La Vie est Belle L'Extrait

I am a true oud sissy, and even though oud is listed as the top note of this flanker, it doesn't give me that dread barnyard aspect that turns me off the other, presumably more authentic ones. Either that or it's just really great oud. Either way, this one is tied with Iris Absolu as my favorite LVEB, and I include the original. I'm not sure what it is--I do believe this is the only perfume I own that contains frankincense, although I'll need to check that--but there's just something about it that I deeply enjoy. The iris note is exceptional, and you can't go wrong with rose. They are blended very beautifully in this perfume, and the performance is extraordinary (sillage and longevity). The bottle matters less to me because I keep it in its box anyway, but it is a very beautiful object, and I doubt I'll be able to throw it away if I ever get through this bottle, which seems unlikely--not because I don't like it but because I can't use more than three sprays max, and even three is risky for public consumption, and there is no need to respray because it literally lasts until you wash it off, and maybe a little longer. I know I have reviewed this perfume before, but I think it's important to praise a mainstream designer perfume that performs so well for what is (certainly by Tom Ford or Frederic Malle or MFK standards) a relatively affordable perfume. I would definitely recommend trying it first, though. I was sent a decant by a friend, and it really surprised me. I doubt I would have given it a chance otherwise, even though I was already a fan of Iris Absolu by that point. She should be getting a big commission from Lancôme for overcoming (overcôming?) my biases and getting me hooked on their product, but she won't because she's just an enthusiast/addict like myself. At any rate, if you are still reading this, you should consider this one, perhaps the most unusual LVEB flanker.

June 16, 2024; Victoria Canada Happy Gottchya Day: La Vie est Belle L'Extrait! I’m so weak. I threw another two $100 bills at a bottle of scented liquid. But- it did made me smile. 😊 This was a toss up for me as the Hudson Bay didn’t have samples & I understand a lot of people find it too similar to the recent Iris Absolu release to acquire both. That “Iris Pal-whatever” Lancôme has come up with is certainly present in this as well, but it does not present in the same way. The oud & frankincense make a grand debut, & for me, they are not the top & bottom notes but come out smack in the middle. The iris consistently wants to be smelt & felt & is relentless, but considerably softer than in Iris Absolu & on my skin just twirls around in the back ground never showcasing. This smells like Iris Absolu dipped in Elizabeth Taylor’s Original formulation of Passion. (Purple bottle). I actually enjoy this in the heat of summer, & often love the way heavier, spicier scents show off in warm temps vs when used in cooler weather. This is one of those. I LOVE the Damascus rose in this, and actually felt it could be amped up a smidge. So I added a drop of Lush Rose Jam & it was beautiful together. A coco butter body lotion would layer beautifully with this as well. I think most people are not on the fence about LVEB. If you love them, you need this. If you’re not sure, then you don’t. If you enjoy the old Charlie Gold cologne spray you’d probably appreciate this! Thanks for reading my review! 🌷

What a gorgeous fragrance, one of the best designers I've ever smelled! Definitely a sugary sweet floral at its core, but much more tamed and smoothed out. The iris is stunning in the opening. Very photorealistic, sparkly and full-bodied. Maybe the best feminine designer opening I've tried yet? Sweetness isn't as candy-gourmand-sugary as the original. Overall this feels like a niche quality / style LVEB at designer prices without any weird notes. I had absolutely zero clue oud was a note before looking them up here. Even TF Oud Wood is super oudy compared to this, despite it having no animalic notes or real oud. The "oud" here is just an edge of dark woodiness, a backdrop to steer the main notes that lay on top. For context, I have a really basic taste, dislike oudy fragrances and don't really care for the original LVEB. It has an ozonic bug spray -esque floral feel that this flanker totally lacks. I was expecting this to have at least 4 stars and was surprised to see the controversy. I should be the one to dislike this out of anyone. There's definitely a LOT of oil concentration here, a true extrait, my hand looked shiny for 30 minutes.

