La Vie Est Belle Iris Absolu

Iris is my all time favorite note in perfumery (tied with herbal tea notes) and this is among the best Iris fragrances I’ve tried, and best part is, is that it never goes into jelly bean territory (like Chopard Iris Malika does). Lancôme Iris Absolu is so incredibly dense and syrupy sweet, which is usually not to my liking when it comes to fragrances, however....this is more unique than the original LVEB. I’ve smelled nearly all of them, and Iris Absolu is the only flanker I’ve enjoyed enough to buy a full bottle of. I go crazy over any scent that is makeup compact, earthy, vegetal, or iris based. And this fragrance has all of that in DROVES. The patchouli in this is still a smidge too strong for my liking, but unlike the original LVEB, the patchouli in this tapers off after a while (3 hours to be exact), and I’m left with a gorgeous root-y, creamy fig and earthy slightly powdery natural sweetness from the iris combined with a more artificial perfumed sweetness that comes from the gourmand caramelized orange blossom dessert accord that is becoming so popular in mainstream designer fragrances nowadays. However, this one just has a special ‘it’ factor to it that sets it apart from others. This brings to mind an artisanal iris cheesecake. The carrot seed is evident in the opening but it disappears quite quickly. The original LVEB DNA is still the spine that holds the interesting touches in this fragrance together, however Iris Absolu is much more toned down on the sweetness compared to the original LVEB, which I very much appreciate. Here’s my caveat: I’m not a fan of the application or the atomizer. This is such a strong, long lasting fragrance that, in my opinion, is closer to an extrait de parfum, so a tiny sprayer that dispenses a short burst of perfume would be so much better in helping me to dose my applications of this accordingly. That is EXACTLY why I prefer to use my tiny samples of this fragrance, instead of using my large bottle, since I get WAY too much perfume from the large bottle even with just one spray. I literally only need a few DROPS of this fragrance for it to last and project ALL DAY LONG. I’m trying to figure out how best to remedy this issue, and the only thing I can think of is going in store to check and see if the atomizer on the 1 oz bottle is indeed smaller than the atomizer on the 3.4 oz bottle that I have. Because if the atomizer on the smaller bottle is indeed smaller, it will dispense less product per spray, which would be MUCH better for me. So, as much as I want 3.4 oz of Iris Absolu, I may sell my large bottle in favor for the smaller bottle, if it means that I will get a more suitable application of fragrance. I’m not a fan of decanting perfumes into travel size vials (except if I’m traveling) because I prefer the experience of using the actual bottle, so once my samples of this run out (and they’re running out quick) then that’s unfortunately out of the question, I’m afraid. Other than the atomizer issue, Thumbs WAY up for this absolute joyful fragrance! Feminine, lively, exuberant, fun and elegant! EDIT 2/22/26: I am decluttering this. I stand by everything I said in my initial review but this perfume is way too heavy for the warm climate in which I live.

Powdery, Elegant, Sweet. If you tend to think that the original is too sweet, too cloying, unoriginal and boring, this flanker is made for you. It's still gourmand, but it's perfectly balanced, more subtle and less sticky sweet, less bubblegum and marshmallow like. You still get the DNA of the OG juice but with a prominent Iris note, it's powdery, fluffy, elegant and comforting somehow. The Iris is complimented by the Fig note, it adds a fruity touch and falls into the powdery aspect of the fragrance. The OG blend contains white florals, and they contrast pretty well with the powdery notes we have in our flanker. Even if it misses the Vanilla, Praline, Tonka Bean and Pear, making this blend more of a floral/fruity scent instead of a really sweet fruity/floral/gourmand, it still feels sweet. I feel like LVEB Iris Absolu is a more mature and elegant version of LVEB. It's really warm, performs incredibly well on clothes and skin, and has a wonderful sillage that some of my relatives complimented. As a lover of fruity and gourmand fragrances, leaning towards a new olfactory family made me discover this gem. I normally don't like florals such as Violet and Iris, but surprisingly, I adore the Iris note in LVEB Iris Absolu. The Fig note isn't a fruity note that I enjoy, but completely blends with the Iris and Patchouli. Same thing for Patchouli, if it smells too earthy, too strong, it reminds me of sweat and it makes me sick to my stomach. However, it is rather discreet and nicely blended, adds a touch of strength, depth and intensity to the perfume. Great fragrance for colder days and months, really suits for a date night, an event, an important meeting, etc... It's sexy yet elegant, strong yet really delicate scent, powdery yet a bit creamy. It defies itself and I love it. I think it suits women who have a mature mindset, that are elegant, sophisticated, and who are at least 18yo. Go and take a whiff at your closest perfume store, it's worth it. Even if the notes may not appeal you at first, you'll discover another facet of LVEB you wish you knew before, because I feel like we are tired of the OG since 2012, when it first came out. Not that it stinks, but just like Dior Sauvage, it became so common that you slowly get annoyed and sick just by smelling or hearing about it. I mean.... It's been overly exploited, so many flankers and special editions came out, that added nothing new to the scent neither to the line. This is why Iris Absolu gives a fresh feeling and a new interesting take to the line. 10/10, a bit expensive but completely worth it !

