Every time I tell myself I will resist the pull of the big fragrance houses, they manage to lure me back in. This time it was Lancôme’s La Vie Est Belle Vanille Nude. I went in skeptical, came out with a bottle, and now here we are.
La Vie Est Belle Vanille Nude was created by Anne Flipo and Dominique Ropion, both highly respected master perfumers with long résumés in luxury fragrance. On paper it is a simple idea: marshmallow, vanilla, and jasmine from Lancôme’s own fields in Grasse. That last part is worth noting. Many niche brands tout artisanal values but outsource their manufacturing. Lancôme, for all its size and commercial polish, is vertically integrated. They grow, harvest, and produce in-house, which is more than you can say for many labels that sell at double the price. The price here is fair, although I would not mind if it were a touch lower.
The fragrance itself is beautiful. The opening is soft and luminous, the marshmallow lending a cotton-candy haze that feels indulgent without tipping into sugar overload. The jasmine is fresh yet warm, quietly weaving through the vanilla so the sweetness never turns flat. According to the press release, the formula includes a longevity ingredient, and on my skin that promise held true. It is not a scent that announces itself across the room, but it stays with you, close and comforting, for hours. It clings to clothes and hair, creating the kind of gentle trail you catch in the evening and smile at.
Notes:
- Top: Marshmallow, Bergamot
- Heart: Jasmine (Grasse), Orange Blossom
- Base: Vanilla, Benzoin, White Musk
If I have a gripe, it is the cap. For a fragrance this pretty, the closure feels like an afterthought. The bottle itself is lovely. And perhaps, instead of pouring money into celebrity endorsements, Lancôme might have invested in elevating that final tactile moment when you pick up the bottle.
This release also arrives at a moment when vanilla is enjoying a renewed dominance in the fragrance world. For fall, I am seeing a clear shift toward stronger gourmands, plush nut accords, and confections with a grown-up finish. Cotton candy is drifting back into perfumery, but not the neon fairground kind, think spun sugar over soft woods, praline, and cream. In that landscape, La Vie Est Belle Vanille Nude feels right on trend. It is plush, sweet, and feminine, yet grounded enough for daily wear.
So is it overrated or underrated? For me, it is neither. It is exactly what it sets out to be: a comfortable, elegant vanilla that celebrates its sweetness without apology. And sometimes, that is reason enough to let yourself be won over, even by the giants.
Tell us, have you smelled La Vie Est Belle Vanille Nude? Did you like it?
Elevated Classics Classification:
- Primary Category: Designer
- Secondary Tags: Vertically Integrated, In-House Production, Owns Raw Material Fields, Mass-Produced
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