoy the sweet florals. Very feminine scent for all year.

My favorite....

@LomaAroma,considering how nice and pleasant you sound (not really), I hope your co-worker keeps wearing LVEB for the rest of her life. I don't see why you think you have a right to speak to people in such way, so yeah, here is a cosmic cheer for your co-worker, who is probably traumatized by your behavior. Vile person, you are.

This used to be my signiature perfume for many years all throughout high school and university. It's sweet, feminine, fresh, captivating, and I always got compliments when I wore it. It wasn't the most unique smell by itself, and yet any time someone wears this perfume it has an addictive quality that tends to smell slightly different (myself included) on each person and it's usually a head-turner. It can be slightly more floral or slightly more sweet. To me it smelled juicy, like squeezing the juice out of a fresh pear. It also had a slightly 'fizzy' quality to it like sparkling water. I could smell the creaminess of the orange blossom as well as the lightness of the iris. The dry down smelled as if you were eating ice cream in the rain. This lasted FOREVER on my skin and could even retain on my clothes after they'd been through the washing mashine. I would sometimes get people complimenting my perfume the day after I applied it! People would also always tell me they could smell me before they saw me. My partner still fondly remembers it as our first date perfume and he would light up whenever he smelled it. However in my opinion, the downsides of this perfume is its inoffensive nature. While it was slightly more complex than your average 'starter perfume' I eventually outgrew it as I felt I needed to move onto a perfume with more depth and layers and better represented who I was as a person (something more niche basically). But, for those looking for a beautiful perfume that is sure to turn a head or two, is a great all-rounder for any occasion or weather, but is not going to offend anyone, I would highly recommend trying La vie est belle.

Got this as a sample, and I really like it. It's nothing groundbreaking but its very pleasant and feminine. Good office frag imo

Truely can't understand either hype or outrageous hate. The way you perceive fragrances is very personal, even intimate in some way. It reopenes forgotten memories and lived feelings, even if you smell this frag in the first time. Just live this smell now, if you don't like it just pass, but remember proverb - never say never. For me now this fragrance is like antidepressant and I am happy it helps me a little to fight my depression.

My first impression was that this was another sweet caramel perfume like Prada Candy. It opened on me with a blast of sugar followed by an insidious waft of patchouli. Then it became wet (?) on me, almost aquatic but not quite. What I think is the praline accord smelled to me of scented thick glossy paper, like a perfume ad in a magazine. Very strange. Thankfully, after a few minutes, the patchouli seems to have slithered away. I hope it doesn't come back, though I am still not quite sure what to think about this sweet wet cardstock scent that I'm left with. I don't think this fragrance is for me, but it's not a scrubber.
Edit: It's fully dried down after an hour and it is now just patchouli, which I dislike. :(

I have a love/hate relationship with this. I first smelled it on a family member back in like 2014/2015 and I remember thinking she smelled so good. Bought it for myself and I hated it, it didn’t smell as good on me as it did on her and I think at the time it was summer so it was just a mess all round. Decided to try it again recently (now that it’s cold) and I loved it. Bought it and still enjoyed it but then after a while it started to make me feel nauseous. Also I’ve realised I’ve been smelling this a lot throughout the years, so I feel like I smell like everyone and their mum lol. It’s a beautiful perfume, but I don’t see myself wearing it anymore - will have to sell my bottle 🥲 the lasting power is amazing though, literally lasts the whole day.

I am blown away by all the 'mature' references to LVEB.
I see it as exactly opposite. 😂
It's interesting. Generational stuff, obviously, suppose I'm old now.
Also bemused by the patchouli refs, I LOVE patchouli but I don't detect it at all from either this or its sister, Flowerbomb.
Then again, I'm good with pure patchouli and it seems a lot of people can't take much of it so 🤷
Also, I get no flowers at all from these perfumes, just a sweet burr/melange.
Interesting.

Not my cup of tea but I admire it's potency and can see why it would have a strong following.

Very strong headache inducing patchouli (I never get headache from fragrance) and cloying sweetness. For me It's not even about skin chemistry, I smelled It on another woman at the buss and I immediately felt sick.

Similar to Black Opium by YSL, this is an iconic fragrance and I think every woman must have this in their collection. In my personal opinion, it fits multiple occasions. I usually bring this perfume with me when I travel. Would I buy this again? Yup. So what if it’s over used by many? Not all people are familiar with perfumes.

I’ve grown to like La Vie est Belle. I used to hate it when I was 16, but something changed for me as I got older. It’s mature, it’s classy, it’s feminine. I don’t think it’s too sweet if sprayed sparingly. I don’t love it enough to own a full bottle of this, but I will use up my travel size happily.

The Dossier version of this is amazing, it's called Gourmand Orange Blossom. Very close to the original and it's very strong. I'm not a fan of patchouli but it's so well blended in there that even I like it.

A classic for a reason.
Everyone should have this in their collection, even men I know own this fragrance because it just blends so beautifully on everyone's skin.
What I find interesting is that on everyone there is a different note that really jumps out. -- On my skin its the Iris and on my sister its the vanilla and praline.

et voila, la vie est belle!

A timeless easy wear and compliment getter. This is my go to whenever I’m in a hurry and can’t decide what to wear. It’s a warm, sweet and feminine blend. Love it!

it's okay but not impressive. i think you can get the same smell cheaper with a dupe.

This is like if Flowerbomb and Coco Mad had a baby.
It's a decidedly "Department Store" designer-style fragrance. But that does not mean that it isn't well blended or beautiful.
With a light hand, this is a beautiful cloud of scent that projects well. Over-spraying would render it nauseating.
All in all, I don't understand the hate... It's pretty.

La Vie Est Belle is constantly topping at the most hated perfumes lists but is it really that bad? Or bad at all? I don't think so. Yes It is very sweet, thick and powdery which doesn’t resonate well with many people but it’s far away from being one of the worst perfumes of all time.I have experienced many disgusting perfumes that will actually choke you and these don't even make into the top lists of hated perfumes. This fragrance gets so much hate because it is so popular which is true for many super popular fragrances. This isn’t stinky, animalic, synthetic or medicinal also the performance is nuclear.The only downside it has is being very sweet and mature and many people don't find it great but it doesn’t make it a bad fragrance.Also overspraying is one of the main causes that makes people hate it where you only need 1, maximum 2 sprays. Still I will suggest people not to buy anything because it is super hyped. Test it, see if you like it or not then make your decision.

La Vie Est Belle is a long lost lover I found myself returning to. I remember when it first came out and how for a few years in a row, I despised it and it's formula due to how common and popular it was everywhere! I thought it was a generic fragrance that only people who don't have a self-formulated taste use. I bought a mini-bottle a few weeks ago only to find myself absolutely captured and enamoured with how sweet and feminine it smells, to the point of only having a few drops left in the whole thing from overspraying it.

I personally don't find it "overly-sweet" like some people do, I find that it's just the perfect blend of warmth, sugar and fuzziness in a bottle. The longevity also absolutely captures my heart and makes this fragrance worth every penny, a few spritzes of this on any garment is sure to last until the next wash. I'm definitely repurchasing this and never dunking on it again.

