Lancôme: a perfume house built around the rose
Petitjean presented the house's first five perfumes in 1935 at the Brussels World's Fair, and the following year launched Nutrix, the first Lancôme cream. The name comes from the Château de Lancosme in the Indre valley, and the golden rose of the logo recalls the rose gardens of the area. In 2020 the house acquired Le Domaine de la Rose in Grasse, an organically farmed estate where the centifolia rose grows, the "May rose" of perfumery, and it is to this estate that it ties the Les Ô collection.
Lancôme perfumes
La Vie Est Belle
Launched in 2012, La Vie Est Belle was created by Olivier Polge, Dominique Ropion and Anne Flipo, and the classic eau de parfum also comes as a refill, to top up the bottle you already own. La Vie Est Belle L'Elixir has a raspberry liqueur accord with violet leaf absolute and cocoa butter, while Rose Extraordinaire centers on iris concrete and three rose extracts. The same family also includes Vanille Nude and Iris Absolu. Finally, there are the Hair & Body Mist sprays, which offer a fresher take on the original and on Vanille Nude.
Idôle
In the Idôle family, Idôle Power is the first floral woody version, with creamy sandalwood and intense rose. Peach'N Roses is the fruity version, built on peach, and alongside them there is also Idôle Now.
Les Ô and Poême
The Les Ô collection brings together eaux de toilette each devoted to a mood, which the house presents as born at the Domaine de la Rose. It includes Ô Oui, built on Grasse rose, Ô Zenith and Ôver the Top. Poême is a composition of contrasts between the blue Himalayan poppy and the datura flower, with white and yellow flowers.
Face care: Génifique, Rénergie, Absolue
Génifique began as a serum in 2009. Advanced Génifique works on the skin barrier with probiotic fractions, the Sensitive version adds a concentrate with ferulic acid and vitamin E, and Génifique Ultimate contains beta-glucan, which the house recommends for skin recovery. Rénergie, on the other hand, is the anti-aging line. Rénergie H.P.N. 300-Peptide Crème combines hyaluronic acid, peptides and niacinamide, and the UVMUNE SPF50 version adds protection from long UVA rays. In the Triple Serum C.R.X., pure retinol is paired with other actives in a bottle with three separate chambers, while Rénergie Collagen+ Lift-Xtend Cream has a lifting-effect texture. For the sun there is the invisible UV Expert Supra Screen SPF 50 stick, designed for the neck and ears too. The Absolue line is based on rose extracts and includes Absolue Longevity The Soft Cream and the Absolue Longevity M.D. line. Finally, for dehydrated, stressed skin there is Hydra Zen, as a cream or a gel-cream.
Lancôme makeup
Foundation and complexion
A Lancôme foundation is chosen by coverage and finish. Teint Idole Ultra Wear SPF35 has full coverage and a natural matte finish, while Care & Glow SPF15 from the same line has buildable medium coverage and a radiant finish. Skin Idôle Supertint is a tinted serum with light coverage, and Shape Stick Foundation, a stick with squalane and vitamin E, goes from medium to full. To complete the base there is Care & Glow concealer, Skin Refining Setting powder, Teint Idole Shape Stick Blush, creamy and with a 19° sculpted applicator, and Shape Stick Highlighter for a glow effect.
Eyes and lips
For extreme volume there is Hypnôse Drama mascara, also in a waterproof version; Lash Idôle Flutter Extension lengthens lashes and Curl Goddess curls them. Idôle Goddess Dimension Mono eyeshadows are highly pigmented and come in glitter, satin and matte finishes. For lips, L'Absolu Rouge lipstick comes in Cream, radiant; Intimatte, soft-blurred matte; and Drama Matte, powder matte. Then there are Lip Idôle Juicytreat and Squalane Butterglow.