OH MY GOD! Yes please, I will take 10 bottles. Thank you! What is this amazing new perfume???? What is this magic???? What is happening??? THIS IS GORGEOUS! I can't even believe myself... I was not a huge fan of La Vie Est Belle but this is the second flanker in a row that I want to have and spray and spray and spray...over and over again, when the bottle would be empty I would purchase over and over again! I was so in love with Iris Absolu and now THIS???? Dear Lancome let me take a break or I will spend all my money... This is something! This is crazy good! This took me to the cloud 9 of perfume heaven in a split second. Very beautiful smell, you get the DNA of LVEB in a dry down, but the beginning... the beginning just took my heart immediately - opulent, deep, mysterious, sweet... Amazing, niche quality for sure, the longevity and sillage are BOMB! I want to smell like this the whole winter season. I think Lancome is making a huge comeback to LVEB, and is now targeting those that were not into LVEB craze at the beginning... Well, I'm in now. I'm definitely a fan. A FAN. 10/10 HOT STUFF

I am an Oud/Rose lover, so this already had my interest with the announcement. I was not disappointed in the least. It has exceeded my expectations. Starts off sweet and slightly spicy, but quickly dries down into the most decadent powdery Rose/Oud combo I have ever smelt from a modern designer perfume. It's a very strong and potent sillage, radiating well beyond my personal bubble. Two pops of it had the entire Lancome counter smelling of it. Unfortunately, the strength seemed to drive the perfume ladies away, but I was BASKING in the ambiance. I love strong perfumes. This has an almost niche appeal to my nose. Where I come from, we have Sephora, Macy's and a soon-to-be closing Dillard's. We don't have any access to niche perfumes or high end retailers, so this was a wonderful surprise to me. It's giving Oud Satin Mood by MFK, but add berries and a touch of sugar to it and you'd have this. It's now hour 8 for me as I write this and I can still catch whiffs of this divine potion on the air around me. It is clinging to my jacket and hair. I am in LOVE. Highly recommend.

Masterpiece of a fragrance. Powdery and lipsticky sweetness blended with a an incensed rose and red fruits. In the heart and dry down It has an oozing watmthness to it that's perfectly blended with the Iris and the rose (that feels candied by a red fruit syrup). When I move I sense the perfume pulsating off my skin in warm waves, I think it's because of frankincense... I had a decant of CH Gold Myrrh Absolute, which also has frankincense and felt very warm as well. So bold, yet so delicate, spectacular. Unique, elegant... If you wear this, people can't be indifferent to it, it has a way of moving in the air that entices, it intrigues people... I received very passionate comments when I whore this, and I can sense people stopping and trying to figure out where the smell comes from. Lasts more that 12hrs on skin, hair and clothes - usually I do 7 - 8 sprays spread through strategic points. Lancôme, why release so many flankers while this masterpiece is discontinued?? Waste of money and planets resources... Less is more.

Another gorgeous flanker--very similar to LVEB Iris Absolu, only with a subtle dry oud behind it and tart fruits instead of the more "gourmand notes" of the IA flanker. But as with the IA, the iris accord in LVEB Extrait is just superb--part powdery orris, part candylike blossom. Combined with the oud, it has an incenselike quality without smelling dusty or churchy--more like the incense note that drifts over L'Heure Bleue, only later into the evening, post-dusk. Update: I really like this a lot, but I probably won't buy a full bottle, regretfully--my husband doesn't care for it; he finds the oud acrid--little does he know that most oud frags get WAY more acrid than this, and he is in for a treat when some of my Arabian ouds arrive, lolsob; anyway, he'll be begging for the LVEB L'Extrait once he gets a whiff of those big bad burnt babies. Update: Got it anyway. The secret is to refrain from overapplying. This is very potent juice. Two sprays are more than enough to last all day.

