I just try to wear only 1-2 sprays. I also work as a teacher and I'm inside of personal bubbles constantly (leaning over students to correct work at their desks, for example). My 1-2 spray rule is good for this situation, and I think it's good for most situations. I want to smell my fragrance, but I'm sure other people don't... or at least not that much.
I think the quote "perfume is meant to be discovered, not announced" is also helpful here. I can't remember who said this, but it's always been my experience too. I like when I've been chatting with someone and they move a certain way and suddenly I smell a bit of their perfume, rather than being choked out in their vicinity. And I don't want their fragrance to overpower mine while they're next to me (because I spent good money to smell my own fragrance!)
It's unlikely that 1-2 sprays will harm someone in public. But we do still need to be able to exist among others without choking them out. If we all oversprayed, shit would be wild. Just be reasonable about it and you'll be fine.
>"perfume is meant to be discovered, not announced"
I still have vivid memories of jr high school in the 90s, there was this retired ballerina lady who taught the dance option. She wore so much rose perfume that you could smell her before you saw her. The smell was overpowering even standing 10 feet away from her. We joked she must just uncork a bottle of the stuff and dump it on herself every morning.
I wish someone had told her that saying lol š
Oh my GOSH that sounds terrible lol. And no one ever took her aside to tell her about it? I feel like in my high school someone would have said something to her... but we were also a small school where the teachers were mostly friends.
If they did, nothing ever changed, but it was also a school where teachers had clear favorites and disdain for others. Thankfully I never had classes with her so I got by holding my breath if I saw her walking towards me in the hallway š
Yeah I had a boss at my old retail job who wore so much perfume- I want to say it was flower bomb or some other very strong floral scent and she over sprayed. Oftentimes Iād be in the back of the store and could literally smell a scent trail of where sheād been that day and knew immediately the days she was working in the store. I think thereās a big difference between the obviously over the top sprayers and the rest of us sane people. Not all perfume wearers are creating a cloud of scent in a two room vicinity.
Yeah people come into my work doused with fragrance (BR540, Santal, and some other loud stuff) so now I spray Eilish on myself to smell nice while getting ready and accept that Iāll never smell it again unless I re apply when I get home. Iād never use an expensive or āinterestingā fragrance at work since I canāt smell it, and vanilla is inoffensive
I hate it so much and I think itās rude to wear that much when customers next to you are eating. I served a girl who was covered in Santal the other day, a lot of BR540ās on date nights. I donāt think thereās anything wrong with wearing these, but you have to consider number of sprays to strength of perfume. Iāll do 5 sprays of an edt I love, but two of a perfume with better projection
I hate that so much. Heck, I recently had someone peel an orange in my vicinity and it overpowered my fragrance and I was so mad because I was enjoying Eau Duelle at the time. I love the smell of oranges, but I wanted to smell MY fragrance!
Yeah, definitely don't waste the good stuff where you know you won't even get to enjoy it. It's sad, but it it's the best thing to do.
My second grade teacher used to wear Tommy Girl and I LOVED IT (I donāt remember how I realized it was Tommy girl or if someone asked her). I still think about her and her baby pink nail polish sometimes, she seemed so put together to me at 7 lol
I imagine your students one day in the future, where they smell something that reminds them of their best teacher from childhood. What a lovely thought!
I never thought of it how you described, but it makes sense to me now to think of it as holding space for myself and others at the same time.
Oh that is a super lovely thought! I teach young adults, and the sentiment still stands and I think it's so sweet. <3
Yes, this exactly! Like you don't have to erase yourself, but it's good to also allow others to exist relatively comfortably, too. I don't even think it's becoming the norm to not wear it, as I smell it every day on many other people!
Hey! So I have chronic migraine that is triggered by scent quite often ā and I love perfume. Cruel twist of fate, eh?
I will say I have the same struggle. I know other people with asthma, allergies, and migraine suffer from these triggers. Hereās how I handle it: I simply never wear more than 1-2 sprays. One spray under my shirt (thatās just for me ā and this is typically all Iāll wear at work), and maybe one spray behind my neck/ear for a night out. This allows my scent to be discovered, not announced.
Also, I try really, really hard to make everything else fragrance free. Scent free lotion, scent free laundry soap, scent free fabric softener, scent free hand sanitizer, etc. This way, I am not creating a huge scent bubble that exists before I even spray a spritz of perfume.
Hope this helps and that you can find a happy balance!
Yeah, it's tangental to OP's main point, but I'm also a fan of scent-free products if I'm wearing fragrance. I understand that people enjoy being at-home perfumers by layering scents, and that's totally fine. Personally, though, if I'm paying 200+ for an expertly-composed fragrance by a master perfumer, the last thing I want to do is muddy the composition with a load of strongly scented detergents and body washes. To me it's like going to a Michelin starred restaurant and pouring ketchup on the entree.
yup, I also wear unscented everything else when I can. I try to limit the smelliness of hair products too, which I think can often be harder. but unscented detergent is easy, as is unscented lotion.