"Too sweet" really isn't a thing for me. I love gourmands. Yet, somehow, I almost feel like this is too sweet and cloying. I've been trying to understand why I'm not crazy about it, when I like or love every listed note. Realized it's bc there's no yang to the yin. Top notes are Black Currant and Pear; middle notes are Iris, Jasmine and Orange Blossom; base notes are Praline, Vanilla, Patchouli and Tonka Bean. It's all sweets or florals. My favorite frags juxtapose traditionally feminine notes with some traditionally masculine ones. Sweet and spicy, nice and naughty, I prefer something more multifaceted and well balanced. Those tend to be a little unexpected and addictive. Angel is also a very polarizing and very potent gourmand, but kinda the opposite of this as it's very interesting, weird even, and when it released was very unique. La Vie Est Belle, conversely, is basic and boring, and makes me feel like I'm in Macy's. That's what it smells like, Macy's beauty section. I've definitely smelled it in the wild. It's not that it smells BAD, I do like all the notes. Obviously, lots of people are into it, and to each their own, but I personally wouldn't buy this one.

Finished the 100ml of this. This is a good sweet and mature scent. I typically wore this to work and got a few compliments on this fragrance. It has good longevity and projection however I do feel that it is a bit outdated now and I wouldn’t repurchase it. It is a really nice scent but I feel that everyone has mostly moved on to more current sweet and mature scents.

I’m probably the only one who does not find this super sweet. There are many, many sweeter/candy scents out there. On me, I pick up woods, iris, and orange blossom up front. There is a sweetness but it isn’t overly so. The drydown has a base supported by a woody patchouli and tonka. Again, this is only my nose and YMMV. I actually love it. I am also not an oversprayer (1, maybe 2, sprays is my usual for almost all perfumes). Also, no one in my circle really wears perfumes, so I never smell it anywhere.

Super cloying, smells like overcooked caramel. Too powdery to be considered "sultry". While genericness is not necessarily a bad thing, I find myself hit by this suffocating scent more often than I would like. Perhaps this could have redeemed itself if not for the patchouli.

Very much in the 'pleasant', 'nice', 'feminine' camp here folks, it is a basic but good sweet fruity floral.

Caution: Def watch the overspray unless you deliberately want to distress those around you - it is a MONSTER!

Summary: 6/10. It's alright.. just really not very special

a staple on the vanity of the women who are youngers of genX and the olders of millenials. this fragrance was released when minimalism and instagram became a thing, when the metallic glosses and fruity body sprays left and matte mauve liquid lipsticks and THIS FRAGRANCE made their appareances and everyone was instantly smitten with its chic bottle design and cute little ribbon which exactly looks like the foulard of a french lady. naturally, everyone and their mother purchased this fragrance. when you think of it, there was nothing like La Vie Est Belle. It is spicy and fresh and fruity and sweet at the same time. which is not everyones cup of tea. i rarely use it because i consider it as a mature scent,maybe in 5 years i'll be old enough to reach for it constantly. Great sillage and longevity.

Guys... this is beast mode. 3 sprays maximum if you don't want to suffocate like I did. The longevity on this is insane.
I personally think this is a safe blind buy. Very likable and maybe... common-smelling fragrance. All the same it is a very pleasant sweet floral scent. I agree with those who find the smell a bit generic because of this. I however recommend it if you are looking for a scent with great performance.

This fragrance gets a lot of flack but I find it to be very pretty. That being said...yes, use a light trigger finger, please. haha... I've personally found that I prefer this when I spray it 2 to 3 times on my clothes the night before, or spray it in the air in front of me and walk through. The times I have sprayed on clothes the night prior, I've found that this gives the over-sweetness time to wear off and I'm left with a "warm and fuzzy" floral vanilla goodness. I have this sprayed on my bath robe and the scent lingers until I wash it. I find this fragrance to be very cozy when sprayed in moderation, however it can be suffocating when oversprayed. That being said, in a sea of fragrances that barely last a few hours it is so refreshing to be able to enjoy a fragrance that lasts and lasts but doesn't cost the same as a car payment.

Personally I absolutely adore this fragrance. It’s sweet, feminine, lasts long, projects amazingly and the dry down is heavenly. Originally smelled this on my mom and I had to buy my own a few days later because of how in love I am with this scent. It’s easily my favourite designer scent and definitely one of my favourite autumn/winter frags too! I think this is one of those hate it or love it perfumes, possibly due the patchouli note. As a patchouli and sweet, feminine scents lover it just hits all the right spots.

ehh its alright…i think it was a little too sweet for me i think, like really sweet caramel fudge with chocolate rice bottoms. its alright but its not for me, gave this to my friend for her birthday and she loved it

its my moms fav. a little sweet but in a good way. i like it

This scent is lovely. A sweet patchouli scent, that feels adult and feminine. The sillage is strong and I find the longevity good, it lasts a full day on me. However, all-tough a lovely scent, won't be purchasing after my sample runs out, for now at least. This feels like a classic that I can get back to, and is amongst my favourite designer perfumes.

Questo profumo per me è odioso,stomacante e decisamente inutile.
Se chiudi gli occhi e scegli a caso tra Poison girl, flowerbomb, black opium ,la vie est belle, e ultimamente anche Alien, Libre, Devotion, sono tutti uguali, solita base e nota pepata finta,e poi quel monolite stucchevole che sa di panettone.
Lo trovo disgustoso.

I don't understand the hate for this fragrance. A sweet vanilla with beautiful florals, and earthy patchouli to ground it. 2 sprays last all day, and I get compliments every time I wear it. This is in my 5 perfumes for life. ♥️

I'm sorry, but I really don't like this fragrance, or what it represents. I get hit by nausea whenever I smell it. The funny thing is, I usually resent "sensitive" persons who complain about someone wearing a perfume. But now I understand them. I wouldn't wear this even if it was the last perfume on earth. Its sickly sweet and stifling mixture leaves me gasping for breath. So hard to understand why people like this kind of scent. La Vie Est Malaise...
P.s. Someone said earlier the bottle looks like a paperweight with an ascot, which makes me laugh 😅

Linear. Boring. Cloyingly Sweet: I don't like how this smells on me. I like this on tester paper and, probably, on others.

This smells like the inside of a Lush store on my skin LOL.

It's a gourmand floral scent.Of course mature but no way outdated. It's a classic. Makes me feel like a rich lady in her mid 30s although I am a cheapie.

I love the scent but I don’t like how it’s just straight sweetness all the time. This is why it gets really boring over time. It’s a beautiful scent but not for every day. I think Iris absolu is way better, also because a lot of people find the Og offensive

I'm so sorry but this fragrant so ugly, not my taste. I really don't get it at all why a lot of my friends recommend this and really get crazy over this fragrance, being trending and I buy this last year and then maybe it's doesn't fit on my expectation by seeing my friends words because they said it's sweet floral and vanilla also had powdery scent and white floral scent too which is I really obsessed with that scent but yeah with this fragrance so I really disappointed :( I'm so sorry.