Despite hearing lots of buzz around last year's other LVEB flanker release, Iris Absolu, I was completely unaware of LVEB Extrait until stumbling upon a few boxes on the sale shelf at Sephora in Paris earlier this month. All told, I spent about 55 euro on a 50ml bottle, and I’m so pleased! Like others say, up front there’s a “chalky” iris (maybe this is a result of the frankincense and iris scents together?) warm woods, and a sweet tanginess from the red berries. Compared to other LVEB’s I’ve sniffed, this flanker comes off much smoother and less chemically to my nose. The rose come through strong on my skin after the first hour, and stays in the forefront for a good 6 hours, with the woods again taking dominance after that, but much creamier in texture than at the start. I’ve noticed that projection is only moderate on my skin, but on clothes it has more reach. To amp up the woods even more, I like layering this with some of Swiss Arabian’s Private Oud oil rollerball.

I don't think Lancome is trying to "fool" anyone. I am a firm believer that nobody can really fool you in life if you have an ounce of brain about you, unless you let them fool you...which is a whole other story. Lancôme marketed this as an Extrait, not La Vie Est Belle Oud, really. In my opinion, they created something really special here, which will be proven in the years to come. I suspect there will be a time when this Extrait will be a unicorn, and a costly one, even if it takes a few years. The perfume's profile is quite niche and unusual and what makes the entire composition special is exactly the oud base that they used when creating it. To further confirm the uniqueness of this flanker are the reviews, which seem to be all over the place. Trained noses love it, the untrained not so much. I have this and a new Iris version, and both are equally amazing. Lancôme really outdid itself this year.

My perfume passion started with the original LVEB but my love for it has waned significantly over the past few years. It’s loud, scratchy and feels overdone now. This, though. It’s exactly what I want that the OG LVEB no longer gives me. I can barely smell oud in this, but the iris, rose and woody combination is delicious. At first spray it does tickle my nose but I think it’s due to the sheer strength of the scent. I feel like the grown up woman I’m meant to be when I wear this. I’ve only just opened it but I think it’s going to be one I reach for often, and I can’t wait to see how it evolves as it sits on my shelf. Buzzing. What a beautiful perfume! EDIT: I have had to buy many back-up bottles of this because it’s limited edition/discontinued and it’s too good to live life without. It lasts ages, emanates steadily without feeling pushy, and is just generally wonderful.

As a die-hard fan of La Vie est Belle, I would never have guessed that this L'Extrait flanker was a member of that family - the sweet bomb is now a complex mystical creation. On my first spray I smell a lovely incense, slightly sweet and spicy, and a deep and dark rose. The oud is light and tolerable for me - so precisely blended with all the other notes, giving them a honey hue that exudes richness and finesse. The exquisite combination exudes elegance, leaving a trail of floral and gourmand notes that unfold beautifully throughout the day. It is slightly reminiscent of Iris Absolu, but much deeper and denser, woody, oud, sophisticated. The scent on my skin lasted a little over 5 hours, and on my hair more than 10 hours, I even smelled a delicate scent the next morning. A perfect autumn-winter warm fragrance! And the bottle is more than wonderful - luxurious and shiny.

La Vie Est Belle l'Extrait (2023) Probably the most intriguing LVEB till date, with the sweetness from ethyl maltol (mercifully) dialed down a few notches compared to its prior reincarnations. I prefer this to Iris Absolu, wherein the cheap sour iris note has no sufficient counterweight. Here, all the tartness (yeasty iris, strawberry jam inflection from ethyl maltol) is anchored by a woody accord that Lancôme-in true Lancôme's insouciant fashion- confidently introduced as frankincense and oud. Whatever: the thing smells good from top to bottom, with little jagged woody ambers showing from its seams throughout despite the remarkable tenacity on skin. I'm reminded a little bit of the great Oud Bouquet, though l'extrait has neither great depth in its vanillic base nor the smoke.

It's sad that they discontinued this. I find L'Extrait and Iris Absolu to be the best iterations of this scent, better than the original and all the other flankers (at least the ones that I have smelled--there are so many). I suspect the relatively low rating on this one can be attributed to the oud, which is quite mild and not at all barnyardy, but I guess it's off-putting to people who love the traditional LVEB. For me this oud is barely perceptible, just an incensey aspect that combines with the frankincense and red berries to create a luxurious transparent veil around the very beautiful rose and iris pallida notes. The fragrance still has that recognizable LVEB DNA, but it's drier and smokier, like a niche reboot of the original. The bottle is quite beautiful, too.

