Mr Hulot's Holiday

This one is a trip. Immediately after application, I was thinking "oof, I might have to scrub this." It was just very unpleasant and a bit dirty-smelling, which I assume is the "old leather" bit. But it quickly developed into something surprisingly light and airy. It very much captures the feeling of standing on a rock beach on an overcast day. Not a bright, sunny marine smell, but a breezy and refreshing one. Where this really shines, for me, is when it's layered. It gives any other scent a funky-salty-fresh vibe which is just delightful. As others have said, the longevity and sillage are low, but mixing it with another scent increases both. I particularly liked it with JM's Wood Sage and Sea Salt.

Pickd this up as part of a beach tester pack. It smells nice, exactly like the water you wash your watercolour paintbrushes in. 4.5/5 to me

I do smell the leather - but it's in the background of the salt and seaweed and water...I love this and find it transporting.

I actually really like this scent! It's subtle but I want to keep smelling it whenI wear it. Also, it smells a LOT like CLEAN Fresh Laundry to me!

Weirdly synthetic while at the same time evocative of a natural scene. Kind of like watching something in HD. It's fake and you know it but something about it makes you suspend reality for the fantasy of the moment. I don't know how anyone could wear most of CB's stuff but I do respect their artistic aesthetic.

A bright, green Fairly Liquid dishwashing soap kind of scent. It borrows some of the oceanic notes of scents like At The Beach but it strips away much of that scent’s nuance. "Calone without the headache," but there’s not much else to this one. It’s aerated and crisp, but largely characterless and becomes a mere whisper within minutes. This would be a great (albeit expensive) post-workout spritzer, but I get none of the intended effect of suitcases, algae etc. There’s something plastic-y lurking around in there, but that might just be coming from the dabber in the sample vial. That’s how faint this scent is. Despite how underperforming many of the scents in this line are (by design), I really appreciate the aesthetic. You just have to go into sampling CBIHP knowing that you're going to get something very different from standard perfume. He's the master of realism and subtlety, and that’s exemplified here.

When I first ordered a sample of this it broke in transit and the whole package had a sweet airy smell that I was confused by given the notes. I definitely get the salt right away, and something green that must be the seaweed. There is something of a smooth undertone that might be the leather. Mainly just salt. Gets sweeter as it goes, maybe the watery notes? It’s very freshw without being a generic “freshie”, would be nice in the really hot summer. I like the drydown better than the opening. I really like salt as a note and the dry down of this is lovely.

On first try, it’s a green water scent, like another ocean than mine. Bright and pleasant, no leather at all, but not the sea water I’m looking for. It is more like Hawaiian water or something. Clean, green, but not as much salt or sea weed as I’m used to in the PacNW. Second try, I’m wearing it opposite Demeter’s Salt Air and damn if it isn’t VERY CLOSE. CB has a few more green notes and more salt, but both share the same white floral center. Both are very pretty and neither are sea water. Oh, well, onto the next try.

I get what I could swear is lemongrass. That seems to be the predominant scent on my skin and it stays very linear. I never get the "old suitcases" part at all. CB usually nails it, but this one doesn't evoke anything in particular for me, it's just a fairly pleasant lemony scent. I don't dislike it, but there's not enough happening to make it full bottle worth for me. If this is your first CB scent, be sure to give others a go because I don't feel this one is representative of the house at all.

the only woodsy notes in this are papyrus wrappings soaked in vinegar and salt that read "Fin's Fish n' Chips." the sea water, seaweed, pebbles and driftwood are blowin in the wind at the opening, jostling a few long eyebrow hairs into sticky sweat beads over the crest of a pair of reader lenses fixed in place by leather eyeglass straps. the whole thing includes umbrella coverage with a zinc block of +35 for good measure.

CB is surely a funny brand. I like their visionary concept, I like their descriptions and love the perfume absolute bottle and packaging but very often I don't like very much their scents. Inconsistent and fresh in a very ordinary way. Mr. Hulot's Holyday is ok but nothing special, really. No old suitcase, sorry :( Rating: 5/10

Very simple beach type of scent. Reminds me a lot of "Beachy" by Lily Pulitzer actually. Or Salt Air by Demeter a little bit. If you like nice, clean, fresh beach type fragrances this may be for you. Nice....but honestly you can find so many similar perfumes that give the same feel for a fraction of the price.

I'd describe this as the mature cousin of At The Beach 1966. It's a little sharper and fresher, and makes me think of light blue skies and sandy beaches. I prefer the slightly more sparkly At The Beach, but this is still a pleasant summer fragrance.

Didn't remind me of holidays, but of a nostalgic place in the past, close to the sea. Has a distinctive animalic / organic scent, more appropriate for men than women. Melancholic and blue...

Very evocative, very ephemeral. Absolutely not worth the money. Oh well.