2/10

Before retiring from retail my final employment was @ Dillard's where a noxious cloud of LVAB covered the entire building. And not just from "customer testing". Literally every. single. woman. employed there wore this; a trail of fumes from the time clock through every department hung in the air. I hated it. I LOVE strong fragrances (I am even guilty of being an oversprayer), but something about this one turned me off in a stomach churning way. It's not the sweetness or patchouli, I love both. I see nothing I dislike in the indredients. My adult daughter adored and wore it for years, with daily compliments. So here I am 8 years later spraying this on to see if my tastes/body chemistry have changed or if I truly dislike it. It is adored by so many that I have to see what I am missing. The sillage and longevity are amazing, which I crave from fragrance. I want to LOVE IT! I will update this when I have formed a wear test opinion 🤷♀️
EDIT: NO. JUST NO. Not for me. I much prefer La Nuit Tresor, which I feel shares some DNA and is imo equally potent and sweet, just minus that nauseating screech. Sorry to those who adore it.

Vanilla is in the air. Feels like Montmartre in perfect weather. The patchouli brings such a spirit to it, as well. Feels like an intimate, joyful, garden party!

Tried a little spray on my wrist after my shower 13 hours ago. The scent was... a lot. Not bad, but very sweet to my nose and very loud.

13 hours into the dry down and now it's gorgeous. I'm still pulling that mid-note jasmine as well as the base notes. Soft and alluring.

Had a sample of this after purchasing my first luxury perfume, Nina Ricci Extra Rouge (not the best choice imo). I was new to perfumery so I didn't know that La Vie Est Belle was very well known and never tried my sample of it, until April this year when I went on a daytrip to a different city. And omg, the scent lasted the whole day, and more! I'm not sure about the silage, but the longevity is amazing. Left home at 5am, came back home at 9pm after being outside all day long, it still smelt fresh on my skin. The outer I wore that day smelt so yummy still after 2 days of hanging it.

Easily one of my fav perfume so far; scent is amazing and lasts like none other I know! It's sweet and not at all over powering, an easily likeable everyday perfume (but isnt basic), suitable for any occasion, weather, and season, in my opinion. I'm hoping to get a full bottle of this some day <3

Rarely happens, but within ten minutes of spraying this it made me feel sick and induced a headache. Smells sickly sweet when dries down, is overpowering and I will never try it again. I found it tough to escape the aroma even after a shower.

Upon first Spray, I didn't dislike it, but clearly I have reacted to a note here.

What is happening to me? I got La Vie Est Belle as a birthday gift from my grandmother when I turned twenty almost 8 years ago. I remember how much I hated how it smelled in the bottle, and I disliked it even more on my skin. My mother joked that they had somehow distilled the smell of ladies night at the bingohall into a perfume, I couldn't help but agree.

Now, as I approach my 28th birthday my tastes have changed. For some odd reason this perfume kept popping up in my mind whenever I thought about what I wanted to wear, so I dug the bottle out, the juice a golden amber at this point. I sprayed one tiny spritz on the inside of my wrist, it was as potent as I remembered it. An hour or so later I kept getting whiffs of this beautifully elegant sweet scent, it smelled expensive.

That one minuscule spray lasted all day, it still smelled amazing when I got home. So while it took almost a decade, I can now say that I get the hype behind this perfume.

this does not smell as magnificent on me as it does my partner. it drives me insane when she wears it. beautiful floral and fruity vanilla that makes me swoon!

I used to dislike this, or so I thought.. A former colleague used to wear this and she was a notorious oversprayer, on her it was overwhelming and sickly and a little nauseating. So I had a bias against this perfume. And then to now. I was having a meal with some extended family at the weekend and I commented to ask who was wearing the lovely perfume which smelt, to me at least, of biscoff cookies! We deduced it was my aunt, who was wearing... La Vie est Belle. On my aunt, who is a very stylish, glamorous fashionable person, it is gorgeous, a really cosy classic scent perfect for autumn days, pumpkin lattes and cashmere jumpers. A totally different vibe. So I guess it's a case of skin chemistry and how much you use. This perfume can be a beauty, if you avoid spraying it in beast mode

Don't get me wrong, this smells perfumy and expensive, elegant yes, but it smells so much like gradma for me, I think it's because the particular mixing of sweet, patchouli and floral that smells very mature. At first spray it's almost like something chemical for me, dangerously close to windex but it fades quickly leaving rapidly the grandma scent. Strong by the way. It's a no for me.

OHH MAN!!

I wouldn't even wanna dive into note description and all that jazz.
All I know is this is it for me baby!!
This is such a divine classy, mature, expensive smelling perfume!!
I am not in the slightest disappointed as this was a blind buy! Its definitely a high class win!
Although I give it so much credit, I must say it has this commonness to other perfumes on the market.
With that being said, it lasts!! And when I mean lasts, it lasts.
I work 12 hour shifts, I literally dubbed on 4 sprays and boy did this project and last the whole 12hours.
I got home and left my uniform laying around for a couple of days and each time I walked into the room I could smell it!
Definitely grabbing at least 5 of these!
Really impressed!!

JUST WHAO!!!

Absolutely no hate to anyone who loves this scent, but on my skin it smells irredeemably vile. An inescapable, enormous cloud of cloying blackcurrant weighed down by skunky patchouli, birthing the worst fruitchouli can offer. The gaps are filled by an overripe jasmine, which together with vanilla never fails to give me a headache as soon as i spray it. The pear here is highly artificial. This scent did not need the added sweetness of praline.

To its credit, its longevity and sillage are monstruous! Really, it's enough with one (1) spray. Will last forever on clothes, too.

I bought my 2nd bottle today at Lancôme department store. I have this one again because, for me, this is an amazing perfume for ladies and they must have one in their collection.

I remember when I was working in college. Every time I was entering the office, my colleagues said I smelled like a perfume department store LOL. She thought this scent smelled so welcoming, especially when your job is dealing with people.

In my opinion, based on my aromatherapy studies, any citrusy and berry smell can attract people in a good mood. So, that is why I change my scent every day depending on my mood after I have finished my shower (layering).

I highly recommend this perfume to all because it is so long-lasting, superb projection, divine and elegant. That is the way I can describe this perfume.

Very feminine, but not girly. Womanly, but not matronly. The performance is insane, so do everyone around you a favor and don’t overspray this one. Otherwise, I can see why LVEB is so popular. I picture the woman wearing this to be someone in her 50s with short silver hair who takes no bullshit but calls everyone “sweetie” or “honey” and means it sincerely. I myself do not at all fit that description but wear it when I want to feel strong but soft, powerful but sweet, assertive but safe.

I don’t care if some people think this is basic. I have a ton of perfumes, not near as many as some. However, this is my husband’s favorite. This starts off as a sweet, slightly citrusy patchouli. I normally would hate that combination, but it works here. It dries down to a more powdery sweet patchouli. This was the first fragrance I tried that I actually liked the patchouli. I also love the Iris Absolute version. This is a win for me!

