La Vie est Belle (2012)
by Lancôme

An unmistakably oriental-floral perfume from Lancome!

With praline and vanilla as the strongest notes present in La Vie Est Belle, you've entered into touchy territory where you'll either love it or leave it. LVEB is no-nonsense in the strength and sillage department, which is in itself a really clean and well-made perfume per se. But as other reviewers correctly warn, this one can be easily overapplied and cause annoyance rather than charm to those who are in its wake.

When sprayed on with discretion, LVEB is a scintillating, beautiful expression that exudes fun and friendliness! :-)

Super sweet, delicious, edible fragrance, but a little definitely goes a long way! This scent had a whole room talking in the evening, hours after initial application. I don't typically like my fragrance to be quite that loud, so I'd stick to just one light spritz on my next wear. But it is delectable, feminine, almost cupcake like and quite addictive.

La Vie Est Belle

The candy is abundant. (The maturity, redundant.)
The fruits are glacée. (The passers-by will surely pay.)
The flowers are limp. (The meek demeanour of a wimp.)
The width is a mile. (The people request exile.)
The depth is a micron. (The classic perfumery is gone.)
The patchouli is... where? (The hippies say a prayer.)
The sillage is choking. (The perfumistas are all balking.)
The persistence is relentless. (The wearers, all repentless.)

The Julia Roberts is smiling. (The sheep are single filing.)
The cash registers are ringing. (The fat cats are all singing.)

The life may be beautiful.
The fragrance is a bore.

Credits:
Original review by Cook.bot
Greek chorus by Suspended

It opens with some fruity scents then quickly dries down into praline, vanilla and patchouli scents. The praline is dominant. Though the patchouli tends to balance it with some earthiness, it doesn't seem to be enough. I find it at the limit of being cloying sweet even with one spritz. Plus I have difficulty to associate the fragrance with the supposed image of a 'beautiful life'. I'm not very inspired. But the longevity is 9h+ and the sillage is quite good.

After I tested it again, I insist using it sparingly. Not only just one spritz but one litte spritz. This time I detect the fruits and floral scents much better and they helped a lot to pull the praline back from being cloying sweet.

Originall written in 2013

Excellent silage and very long-lasting. But to me, this smells like a little girl's perfume. Too sweet, no depth. It isn't saying anything new.