We don’t get sick from smelling it and it does not have to be up close. People who get sick from exposure are not getting sick because of the smell.
1 Like
Yes, I realize that. I was merely saying that I am not a heavy sprayer and don’t wear heavy hitter type fragrances. They just aren’t to my taste.
Even if people didn’t wear any perfume there would still be a lot of fragrance out there to which people with fragrance sensitivities would be exposed. The vast majority of fragrance in the air is not from personal fragrance/perfume, but from all the other scented products out there-- from cleaning products used in homes and businesses, to laundry products used by everyone, to commonly used personal care items (shampoos and other hair products, body washes/soaps, antiperspirants, lotions and creams etc.)
Balancing my use of personal fragrance, I buy fragrance free body wash, hand cream and body lotion; unscented dryer sheets (and I used to use BJ’s free and clear detergent until they stopped selling it.) I also don’t use hair products other than my shampoo, which has a very mild scent. I don’t use any home fragrance or Febreeze and don’t burn candles. I don’t actually put out a lot of scent when I’m in public.
And if I knew that someone I associated with had sensitivities, I would be extra careful around them.
I’m sorry to read that you have such severe reactions. Do the fragranced products used in public buildings bother you-- e.g. public restrooms, etc?
This topic has been discussed at length on a fragrance forum I participate in. Unfortunately there is no solution that suits everyone.
1 Like
I also wear Pure Grace. My daughter’s middle name is Grace and she picked it out for me years ago and I’ve worn it since. I agree that it’s really clean and subtle smelling.
1 Like
Even when I lost my sense of smell and couldn’t ID why, I’d have allergic reactions to strong scents and other allergens. It’s wrong for someone to say what another person’s body is or is not reacting to.
2 Likes
This is what I meant when I wrote that sensitive people aren’t reacting to a smell. In that sense, it may not matter whether it is a" light scent."
Laundry detergent and dryer sheets may actually be the most frequent problem for me.
Morning tai chi classes can pose issues because that is when people have washed their hair, put on creams, deodorant and aftershave. I move to the far side of the room, or leave.
Noone is judging anyone here. Just trying to educate. It’s not the smells! Smells are just warning signs.
3 Likes
Yes, dryer sheets cause my H to break out in hives. We use unscented detergent and wool balls we bought from Trader Joe’s in the dryer. They work great to help reduce drying time and don’t cause any of us to have issues.
It is true that I have no idea where the scent a person has comes from—detergent, deodorant, perfume, fabric softener, moisturizer or whatever. It could also be the cleaner used in the building or wherever. It’s tough when folks are very sensitive, and increasing numbers of folks I meet are. I prefer to be as unscented as possible, all the time.
1 Like
No. Scents give my headaches. I can’t even walk by the perfume counters in department stores without feeling sick.
2 Likes
And don’t get me started on the smells of Lysol and PineSol. We stopped using them years ago and only use vinegar now to clean.
3 Likes
I don’t feel dressed if I don’t put on perfume. Light and fresh scents, like Jo Malone Freesia and English Pear, are my favorites. I assume they are light as it seems the only time I get comments (and then compliments) are when someone hugs me.
For me, nice scent - not just on my body - is a joy. I actually look forward to showering with a body wash or soap I like! Or smelling clean laundry. Or walking into a home where something is cooking. I’m sympathetic to folks who are sensitive, not just for the challenges that they have to deal with in a world where so much is scented but for missing out on a sensory experience that can perk up the mundane.
7 Likes
We could start a whole other thread on places where scents are an issue…like Yankee Candle…
2 Likes
Well, I do enjoy the smells of baking and most cooking. (Fish smell makes me gag, though. Literally gag.) And the smell of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cooking onions, stew, and so forth. It’s the fake “floral” scents that I find appalling.
1 Like
Yup. I have to go to the other side of the mall walkway from Yankee Candle, B&BW, etc.
1 Like
I agree with this. Santal 33 is the only scent I can tolerate. I love this scent!
I wore perfume daily pre-pandemic. Now I don’t get close enough to people for them to smell me. 
3 Likes
No. Just bath and body works sprays for me.
2 Likes
I love these sprays, but I feel the scent doesn’t last long at all.
When baking spritz cookies yesterday, I realized that I really love the smell of almond extract. Alas, it would not be appropriate as perfume. But I may need to consider a scented candle for self (wrapped some up for gifts this year - sugar cookie, pumpkin spice etc).
The comment about almond extract reminds me of the blanched almond/heliotropin scent that Shop Rite pumps into their bakery area to induce people to buy baked goods. While it smells yummy, I’m not in favor of this practice.
1 Like
If I lived alone, I’d keep an open jar of Vicks Vapor Rub on my dresser. I love the eucalyptus smell.
But alas, I don’t live alone.
3 Likes
Yes, but not as often as I used to. Hermes Un Jardin sur Nil is my favorite. I don’t wear it when I know I’m going to be close to other people or where scents are discouraged.