Lancôme La Vie Est Belle Eau de Parfum - Floral Women's Perfume, 1 Fl Oz

Why it's worth it

La Vie Est Belle is the crowd-pleaser here: iris and patchouli wrapped in vanilla and spun sugar, sweet without turning into candy. It's the only full-size bottle among our picks, which makes it the sensible choice if you want to wear something daily and stop thinking about it.

This is the one most people simply like. The accord runs from iris through earthy patchouli into a warm vanilla and spun-sugar drydown, and it lands well across ages and tastes. Lancôme has kept it near the top of department store shelves for years, which tells you something about how rarely it offends anyone. If you're buying for someone whose taste you don't know, that matters.

Gourmand doesn't have to mean childish. The patchouli is what saves it. Without that earthy spine, iris and praline would tip into bakery territory; with it, the scent stays grown-up enough for an office. Owners describe it as comforting rather than sugary, and it's the sort of thing people ask you about in a lift instead of quietly opening a window.

From our review of 5 luxury perfumes for women, by Sarah Wright, Editorial Associate

What we like

• +This is the one most people simply like
• +Gourmand doesn't have to mean childish
• +It works across the whole year
• +A full bottle changes the maths

What to know

• –You will smell it on other people
• –The sweetness amplifies in warm, closed rooms
• –The bottle doesn't announce itself