How to choose among the Lancôme lines
With perfume, the first choice is concentration. La Vie Est Belle, Idôle and Poême are eaux de parfum, Les Ô is a collection of eaux de toilette and the Hair & Body Mists are hair and body sprays. Then comes the note: in the original La Vie Est Belle it is iris with a gourmand accord, in Rose Extraordinaire rose with iris, in Peach'N Roses peach and in Idôle Power sandalwood with rose.
In face care, the house itself often states who a product is meant for. The Absolue Longevity M.D. protocols are divided for young, marked and mature skin, Rénergie Multi-Glow Cream is formulated for mature skin and Hydra Zen Anti-Stress day cream is suitable for all skin types, sensitive included. If you want sun protection in your cream, you can choose Rénergie H.P.N. UVMUNE SPF50 or Rénergie Crème SPF20.
La Vie Est Belle, Absolue la Crema Sublime Fondente and Rénergie H.P.N. 300 also come as refills, to top up the bottle or jar you already own. The rest of our makeup and skincare is in their own collections.
Frequently asked questions
Which Absolue Longevity M.D. cream should I choose?
Lancôme's Absolue Longevity M.D. line is divided into three protocols according to skin type. Anticipate is designed for young skin, Intercept for marked skin and Reset for mature skin, and Intercept comes both as a cream and as a serum. Outside the protocols there is Absolue Longevity The Soft Cream, the house's first cream with Absolue PDRN.
What does Lancôme La Vie Est Belle smell like?
La Vie Est Belle is a gourmand iris eau de parfum, launched in 2012 and created by Olivier Polge, Dominique Ropion and Anne Flipo, in which pale Florentine iris meets a sweet, edible note. The same family includes L'Elixir, Vanille Nude, Rose Extraordinaire, Iris Absolu and the hair and body sprays.
What is the difference between La Vie Est Belle and La Vie Est Belle L'Elixir?
La Vie Est Belle is the original eau de parfum, a gourmand built on iris. L'Elixir, by contrast, is a version the house describes as a velvety floral, with a raspberry liqueur accord, violet leaf absolute and cocoa butter, so the two share a name but take the fragrance in different directions.
What is the Lancôme Les Ô collection?
Les Ô is Lancôme's collection of eaux de toilette, which the house ties to Le Domaine de la Rose, its estate in Grasse, and in which each fragrance is presented as an emotion. It includes Ô Oui, built on Grasse rose, Ô Zenith and Ôver the Top, which the house presents as mood-boosting eaux de toilette.
What is the difference between Teint Idole Ultra Wear and Care & Glow?
Teint Idole Ultra Wear SPF35 has full coverage and a natural matte finish, with the Airwear technology the house offers for a second-skin effect. Teint Idole Ultra Wear Care & Glow SPF15, on the other hand, has buildable medium coverage and a radiant finish, and contains 82% hydrating serum.
What does Advanced Génifique serum do?
Advanced Génifique is Lancôme's face serum, which the house recommends to strengthen the skin barrier and make skin more radiant and even, thanks to a complex of pre- and probiotic fractions. It also comes in an Advanced Génifique Sensitive version, and for the eye area there is a dedicated Génifique eye cream.
What is the difference between Génifique and Rénergie?
Génifique is the Lancôme line based on microbiome research, with serums for radiance and the skin barrier, suitable at any age. Rénergie is the anti-aging line, with peptides, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide in H.P.N. 300, retinol in Triple Serum C.R.X. and SPF50 protection in the UVMUNE version.
Which Lancôme mascara is best for volume?
For volume there is Hypnôse Drama, with an S-shaped brush, also available in a waterproof version. Lash Idôle Flutter Extension separates and lengthens lashes, and Lash Idôle Curl Goddess curls them. To take mascara off, there is Melter Caring Mascara Remover.
What L'Absolu Rouge lipstick finishes are there?
Lancôme's L'Absolu Rouge comes in several finishes. Cream is creamy and radiant, Intimatte is a light, soft-blurred matte enriched with rose extracts, and Drama Matte is a powder matte with intense color. From the same house there are also Lip Idôle Juicytreat gloss and Squalane Butterglow tinted balm.