I’ve been looking for a girly daytime fragrance for fall & winter, and I think this might be the one. I’ve been collecting for years now and every time I try this fragrance in Sephora, the patchouli comes off as dirty and sour. I’m not sure if my nose has changed or if I was smelling an expired tester, but I tried it again at Ulta on my skin and I was obsessed and grabbed the 30ml. It’s crowd pleasing, feminine and it lasts forever. The orange blossom/iris combo is slightly powdery but it doesn’t smell like a teen mist at all, it’s definitely for the mid twenties and up. I would consider this signature scent worthy but the vanilla & spun sugar mixed with the praline is heavy & sweet, so this would definitely be headache inducing in the high heat. Overall, it’s a beautiful feminine compliment getter. 10/10.

pra mim, esse perfume é atemporal. ele é um doce que consegue ser sensual e elegante mas sem ser escancarado. é meu perfume de quando não quero chamar atenção, uso ele em eventos familiares porque pra mim ele passa uma vibe "recatada e do lar, moça direita". não é um perfume que dá pra usar no dia a dia pois ele é bem forte. poucas borrifadas dele já grudam muito na pele e na roupa e duram 2 dias se duvidar.

This is a very common choice, some would say overdone, but I can see why it's so popular. The stay power on this stuff is insane, lasts all day on skin and even longer on clothes. Actually my only critique is that it can be overwhelming if you spray too much, so be careful. I have had plenty of compliments wearing. This is a very sweet vanilla smell so it won't be to everyone's taste but if you enjoy warm gourmand scents I'd definitely recommend.

I am in love with this fragrance, I know its been out in the market for awhile but the caramel/gourmand and vanilla gets me all the time. I got the new 2023 flanker Iris Absolut but I find that this is more playful and youthful. Highly recommend for those that are into crowd pleasing scent. A true classic, love it!

This is a beautiful fragrance, for sure, but not on me. I gave it to my daughter (early 30’s) who loves it. Definitely seems to smell better on younger people. Don’t know why.

Yes it's a very popular perfume and some say it's a negative that a lot of people wear it but I can't help but love this perfume, on myself or if I smell it on anyone else. It just smells sweet and floral and it always makes my mood better.

I got this as a gift and lets just say i ended up giving it to my sister because i couldn't stand it. It smells cheap firstly and absolutely makes me sick, the sweetness is just too much for nose and can't smell any of the other notes. reminds me of fantasy but the smell is much more intoxicating. My sister did end up liking and maybe because it is so strong it covers up the smell of cigarettes. the smell starts to give you a headache after 20 mins and when i say it like blast of fragrance so be careful with how much you spray. Looking at the notes i maybe would've of bought it but the patchouli sweet smell overpowers any other note so its definitely a risk to blind buy.

This was the first proper perfume I purchased (other than celebrity scents or cheaper perfumes) and has been my signature scent ever since (age 16-23). I have noticed recently that it smells different to me, I'm not sure why this is. It always was a very sweet smell with the most amazing longevity I have ever witnessed. Now it smells a little less sweet to me but I love it all the same.

It is also my most complimented scent - my boyfriend's favourite on me, I always got compliments at school, if I wear it on a night out I always get compliments from both men and women. It's a staple!

The iris gives it a powdery older lady feel and the tonka bean is too spicy for my liking. Some scents are just displeasing and this was one of them for me. I can see how it might work for others though.

Ok so I'm a guy, and I never review perfumes. I didn't even realize how much bigger the market is for perfumes compared to colognes. I'm honestly just reviewing this to give a man's perspective.

I know this perfume gets a lot hate because of it's insane popularity, and daily use by the general public. But popularity aside. This is one of the best, and most versatile perfumes I've ever smelt.

It's the perfect culmination of youthful and outgoing. And sophisticated and mature. It's like this fragrance took all the syntheticness out of those synthetic cotton candy teeny body mist. And dialed back on the seriousness, and over dramatic nature. Of those special occasions niche fragrances. And met somewhere perfectly in the middle.

La Vie Est Belle is so versatile, it works for the young lady still trying to figure everything out. And the successful woman that wants to show that she's still down to Earth.

I know Est Belle, Cloud by Ariana Grande, and Eilish by Billie Eilish can be smelled everywhere currently. I've worked retail for years, and literally smell them everytime I work. Everywhere I go, including my old job the Est Belle tester bottle constantly had to be replaced from constant use. I understand it's annoyingly popular, and feels like it doesn't have its own identity anymore. But I'd be lying to you if I said it didn't smell good.

Ladies I know this fragrance is cookie cutter, and over done. But don't let the angry reviewers discourage you from owning this masterpiece. It maybe over worn at this point. But it still is a great perfume to have in your arsenal. As a can't go wrong pick. And that's my honest perspective.

I have a dupe that smells exactly the same and sillage seems to be good as well. I get compliments from my friends almost each time i wear it. They told me it almost smells like my own smell. But then i started to smell this wherever i go and i am sick of it. Even though i don't like patchouli i like the smell, nothing disturbs me. It is perfectly done. To me it doesn't smell like flowerbomb, i hate the patchouli and overall smell of flowerbomb. 8.5/10

I used to love this until I started to smell it everywhere and I really mean everywhere.
The straw that broke the camel's back for me was the day I needed to speak to my daughter's school receptionist and when she slid open the glass partition to speak to me she hit me right up the face with a tornado of LVEB. It was instantly recognisable and absolute overkill. So I stopped wearing it after that and eventually gave my neglected bottle to one of my grown-up daughter's friends.
Tonight I've taken a sudden craving for it, put on some LVEB body lotion after a shower and voila, now I'm cruising the internet for a new bottle. Help! 😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅
Performance is beast mode so be careful how much you spray as only one or two sprays will last many hours on the skin. Days on clothes. I find it a little bit milky and lactonic, but very sweet and quite calming.

This one is for divorced ladies who want to get back on that horse. They will get plenty of younger suitors, have lots of fun out on the night scene, and will show their exes what they are missing. Slay queen.

I want to like this so badly.....the marketing did a great job and I bought into it LOL. I'm happy for the people who found this to be a warm hug or whatever beautiful scent came about from their skin. But on ME, each time I've sprayed this it smells sharply sour or smoky and spicy.

EDIT: When I dislike a perfume I sweeten it with my go-to vanilla, so I tried it with this. I'm pleasantly surprised! It's still too smoky for my taste, but vastly improved and I really enjoy it. I may wear this more.

1/10 Nasty stank sugar bomb. I'm sure it smells good on some people but not on me.

This is not how it smells- its commercial of Eiffel Tower and Paris and Julia Roberts; in USA they have obsession with Paris and thats how they got this harsh thing to the top. Its nothing else. Roberts She was in Lancome and now she is in Chopard. A face of France to take money from American customers.

I smelled a sample, and my oh my! This is an instant love for me. When I read the notes, I was honestly not expecting this. I had tried Lalique Soliel which is a pear dominant fragrance. And the pear in there smelled like nail polish remover, so I had not expected to like pear in any other fragrance. But here, the pear note is so fruity and ripe like a fresh juicy brown pear. The iris is hardly detectable which is how I like Iris to be. And the black currant is just enough before it starts smelling too mature. But of course all of this is mostly enveloped in that sweet, delectable praline note. To me this smells youthful, girly, and free. This is what I would have worn if I were a Cheetah Girl. Could possibly be my signature. 😏

Edit: It had not been a week before this turned completely chemical on me. It no longer smells sweet. I'm really disappointed rn. 😞

this smells alright but i cannot stand it cuz my 10th grade math teacher used to wear this

İlk bı baş ağrısı yapıyor bende.Yillardir gözlemliyorum kullanırken.Sonra o seçi ve sıcacık kokusu sayesinde idare et be canan diyerek keyifle kullanmaya devam ediyorum.

headache inducing, also every girl i know uses this and it stinks. i had enough of this

I recently brought this perfume back in my collection because I was missing not having a bottle of it.
I gave away my old bottle and then year later regretted it. But I’m so glad I have a bottle again I can’t wait to wear this I love how this dries down it’s so lovely pretty sweet warm perfume with some floral notes , the opening can be little sharp for some but I really do enjoy wearing it / smelling it on others.