This Extrait debuts strongly , except that it is the most masculine LVEB possible! Oud and incense with a dry harshness that I feel for 2-3 hours leaving no chance of affirmation for the other pyramids notes. It really has similarities with Scandal Gold, with its appearance of a Middle Eastern perfume. After this interval, it gradually diminishes, allowing the perfume to transform into something completely different, aka an unctuous and slightly sweet fruitiness. The sillage becomes minimal, you can barely feel it if you bring your nose into your wrist. It doesn't seem to have any reminiscence of the original, it's practically not a flanker. The bottle is beautiful, but in my case as owner of Scandal Gold, it is redundant to add it to the collection.

This one is an oddity. It doesn't smell like a perfume to me at all. There is no LVEB DNA in this either. Oud is subtle but very recognisable, weirdly enough, I can not isolate any other notes aside from oud.If I had to name one, I'd say Iris...Yes, that is exactly what I'm getting from this, Iris and oud combo, which is interesting, but not necessarily perfumy at all. However, I like it. I am weird and this Extrait is weird enough for me. It is very niche, more niche than most niche offerings on the market. The bottle is beautiful too. I am not sure if I want it, if I get it it will be only because I want to own a bottle, not really wear it. Out of this and Iris Absolu version, Iris wins, bar none.

I keep trying to like oud, but so far the only oud I like is the mild nonbarnyard kind, and LVEB L'Extrait is the most ladylike oud I think I have ever smelled. Baby steps! I do love the way the dry woody notes interact with the iris. It cuts down on some of the sweetness in the LVEB DNA, and I think I prefer this to the OG, although it's about tied with Iris Absolu. Moreover, what a performer. I put this on hours ago, and it has dried down to a lovely, softer version of the opening, but it's still projecting like a demon. On a side note, stop assaulting us with those horrible mattress ads, Fragrantica! I will never buy one of those mattresses because their sales tactics are actively hostile.

I have several of the different LVEB's, my favorite is definetly the Iris Absolue. The LVEB L'Extrait is for me a mix between LVEB Blanche and Iris Absolue, but a bit darker and with a touch of spice. This is a beautiful scent, with a lot of personality and depth, more so than the OG. I hope Lancome continues down this road, the 2023 releases have been awesome (the Soleil was a big miss in my opinion, the En rose super boring) The Intensement from 2020 is one of my favorites, but unfortunately, as the juice darkens in the bottle as time passes, the scent also changes and gets less airy, which has not been my experience with any of the other LVEB's.

After debating for a while if i should buy this or Iris Absolu, i decided on L'Extrait. I received it yesterday, and as much as i found it odd when i first tested it, i actually realized it's stunning. Lancome created something eternal here, you would never gues that this perfume is a member of the La Vie est Belle family. If i had to describe in a short way, i would say it smells like a make up bag with a dash of oud in it. Gorgeous and ultra, ultra niche. Typical designer fume lover will not have ability to make friends with this one. If you expect LVEB, stay away from both L'Extrait and Iris Absolu. This is true, gold treasure.

This is classy! Wood, Rose, Iris, Red Berries... they’re all there. The accords come across as chalky, waxy, make-up with a somewhat sour chocolate oud. If I’m completely honest, at first I thought this would be a better fit in the La Nuit Tresor line. That said, L’Extrait fits in the *Lancôme* line up very well, with nuances of the afore mentioned, as well as a hint of the legendary Oud Bouquet (no smoke). I’m a lover of this flanker. For reference, I’m also lover the original, Intensément, and Iris Absolu. The LVEB L’Elixir version though- Ratchet, straight up.

This fragrance is incredible I have never smelt anything like this it’s delicious and warm and smells so classy I’m in love when I wear this people will stop me and ask what fragrance I’m wearing such a shame it’s only limited edition i wish it was made permanent I only have one 30ml bottle left as I could not find a 50ml anywhere the girls at work on the Lancôme counter have now associated this fragrance with me and said whenever they smell it they know I’m on the counter opposite them it’s definitely my signature scent I love it