Mauboussin Elixir Pour Elle

I’ve had this fragrance for a while and I never really got the comparisons to LVEB. I do have to say that I’ve only owned a LVEB shower gel and otherwise my experience is limited to testing it in store, I also don’t wear this fragrance very often as I lean more towards smoky/oriental/crypte/warm gourmand and everything that screams sex 😂 LVEB always felt more dry and powdery to me and fresher than mauboussin. On first spray I get a blast of orange and pepper. The pepper smells so fresh, and tingles my nose, the orange is sweet, but also tart and zesty if that makes sense. After a few moments the blackcurrant comes through and it all settles down juicy but elegant. I think there are some hints of the vanilla and oud in the background, but the orange, pepper and blackcurrant take the main stage at this point. It’s rate for me to recognise every note, but here I most certainly do. Slowly the flowers become to come through mainly the jasmine and the orange is completely blended in at this stage and not recognisable as a separate note. Slowly the blackcurrant begins to step back as well. The pepper stays for a long time, making this scent feel so sparkly and fun. It really hives this scent that little extra that makes it stand out between all the sweet, fruity florals. There’s a champagne like quality to it because of it. After some time the scent becomes more powdery, it’s the Iris and rose coming through, and at this point I finally recognise LVEB. Looking at LVEB’s notes that makes sense, because the top notes are completely different. LVEB intense does seem to have more similar top notes, but there’s the middle and base notes seem to differ. At this point (late middle notes) I do something I usually don’t do with fragrances with good longevity; I reapply. Now it hits me. It does smell like LVEB. When top and middle notes are mixed up and express themselves at the same time on reapplication, they do smell virtually the same! It’s interesting how the notes in this scent express themselves so individually that the similarities to LVEB can be hard to recognise without forcing the notes to mix up by reapplying. At times l’elixir smells like hard candy, then like raspberry champagne, then it’s soft en flowery. It’s very sweet, yet fresh and classy at the same time. It’s fruity without feeling juvenile. There’s a warm depth to out that keeps it grounded. In the base notes the praline and vanilla come through recognisable. I never really recognise the oud, but I think it’s very subtle and truly blended in from top to base and keeps the scent from becoming too much of a fruity flower bomb. Longevity and silage are good. The next morning there’s a delicious smell of praline on my clothes off the previous day. Some of the scent still lingers on my skin. If you’re into fruity florientals, this is a great affordable scent. Well worth the money if you like scents like LVEB. You probably don’t need both, but this is the cheaper option, and I don’t think it’s any less performance and quality wise than LVEB. It doesn’t smell exactly the same - in fact it can smell quite different at various stages - but it’s an excellent sister of another mother. I’m pretty sure it’s a safe blind buy, you can’t really go wrong with this, unless you dislike the scent profile. It can probably become cloying in warmer weather.

Where does the "L" in L'Elixir come from? I have a tester bottle that says simply Elixir, as in the photo above - no "L" preceding the word Elixir. Also, the note pyramid listed above is quite different from that printed on my tester. No pink pepper, no orange, no iris and no praline!! Here's what my tester bottle says: Top: Blackcurrant, Grapefruit, Lemon Heart: Jasmine Sambac, Rose, Violet Base: Vanilla, Oud Accord, Sandalwood That said, this is a lovely, thickly sweet, woody blend that is neither strictly floral nor strictly fruity. It is, indeed, an elixir... a potion of ingredients simmered until they've thickened into an aromatic syrup. I love Mauboussin Mauboussin (original) for its chewy patchouli, slightly bitter amber and dark plum fragrance that is more "dates & raisins" than plummy to my nose, but I must say that I find Elixir more appealing. Perhaps it's the absence of patchouli and the brightness of grapefruit and lemon that really differentiates Elixir from MM. These two are immediately recognizable as from the same family; perhaps MM is the somewhat cynical brunette older sister and Elixir is the optimistic and sweet young blonde sister. Both are gorgeous, interesting and appealing and definitely related but surely different from one another. A very, very heavy bottle with an unusual shape and a big, chunky ring on the cap. Feels good in the hand. Unboxed tester bottles like mine are available for about $31.00 shipped on that auction site. Grab one! Edit March 2020: Prices have risen but I found a gift set on Amazon (100ml each edp, lotion & shower gel) for less than the price of 100ml edp alone on fleabay. Do grab one before this beauty disappears forever or prices escalate into the stratosphere.