I had a customer couple weeks ago who had this on and it made me miss it even more , the way it just smells in the air to is so beautiful.

I've reviewed this before but I just thought it was worth mentioning that when you've had this perfume for a long time (might not happen to everyone but it's definitely happened to the one I tried today) it's not so much a sugary, syrupy, fruity smell it goes straight to the base notes which are mainly patchouli and tonka. It's almost smokey from the tonka actually. I can't decide if I prefer it this way but I think I do. It's still sweet just in a different way. Instead of smelling the sweetness straight away then the base notes further into the dry down it's the other way round. The sugary top notes seemed to have dissipated but after a few minutes I can smell it in the air. Up close it's still more smokey. The praline is much more noticeable too. I forgot it had praline and was wondering why it smelled chocolatey. I don't really get as much orange blossom or other florals. I haven't been a huge fan of it for a while but I could probably wear it like this. I've recently started to not dislike Black Opium as much as I did too. I've only got samples of that one but I can now smell the coffee in it so maybe they both get better after a few years.

It smells good but it's sharp and matronly. I prefer softer dupes. If you like fragrances that enter the room before you and smell mature, you'll like this.

It has a good dry down but i hate the sharp openinng of this perfume..and girlllsss zara red vanilla is a true dupe to it💖..anyways i will never buy it as it's not my cup of tea and i hate popular perfumes

I think this fragrance is beautiful! Although I wouldn’t wear it in the summer of course but I’ll be wearing it in the colder months

Too sweet, kinda mature type of scent. Vanilla, pear, patchouli and iris sweet bomb. I'm sure many will like this perfume, as it is very feminine, but I find it boring and annoying, although I think it is an objectively likable perfume, which can be worn on many occasions.

This is the fragrance I will always purchase again.. and will never ever hate it. Even when i smell it on others i instantly smile and feel something positive (and I don't know why). I simply love this version of LA VIE EST BELLE and I will keep buying it, because I love the vibes I get and how it stays forever on my skin.

This was my signature scent for years; I thought I’d found The One. I liberally sprayed it everywhere and carted that unwieldy glass bottle around. I couldn’t get enough. People knew me by smell.

Now, when I smell it amongst the other perfumes in my growing collection, I don’t feel the same passion for it but I can still appreciate how good a perfume it is.

It’s bold, verging on pushy, with the sillage. You won’t be disappointed if you want a fragrance which will be noticed.
It hits the central spot between floral, vanilla and sweet - the jasmine sings, the vanilla warms, the patchouli screeches away.

These days, I look for more amber in my life, but there’s no denying that LVEB set the stage for lots of perfumes which followed, and it’s not disappearing any time soon.

In fact, I may just wear her tomorrow, to remind myself of her beauty!

I don't get the hype with this one. Nothing outstanding or special, it is just a generic designer fragrance that does nothing exceptional. I don't really mind the patchouli though.

I agree with the person who called this a "nauseating fruitchouli". I wanted to like it, but it reminds me too much of Coco Mademoiselle (which I hate). I love orange blossom, I love jasmine, I love patchouli and yet, the combination of these in LVEB and CM make me feel sick. It is not quite as nauseating and pungent as Coco Mademoiselle but for me, it is a strong dislike.

The opening was very fruity, lots of pear which seems to be very popular in generic mass appealing perfumes at the moment. Then I got the unholy trinity of aforementioned orange blossom, jasmine and patchouli, which started to give me a headache 15 minutes after spraying. It is smelling quite artificial and has a chemical and pungent undertone to my nose. I guess it's ethylmaltol... I don't really get iris, and I love iris. Even the patchouli is bothering me, and I actually like patchouli, even bang in your face patchouli scents like Coromandel or Bornéo 1834.

It's now five hours after spraying it, and the fragrance is still strong. I might keep the sample and test it again in winter, and I might test LVEB Iris Absolu because I love iris, but today I am really waiting for this fruitchouli funk to dissipate.

This is yet another overly sweet fruity water smelling unelegant, loud and screechy to my nose, and we've had so many of these in the past ten years or so.

La Vie Est Belle is a sweet woody-vanilla fragrance, with a STRONG projection, and it's a strong like from me! Two or three sprays will definitely fill a room, and the scent will envelop you for hours. I can see how some people think it is TOO loud, but to me, that just speaks for its performance. LVEB is one of the few fragrances currently available that can be smelled from more than a foot away; every other scent is getting reformulated to be weaker and weaker. It's funny how once a perfume actually has a noticeable sillage, people will complain, but if it has a weak sillage, people will also complain.

A scent as likeable and mass appealing as this perfume should have a higher rating than 3.63/5. On a grade scale, that's just a C-minus! She definitely deserves straight-A's, smh. For the most part, I think people just love to hate on this perfume because of its popularity. It's popular for a reason, people. It just smells GOODDT! Honestly, every lover of girly, sweet, vanilla perfumes should have this in their collection (even if that's already the case!) :P You will get compliments if you wear LVEB, hands-down. I do think it's lacking something, though. Maybe it would feel more complete with a dose of citrus to balance out the sweetness? If LVEB had a fresher, citrus-forward flanker, it might become an all-time favorite fragrance of mine (which it probably does, but there's just too many flankers to sort through!) But that's just my personal preference.

Obviously, I am very passionate about La Vie Est Belle. It gets a 9/10 from me. If liking LVEB makes me basic, then catch me wearing Uggs drinking a grande iced caramel macchiato ~with oat milk~ because I do not care :)

Whatever you do, please don't wear this during summer... And don't overspray it generally... Your brain and nose will - at some point - tell you to spray more, but please don't do more than 2-3 sprays.

This is absolutely gorgeous and almost narcotic during winter. In the other colder seasons, use it wisely.

So this is what I've been smelling everywhere for the past 10 years...it's so ubiquitous that it almost has no smell at all. Expertly crafted by a trio of the best perfumers around, and panel tested until not a soul could possibly be offended.

The topnote is impressive - an fruity-iris--vanilla that could compete with Shalimar. Alas it lasts as long as topnotes do, and you're left with that overdone praline accord, which to my nose smells closer to coconut. Not terrible, but not good either.

I wonder if the perfumers knew they were creating such a monster. This could only be worn by a big burly fellow to not smell cliché.

Bottle is too much....impressive from afar but over-the-top heavy and cumbersome in the hand.

This does not smell like Flowerbomb to me. Flowerbomb is the only perfume that my mom wears, and this smells nothing like it other than it being sweet and floral. I smell something reminiscent of peach in this and I’m not sure where that’s coming from. I like this a lot and it’s gotten me a lot of compliments, but I won’t be repurchasing this once I finish my current bottle because there are other sweet florals that I like more. I’ve also never smelled this, or any other perfume, in public. I’m not sure where everyone lives that people regularly wear perfume, but people in my suburban Midwest town don’t wear perfume enough for me to feel some reverse peer-pressure wherein I don’t want to wear something just because other people are. Wear what you like, because we only live once.