This is the only LVEB I REALLY like. It's beautiful and has great performance, and the Iris is dominant even in the dry down which I have no other perfume with that characteristic and appreciate A LOT iris is my favorite note next to rose. But I already have Donna by Valentino (the reformulated version made in France, the old one was made in Spain - I love them both and can't tell the difference personally, but some ppl like the OG formulation better). Just Donna, NOT Donna BIR, and Donna and LVEBIA smell so similar to me I don't really need both in my collection. But since Donna is up there with Mon Guerlain (any of them I love the EdP and every single flanker they released for that line so far) for my all time favorite perfumes, I don't mind having another perfume that smells very similar to Donna because I fly through those 100ml bottles of Donna so fast that it's the only perfume I have a backup of and LVEBIA can be considered another backup even though it has that same ass Jasmine and Orange Blossom combo in the mid and Donna has rose and iris and leather making it smell even more like a leather bag of makeup and I LOVE rose but the iris takes center stage so much in LVEBIA it does not smell like every single other perfume thats popular right now with that same ol' Jasmine and Orange/Orange Blossom/tangerine. I get so tired of smelling it. I swear to God it's the mid in every popular designer perfume made in the past 10 years. PLEASE PERFUMERS PICK ANOTHER FLOWER/S! Performance is great for LVEBIA, as well. And beautiful bottle. Wish the atomizer dispersed the perfume in a little wider circumference. That's my only complaint. I'd wear it anytime anywhere. It's my favorite next to Donna and MG...and I have an embarrassing amount of the most popular perfumes in my collection right now. Lol

It's gorgeous. The best of the family. It is a perfected essence of LVEB. Exactly what I loved about it without everything I did not like about the original. No harsh edges. It is so warm yet floral, as in, natural. The essences are nearly chewy in texture. Iris is ever present and in its best, gourmand version - iris candies with the carroty nuance that adds a refreshing edge. It is also the gorgeous orange blossom and jasmine that are making it a sweet delight in summer. Though it is also a perfect autumn-winter. It heats up on my skin clothed in warm clothes and I over-sprayed with 2 sprays on my neck. There were minutes I was afraid it will overwhelm me so note to self- one spray on neck or decollete is enough when the skin is heated up. But it was not as bad as in the classic. Especially since Iris Absolu is soft. Vivid and sweet but soft and cozy. One of the coziest scents I know. It has every harsh edge softened and I love its sillage and power. It is perfect. Since I fell in love with this scent and immediately acquired a big bottle I am waking up in a gorgeous bubble of sweet iris and I love it. It lasts 12+hours. And the bottle is gorgeous. Made with attention to details. It has Lancome rose on the stopper and my 30ml classic does not. Compared to the classic it is similar but softer and sweeter in a gentle way. Without the harsh fruity notes and without the salty heart that makes stomach turn when over-sprayed. I highly recommend testing it if you loved the classic but it was making you sick. This is much more gentle when over-sprayed and just so lovely all the time. The floral heart is delightful yet still the flowers join and enhance iris. The fig is there but in orange blossom shadow. The currant is also tamed. The classic LVEB lasts 3 days on my wrist, Iris Absolu 2 days.

Wow, this is super pretty. I just have a 2-ml vial, and I'm sure I'll use every last drop. I know I keep complaining that there isn't enough iris in supposely iris-forward fragrances to suit me, but LVEB Iris Absolu delivers. The fig notes are luscious but not too treacly, and they work really well with the other accords to support the center-stage iris, which is, to my great relief, a little earthy, a little powdery, a little candylike, and to my nose quite persuasive. I'm not very familiar with the original LVEB, if you can believe it--I haven't been to a department store in ages, I guess--but I find this flanker impressive. I also don't find the patchouli as nauseating as it often seems to me when paired with sweet fruity notes, or really anything remotely gourmand. LVEB IA has the kind of iris that I was hoping to get in Shalimar Millésime iris, which to me, disappointingly, seemed to evoke less iris than the OG Shalimar. Update: Liked enough to buy a full bottle when I saw a good deal. I'm such a sucker for a strong iris accord, and this one really is one of the best. Update: The almond notes are really coming out a lot for me in this wearing--I don't see them listed, but maybe it's part of the mysterious "gourmand accord."