Wow! I can't understand why would people still buy Lancome la vie est belle while they can buy mauboussin elixir pour elle instead which is much cheaper, has great longevity and sillage and while being 90% similar,is better balanced I own and love four flankers of lancome LVEB:intense, edt,eclat & florale but I never liked the original LVEB. there's something in it that bothers me.maybe it's patchouli which doesn't blend well with fruits and tones of praline. Here,patchouli is replaced by woody notes. it says oud,but it's different with the usual ouds which I hate.what I can detect is dark,slightly smokey woody notes which make this scent so rich,seductive and opulent. praline isn't listed on tester bottle but I can feel a hint of something chocolatey and nutty.but not as much as LVEB.there's not much of LVEB's burnt sugar thing here.it's still heavily sweet.but it's sweetness is smoother and more pleasant.when first sprayed I can smell citruses which cut the sweetness but they fade away soon.there's also some light powdery floral note but the main actor is woods and vanilla.this is a very sexy scent IMO I bought a 3.4 oz bottle in a discount for 35$!a true bargain considering how strong it is.It's very longlasting(+10 hours) with really good sillage.I think it's best suited for cold weather or night wear It has a big,heavy and chic bottle and I love it's spray Highly recommend to whoever wants a warm,sweet and modern oriental vanilla which is budget friendly and has acceptable quality has to try it. ❤❤❤❤ Overall rate:9/10

Most of my perfumes are blind buys, and this was no exception. It is a beautiful, rich and complex Oriental fragrance which smells very expensive, but I purchased 100ml EDP from Amazon UK for less than £30.00 - money very well spent. I am not convinced that the notes listed by Fragrantica are correct, as I can smell oud in the drydown. Weegee (a reviewer below) has listed the notes from her tester bottle, which include oud accord in the base, which would explain it. It is not a harsh or medicinal oud, but very subtle and underpins the woods in the fragrance. Someone has compared it to Black Opium (which I also own); although I understand the comparison, I don't agree. Although sweet, Mauboussin Elixir, is not "cloying" as Black Opium; this is another reason I think Weegee's notes may be correct, as they include grapefruit and lemon which may "cut" some of the sweetness. There is also a slightly powdery quality to ME which may be coming from the violet listed by Weegee (or the iris listed by Fragrantica...?). I am not an expert at picking out notes, nor do I claim to be, but this perfume is VERY well blended. Sillage of ME is moderate, longevity is 12+ hours on fabric - it's less on skin, but I can still smell it on my forearms 9 hours or so after spraying. I liked this when I sprayed it on first receiving it months ago, but this has turned into love overnight. This is a genuine bargain - buy it now, before it's discontinued.

I have spent some time trying to get to the bottom of the Fragrantica puzzle regarding Mauboussin L'Elixir Pour Elle (there are two perfumes in the database with the same name, this released in 2015, the other in 2013). As far as I can ascertain, the other doesn't exist; I thought it may have been the same fragrance as this but in a limited edition bottle, but that can't be the case as the listed notes are different. The name on here is incorrect - it's actually Mauboussin ELIXIR Pour Elle (no "L" at the beginning of elixir) and I believe the nose who worked on this (as in the original Mauboussin Pour Elle) is Olivier Cresp. He isn't credited here, which is a shame; he is responsible for many perfumes which I absolutely love (including this one). The price of Elixir is gradually creeping up; my advice is to buy now. It is a beautiful fragrance, compared variously with Black Opium and La Vie Est Belle. I personally think it better than both in terms of longevity and complexity; it's also considerably cheaper!