This is easy and mass-appealing. I had a travel size and I did wear it at the office every now and then, but this is not something that I love. I love iris and on the other hand, I'm not a big fan of praline, so I prefer LVEB Iris Absolu over the original.

I got a travel size for nostalgic porpoises. I used to wear this perfume a lot back in high school. This is such a femenine, sensual scent! Very sweet and sillage bomb. This is a lot more powdery than I remembered, probably the strong iris note. Despite all the hate it gets this is objetively a well crafted fragrance. The best among this scent profile and the one with the best performance too.

Beautiful. Lasts forever and dies down with a sweet spice that keeps me in an enchanted aura.love it!

Revisited this one after not wearing it for LITERAL years. When I started my perfume journey I quite liked this one when I first smelled it in store. They ran a promotion in Ulta on this brand, plus I had points, so I decided to get the big daddy bottle of this scent. I regret it 🥲. La Vie Est Belle is popular for a reason, and it’s a likeable scent. Really syrupy sweet fruity, floral, patchouli vanilla. The ONLY thing I don’t like about this scent, something in this is quite screechy. And I feel that is why I’ve stayed clear of it. It almost gives me nail polish remover vibes…ALMOST, not fully. I had the same experience with Mon Paris and I COULD NOT DO IT!! Maybe it’s the patchouli 🤔. I’m usually not bothered by that scent note. I’m going to have a rough go getting through that 100ML 😬 Might take me a year honestly. The scent is pretty, and I get the hype. It’s just that one off thing for me.

I truly respect people who loves this perfume, it’s a classic (??) after all, but for me it’s a nauseating, chaotic fruitchouli that haunts me everytime I unfortunately smell it

Very sweet, deep, sensual and outstanding fragrance. The bottle is too heavy to carry around, although it’s so long-lasting that there’s probably no need to re-apply throughout the whole day.

The pear and white florals are way too strong for me - it smells like a perfume shop upon first spray.
It’s a little bit too sweet for everyday use in my opinion.

I don’t hate this, but I definitely don’t love it.

It has the same effect as Black Opium to me in that it’s so… in your face. You literally only need one spray of this and it projects a thick, floral sweetness for miles. It can go into obnoxious headache territory very quickly. I find that praline can be a difficult note for me - I perceive it as way too sweet in most contexts and the patchouli just amplifies that and the white florals into something I can’t stand for long.

It’s not my style or personality, but I can understand why it’s loved.

3/10

I feel like everyone in the world must have smelt this perfume. I often find someone wearing this in a crowd and I also know someone who has La Vie Est Belle as their signature scent. I can't pretend this is not iconic and beloved, but I also can't pretend to like it. It's way too sweet on me. All I could smell when I tried it was gourmand headache-inducing sweetness. It's not for me!
I associate it with Hypnotic Poison, although they're not necessarily similar, but they have that same heady quality.

Should not be categorized as a sweet fragrance. It’s just a loud, generic floral fragrance. Not a good blind buy if you’re expecting something sweet.

Came back to edit after my wife decided to wear it for the first time. It smells amazing on her skin. Such a beautiful classy and formal scent. The sweet notes come out but it’s the floral that dominates. It is pretty in your face, but perfect to wear in weddings, church, other formal events. Iconic scent!

BOLDLY SWEET Sugar-Crystal-Textured JASMINE, IRIS & PRALINE. Opens with a burst of pear-blackberry sorbet with a granular texture, that deepens into the jasmine, iris & orange-blossom heart with sweet, white-floral, clean, powdery & soft-purple tones. That all rests on a praline base built of patchouli, vanilla & tonka. Jasmine here is the star of the show imho, and brings citrus-white-floral & near-grape tones that are enhanced by the black-currant, and giving an impression of candied or crystallized jasmine. This has a dressed-up sparkling, perfume-y quality with powerhouse performance making it perfect for fall and winter, although it could be worn anytime with careful application.

Contrast to Flowerbomb Viktor&Rolf:
These are different, but there are some similarities with bold sweetness. LVEB has the sugar-crystal texture while Flowerbomb has a softer, fluffy, muskier texture. Both have excellent performance.

Contrast to To Be Sweet Girl by Police:
These are different, but Sweet Girl is inspired by LVEB and is a good approximation with a twist or slightly more forward fruity quality. LVEB outperforms, although Sweet Girl has above average performance for a year round wearing experience.

Contrast to Abbey English Laundry:
Abbey is a dupe of LVEB with good approximation and average performance The average performance is the main difference from LVEB, but this would be easier to wear in spring-summer imho.

Overall: popular, boldly sweet sugar-crystal-textured scent with powerhouse performance that's inspired many dupes, clones & similar popular scents. For what it is, it's a love for me. Enjoy!

This is a very sweet, girly, fresh and loud fragrance. In my opinion you really need to make sure this mixes well with your body chemistry. My friend wore this and bought it because it smelt amazing on her. On me, it didn’t have the same effect for some reason. So it really depends on your specific skin and whether your skin can handle strong perfumes.

I don’t get it. At all. I was told in Boots it was their bestseller so sampled it. It smells cheap and sickly to me.

Was gifted this as a blind buy and upon first try I loved it.

However, very quickly did the scent become sickly and overpowering as is unfortunately super long lasting. Even with a few sprays of this fragrance it would annoyingly radiate everywhere including confined spaces like a car.

I’m sure there are lovers of this fragrance but it just isn’t an enjoyable one for me.
If you’re looking for something feminine, mature and STRONG this is the one for you. If not, then move along to avoid disappointment.

Its a perfume that i smell everywhere i think people who like this can get an upgrade like Victorias secret : scandalous and tease or viva la juicy gold couture
I think people wear it to much its very sugary basic perfume
Turkish👇🏼👇🏼
Her yerde kokladığım bir parüfm bence bunu kullananlar daha fatklı prfümlere geçiş yapabilirler
Victorias secretin scandalous ve tease parfümü çok daha güzel bubnları alın derim

inital spray is a very sugary-sweet scent that i don't love, but the dry down....stunning. a sophisticated vanilla note with patchouli and woody floral nuances. i don't know if i'm biased because my mom wears this perfume, but it gives me such a sense of comfort and warmth.

9/10 (+7 for very good perfume quality, +1 for comforting vanilla note, +1 for longevity)

i remember my classmate letting me try this as a rollerball when i was in high school, and i was obsessed with it. however, as i've gotten older and tried this perfume a couple more times, it's just a like, not a love. the opening is the best part to me--even tho praline is in the base, i find that on spraying, you get an initial blast of praline that quickly dissipates and settles down into the other notes, which i personally don't love as much (smells like bodycology's pink vanilla wish, if you want a $4 dupe for the drydown). on the drydown, i find this can be very cloying (made the mistake of wearing it in the summer) in a way that just doesn't work for me--i love sweetness in true gourmands, but this has the sweetness-level of a true gourmand while also being just as heavy on the florals and patchouli, and it's just too much for me. it's basic and overly sweet but it's a compliment-getter for sure since it's such a yummy scent, and people will definitely notice with the beast-mode performance and longevity. it's like an overly rich dessert--taking a single bite or whiff of someone else's is the most indulgent, delicious treat, but having a whole portion for yourself leaves you feeling heavy and overwhelmed.

