La Vie Est Belle L'Elixir, from Lancôme was released in 2024. The perfumer behind this creation is Antoine Maisondieu and Christophe Raynaud. It has the top notes of Bergamot, Liquor, and Raspberry, middle notes of Rose and Violet Leaf, and base notes of Cacao Butter, Cedarwood, and Leather.
The trials and tribulations of how many LVEB flankers are truly worthy! The original, the 2015 hazelnut whipped cream Intense, last years Iris Absolu (and to a lesser extent, the gold L’Extrait also from last year) and this one, which takes some cues (again) from Guerlain. In my humble opinion. This one really has nothing in common with LVEB. It doesn’t belong there. Can it really be considered a flanker if there are 0 similarities? The raspberry is tart, sweet and juicy but at the same time it’s not childish and synthetic. The violet feels extremely well crafted; purple, anisic, sweet…just like violet candies! The classic ones you buy in little old shops in major European cities. The first few hours I’m smelling a combination of LPRN Intense, some Insolence and (could it be?) traces of the anise spiciness of L’Heure Bleue! All with the violet richness of Lush’s Daddy O’! But the violet is so intense that it kicks the LHB association away early on. I don’t get any sugar, the praline sweetness of the original or any notion of modern gourmands. Thank God! If anything, it’s more early 00’s than the artificial and coma inducing rotten sweetness that passes for perfume today. It smells cold rather than hot if that makes sense. There are faint echoes of Lancôme’s Miracle and Flower by Kenzo; a whisper of ozonic freshness far away from Cool Water. Faint echoes that simply pass and go. It’s not niche, but it’s a well made mainstream release. The fragrance unfolds lightly without a heavy feel even though it’s strong and extremely long lasting. It’s airy, it lets you breathe, and ends in a bed of soft and fluffy raspberry macarons with violet clotted cream. No patchouli, no vanilla, no ambroxan. Just soft woods and a tiny suede scent to anchor it with a background of The Body Shop’s long gone cocoa body butter; creamy and nutty, not overpowering. A very nice release indeed. But a new name would have been better. Also, the bottle looks and feels nice (better than pictures) and the purple tint of the juice is enticing. A not so guilty pleasure. Bottom line: must love violets! Edit: a week later and I’m finding myself drawn to it just like with Poison Girl 8 years ago. Something that shouldn’t work for me and something I shouldn’t like and yet I’m loving it. My 100ml bottle should last a few decades! Definitely worth checking out.
The trials and tribulations of how many LVEB flankers are truly worthy! The original, the 2015 hazelnut whipped cream Intense, last years Iris Absolu (and to a lesser extent, the gold L’Extrait also from last year) and this one, which takes some cues (again) from Guerlain. In my humble opinion. This one really has nothing in common with LVEB. It doesn’t belong there. Can it really be considered a flanker if there are 0 similarities? The raspberry is tart, sweet and juicy but at the same time it’s not childish and synthetic. The violet feels extremely well crafted; purple, anisic, sweet…just like violet candies! The classic ones you buy in little old shops in major European cities. The first few hours I’m smelling a combination of LPRN Intense, some Insolence and (could it be?) traces of the anise spiciness of L’Heure Bleue! All with the violet richness of Lush’s Daddy O’! But the violet is so intense that it kicks the LHB association away early on. I don’t get any sugar, the praline sweetness of the original or any notion of modern gourmands. Thank God! If anything, it’s more early 00’s than the artificial and coma inducing rotten sweetness that passes for perfume today. It smells cold rather than hot if that makes sense. There are faint echoes of Lancôme’s Miracle and Flower by Kenzo; a whisper of ozonic freshness far away from Cool Water. Faint echoes that simply pass and go. It’s not niche, but it’s a well made mainstream release. The fragrance unfolds lightly without a heavy feel even though it’s strong and extremely long lasting. It’s airy, it lets you breathe, and ends in a bed of soft and fluffy raspberry macarons with violet clotted cream. No patchouli, no vanilla, no ambroxan. Just soft woods and a tiny suede scent to anchor it with a background of The Body Shop’s long gone cocoa body butter; creamy and nutty, not overpowering. A very nice release indeed. But a new name would have been better. Also, the bottle looks and feels nice (better than pictures) and the purple tint of the juice is enticing. A not so guilty pleasure. Bottom line: must love violets! Edit: a week later and I’m finding myself drawn to it just like with Poison Girl 8 years ago. Something that shouldn’t work for me and something I shouldn’t like and yet I’m loving it. My 100ml bottle should last a few decades! Definitely worth checking out.