Having discovered this fragrance only about two years ago, I'm not entirely sure how widespread its popularity was when it was first released. The first time I tried it, I thought it was quite pleasant. However, the more I wear it, the more I find myself growing tired of it, especially since I keep smelling it on other women around me.

Unfortunately, it doesn't meet my standards for a full bottle purchase as it lacks refinement. While it's ok for a perfume to have a heavy, syrupy, and sweet scent, I personally feel it's just too overwhelming. I often get a headache after wearing it for some time. It seems to be overused, with an incredibly intense sillage that can be detected from miles away. There have been multiple occasions where I entered a room and immediately thought, "is someone wearing La Vie est Belle?" only to find out that the person wearing it is actually at the far end of the room. If that's not strong projection, I don't know what is.

Some people claim in the comments that it's suitable for the office or for summer wear, but I disagree. Based on my experience, I now apply it with great caution.

Up to this point, my preference lies with the flanker Oui! which has a fresher scent profile.

If you're searching for an affordable alternative with a similar scent, you might enjoy Rogue by Rihanna, which, according to my nose, is at least 80% similar.

A pretty, sweet scent. I think it’s an all ages scent. Though I’ve seen people mention cat pee, and old lady (eye roll). I don’t detect either of these statements. I remember testing it in store, and it was one that I thought of often when considering what perfume I wanted to buy next. It’s gourmand to my nose, yet floral too.

I gave my bottle away to my mom. It doesn’t fit me.
It smells nice, it doesn’t induce nausea or headaches it’s just not me.
Frankly, I never understood the hate, I find many popular fragrances getting SO much hate, black opium is another fragrance, which I love.
It’s overused by many for a reason, so it’s obviously not bad.
People just wake up and think “how can I be different today?” And start hating on random things.
I’m so sorry if you love this fragrance, you don’t stink, you smell amazing.

The iris is too prominent and I find it screams I'm wearing perfume. I have total respect for the composition, lasting power and sillage but it doesn't work with my body chemistry.

this will be one of my ride or die.. for those who love sweet perfume, this won't be too cloying. I can smell the flower notes quite dominent to tone down the praline a bit.. lasting power is decent. It's elegant, beautiful youthful & versatile

Got a 2nd hand bottle at a 60% discount price.
It's a blind but but I read good reviews about it. I just thought I should not miss the deal. I love the patchouli note! I like almost all perfumes with patchouli. And the vanilla and Tonka bean are balanced by the bitterness of patchouli, representing a feminine yet powerful scent. I think it's okay for office, as long as I don't overspray. Good for a weekend, too. I'll probably refrain from using it in the summer, though, as the fine balance could be ruined by sweat.

Literally Barbenheimer in a bottle, you could go through war trenches and come out slaying cause this fruitchouli concoction will not budge. Seriously.

This perfume is popular for a reason, and it’s because it is extremely long lasting and HIGHLY complimented. It’s insane but every time I wear this perfume, people keep telling me that I smell nice etc. it deserves all the hype

This fragrance's popularity has garnered infamy the past few years. Do a lot of people wear this? Yes. Do some overspray? Yes. I very much understand why this fragrance is worn by many. It's feminine, sweet, and and performs well. I'm finishing the last of my bottle, and I still appreciate this fragrance despite the large collection I have. I won't be running out to replace it, but I enjoy it. This scent profile has inspired many other fragrances. It's popular for a reason. Just go easy on the trigger, she can be a beast. This one is a compliment getter, but it can also induce headaches if over sprayed.

Longevity: 8/10
Projection: 9/10
Overall Experience: 8.5/10

One of the sweetest fragrances on the market but also a masterpiece. I am so in love with this. Someone else mentioned in a review that there are many like this scent but nothing compares and that’s kinda true. It’s also a beast for performance.

Very vanilla, very sweet but also a bit fruity. I can’t even describe it you have to try it. It’s similar to so many but also so unique.

My favourite of this line is still ‘oui’ which is the same but bombed up with raspberry.

If you are looking for a cheap dupe of this that also performs well, try Antonio banderas her secret temptation.

I have the 2018 formulation of this perfume-
The scent has changed quite a bit over the last few years, I used to find it a sweetness bomb, I used nearly the entirety of the bottle five years ago, however far too many were wearing it and I found the scent too annoying and basic, so I decided to try again, what I have left is very pretty! The colour of the perfume has also changed from pinky to a slightly darker peach.
Initial spray- definitely getting that beautiful blackcurrant and pear with orange blossom, sillage hasn’t changed, it’s a beast, you could probably smell it from miles away.
After an hour- Jasmine and orange blossom is in full power now and it’s lovely, but if all over you it can be headache inducing for others. Patchouli is also coming through but less than it used to.
After 3 hours- I’m getting mostly orange blossom and Jasmine still, I’ve only got a tiny dab on my hand, vanilla and Tonka bean are also coming through, it smells more sweeter, sillage is great too still
After 5 hours- such a gourmand vanilla now and the intensity is still pretty strong but not as strong.
After 10 hours- still there! Beautiful soft vanilla
Sillage- 10/10 (has its pros and cons)
Longevity- 10/10 lasts about 12 hours on skin but honestly doesn’t go away on clothes
Scent- 9/10 very people pleasing and was extremely annoying about 5-6 years ago, that’s why I stopped wearing it, but I enjoy the fragrance more now it’s worn less and time has made the scent so much prettier and less cloying. DON’T OVERSPRAY!

Overall I really enjoy this fragrance now! I’ll wear it in the colder weather when I fancy something sweet and a little nostalgic :)

Absolutely horrible. Just gives me headache. It's still in the closet because no one wants that. My friends also complained about smelling La vie est belle around them often in public.

i cant stand this fragrance, to my nose this is a patchouli bomb. the opening is nice and fruity but it fades quickly on me. the sillage is insane and a single spray gave me a headache. the longevity is insane too. if you like this fragrance i think it’s good value for the price and is beast mode

This perfume is beautiful. I have never been an oversprayer and I find it perfect. My husband absolutely adores this scent on me so it must interact with my skin chemistry nicely. I don’t really care about pleasing anyone but him and myself (I have to like a perfume first). I am a confident middle aged person and frankly don’t give a d*** about other people’s ageist opinions. Olivier Polge the head nose at Chanel helped design this beautiful scent. If it had the Chanel label on it people would sing its praises.

I think any confident open minded person who loves the scent should feel beautiful wearing it no matter their age or gender. I am still young at heart and run two miles every morning. Age does not define me. And loving this scent doesn’t make me an old lady. When I am on a walker I will still be me and as young at heart as I can be!

I refuse to let my gender/age limit me. People are beautiful at every stage in life and we need to start owning this idea. Chanel 5 has become legend for Chanel. Shalimar for Guerlain. Lots of women wear those scents and yet they aren’t judged negatively for it. I think La Vie est Belle could become a timeless classic for Lancôme. Hopefully they protect this treasure that links them to Chanel.

This was one of my mother's main fragrances, and every time she wore it I got extremely nauseous. I don't know what it is but I want to throw up every time I smell it. The huge sillage doesn't help either. I try to appreciate fragrances and rarely dislike them this much, but this perfume is not for me. Old lady vibes mostly overpowered by the sweet notes.

I’m as close to loving this scent as I will probably ever be to one. (Doesn’t stop me from shopping though lol). It opens big with iris for me, so much that I almost made a hard pass, but immediately after that wave, I picked up the currant and I just love currant. Pleasantly, a super-sweetness followed, like confectioner’s sugar. A last, surprise element of rich butter appeared! I just wish it lasted longer. I got compliments on it even at a funeral! I was surprised because it was a 100% blind buy on eBay and pretty affordable. I’m definitely keeping this one around. I love it for winter.

Update: For those using eBay, do not buy from alphaseller. I think I bought a fake from them. Use giftexpress or foreverlux. All flawless purchases from them.

Extremely sweet, syrupy, sugary, fruity floral. I can pick out the orange blossom and patchouli but apart from that it's blended so that I just get a sweet smell. What gourmand perfumes used to be before they became more literal, this is still very perfumey. It's nice enough but doesn't stand out. It smells exactly like Flowerbomb, Black Opium, Paradoxe, Scandal (actually no, not Scandal, I didn't realise how much I hated that til recently. It must have been a flanker I'd tried previously coz I thought it was alright. It's NOT alright 😂), and loads of other perfumes. Very strong though. If I had to wear a perfume in this family it'd probably be this one because of it's power and sillage. It's what a lot of other perfumes seem to be modelled after. Could be way too sweet and cloying for some people though, definitely not for people who like fresh citrusy scents. Ultra feminine too, I can't imagine a man wearing it. It's what Barbie would wear if she was a real person. I'd have adored this in my teens and early 20s.

Edit to say, when I say I'd have loved it in my teens and 20s I just mean that's what my tastes were at that time, not that it's only suitable for people of that age. I've just kinda got sick of these types perfumes but I go through cycles and may very well come back to liking them again. It is a lovely smelling perfume and I mean no offence to anyone who wears it. There's a reason it's become the blueprint for perfumes of the last so many years.

This is my mums fragrance, and I loveee it! It's got great performance and lasts an eternity! It's classy and elegant.

An hymn to the beauty of life!
La Vie Est Belle truly manages to express a trustful, hopeful and smiley attitude, at the same time remaining elegant and classy!
A fruity floral gourmand worthy of this categorization, all the elements present in a perfect equilibrium, none prevails and none is overshadowed; the fruity aspects are playful, the florals are romantic and mature, and the gourmand/syrupy part comes forward as strangely refined, thanks to the good quality of patchouli in the base, no doubt!
Yes, it is the usual fruitchuli, as some call now this type of fragrances, but it is deep and nuanced, and the material used of good quality.
Clearly something about this kind of compositions strikes as universally pleasing, considering its success and that of its similars (Flowerbomb by Viktor&Rolf, for one), being complimented specially by the male public.
From the many reviews I have read and heard I gathered that men find it sexy and women motherly, but still a sort of guilty pleasure they can't say no to.

I remember when it first came out, everyone was wearing it, and all the perfumery of my city smelled of it! Many years have passed and the word "overused" can surely be applied to it...in any case, should I ever crave a fruity floral on a base of oily patchouli and sticky syrupy vanilla I shall surely come back to it because I think is one of the best in its category. There is simply no dupe, or inspiration, that can hold a candle to it.
I was gifted two miniatures of 15ml each by the brand, after a big purchase, so I used it for a very long time before going to bed. It gave me sweet dreams! I recently used a sample again, and I am happy to have found it "almost" the same in quality.

I am not a fruity lover, but the opening combo of black current and pear worked really well for me, the first is one of the most sophisticated and feminine note in the fruity realm (even a bit unruly compared to others), while the pear is so bright and cheerfull...it makes for quite the lively effect, the opening is already revealing the optimistic character the feagrance is known for! Moreover, I find the black current note is of the good kind here, not overly synthetic (usually this note is tricky for me to enjoy, it needs to be of decent quality and paired well to avoid that childish/cheap effect, and here it surely is). Their blend results in a strong and thick concentrated juice. It is clear that they have been sweetened by an overdose of ethil maltol, sugary to the point of tooth decay! But I don't find this aspect particulary bothersome, as others have pointed out, because the classy flowers, the smoked tonka and the earthy and oily patchouli balance everything out.

The orange flowers are the prevailing one, they smell very sugary and rich, solar and vibrant, investing the fragrance of a welcoming allure.
The iris is beautifully powdery but not cosmetic; a veil of it is posed behind the other notes, even in the dry down, diffusing and softening everything. It brings with it a refined and mature effect, highlighting even more the light hearted aspect of the fruity and gourmand accords.
Above all, I love how it interacts with the patchouli for an earthy and dusty combo that then, in turn, is juxtaposed with the creaminess of praline and the syrupy vanilla! Makes for quite the interesting contrast.

The heart of the perfume is made of course of the syrupy vanilla, syrupy in a very good way...smells woody and complex, and it interacts perfectly with the cozy and creamy praline. The earthness of the patchouli (which I don't find dry at all, as others have pointed out) and the toasted tonka beans dampens that sweet/clingy effect so a perfect equilibrium is created, the result is a rich, posh and elegant sweetness. I don't find it overbearing or ungraceful at all, there surely are more sweet perfumes with much less complexity and nuance then this one, they cost much more and yet they don't receive so much hate.
True, there are many more original fragrances on the market, even in Lancome's own repertoires, but just because something is a crowd pleaser that doesn't mean it's banal.

It performs impeccably, like the glory of old! Last you all day, it leaves behind a sweet enticing trail, projects beautifully, and there is no need for overspraying (infact I would advise against it, otherwise it can be heady). Packaging is feminine and handy too.

The concept expressed by the name is surely communicated through the scent which radiates optimism and joie de vivre. It is mood boosting as they say (an effect probably bestowed by the orange flowers, and accentuated by vanilla and praline).
I picture a confident woman wearing it, one with a big heart!

This is not my general mood, I am unfortunately too much tormented and broody to face life with a "glass half full" attitude, spleen and mal de vivre are more likely! Even in perfumes I always search for something out of the line and melancholic, I have to admit I would have not bought LVEB, at least based only on its name and the TV spot...but I still used the two miniatures bottles gifted to me and I learned to appreciate every nuance.
In particular, the warm praline and vanilla...made me feel secure and cosy so the safety of familiarity made me appreciate even more that new little sample I had.

I must add one last note to this long review: the plot was absolutely lost with all those flankers! I don't know how anyone can keep track of them, or even wants to at this point!
I understand that the concept of "milking the lucky cow" is dear to big conglomerates but came on...it's borderline ridiculous at this point.
The only one I have some curiosity for is the new La Vie Est Belle Iris Absolu, a more strong and earthy iris + fig is just what I would like to smell on the LVEB dna!

Wish it didn't have the tonka bean, because otherwise it's very nice.