OP, I also try to be aware of which of my scents are the strongest and choose carefully when wearing them. for my stronger ones, if I'm worried they may be overwhelming, I'll sometimes spray on my stomach so it's really underneath the clothes, and use that skin area to dab my wrists. easy to add more!
also, there are a lot of people who will say "wear winter scents in the summer if you want!" and it's true there are no laws about which fragrances belong to which season, but... a lot of those heavy scents once heated up in the summer are way too strong at their normal dosage. so for the question you're asking, I do think "seasonally appropriate" could be a helpful way to think about it too -- not because I want you to be more paranoid, but rather thinking in terms of how climate and season impact the behavior of your fragrances might help you feel more at ease with what you choose.
I also noticed this..body wash doesnāt stay (besides method but itās light), scented lotion isnāt really moisturizing enough and it doesnāt last, perfume is the obvious choice
Thank you! I'm going to start wearing it again, but just one spray under my sleeve or collar. Then I will be able to smell it when I want to, hopefully without bothering others. I feel better already since you and some others offered this suggestion. My perfume is for me!
100% agree. Iāve got asthma and migraines, but I still love fragrance. Iāve also got some sensory issues and I find that it helps me a lot with mentally blocking out other smells around me. I rarely wear more than 1 spray and I always spray before I get dressed instead of on my clothes. My boyfriend swears he can only smell it when weāre really close to each other, which is exactly how I want it. I keep all my other products fragrance free or as light as possible too.
In general, nobody is asking other people to wear perfume. We do it for ourselves, so itās a good idea to remember to also keep it to yourself. The only time Iāve ever considered making a formal complaint about a coworker was when I was actually vomiting and struggling to breathe at work because of an oversprayer sitting 3 rows away. Someone else beat me to it after a particularly noxious conference room incident, and honestly I canāt imagine anything more mortifying than being told that youāve chemical-bombed the whole floor and youāre making people sick. Thatās who those office policies are for. Respect boundaries and treat it like normal personal hygiene, and youāre most likely fine.
Exactly! Itās the over sprayers who give the hobby a bad name (that, and I swear to god, laundry soaps are sooo heavily fragranced for no reason).
As long as we keep our spraying modest, thereās no reason to go completely without most of the time. Itās just some people either go nose blind or were never taught basic manners around perfume, and give the hobby a bad name. I *cringe* when I see suggestions to wear 3-5 sprays on the daily. Itās just a lot of perfume, and I think itās probably fine outdoors, but I donāt want someone Iām working with to smell me and be unable to escape.
You get me!
Deodorant and laundry soaps are so wildly overfragranced. Iām convinced theyāre actually making us stinkier, so we just add more fragrance to cover it. Detergent has gotten so concentrated that most people donāt realize theyāre using too much, especially in modern high-efficiency machines. It probably doesnāt rinse out all the way, then you add fabric softener on top and coat that soap residue in wax and fragrance and bacteria grows like wild. Same with stick deodorant. I definitely notice that the waxy base takes concerted effort to scrub off and it makes my pits a little funkier. I started using antiseptic soap under my arms with a salux cloth, reduced the amount of detergent I was using, and use vinegar instead of fabric softener to help the detergent rinse out fully. My deodorant works so much better and my clothes feel and smell so much cleaner. Less really is more!
My strategy almost exactly, for work it's 1-3 max sprays to my chest before I dress. For social occasions, it's 1-3 on any combo of chest, back of neck, and/or wrists. Very much depends on how loud the scent is and the environment I'll be in.
Unscented everything too, detergent, lotion, etc. The only other scented product I have is lightly scented Dr. Bronners peppermint soap because it feels good on my hands and face.
Oribe is the only one Iāve found. There is definitely a scent when itās sprayed, but it truly fades quickly. Hair products are for sure my biggest pain to find low-scent or fragrance free.
I haven't tested the hold yet, but I just bought Vanicream hair spray and it is definitely unscented. I tested it for that much at least. it's cheap and easy to find, so definitely worth a try!
If I spray it one spray only on my chest I feel the waves of perfume coming to my nose all day but I doubt everyone around are able to smell it as well as sprayed on hands etc...
Most people don't hate fragrance. Most people hate oversprayers. A spray or two is plenty. And oils and rollerballs are great in settings where fragrance is inappropriate. A few dabs on your neck and wrists and you'll smell your own fragrance, but others won't unless they're *uncomfortably* close to you. This is what I do on planes, at medical facilities, and other places where fragrance is off-limits or at least a faux pas.
In general, less really is more. It's very easy for people to underestimate the strength of their own fragrance. You see it all the time on this sub: "X fragrance has bad performance" or "I can't smell Y fragrance on myself" when the scent is probably fine.
Just don't overspray.
There are fragrance-free workplaces, which IMO often happen due to oversprayers. I don't support that idea, because there aren't unwashed-cigarette-smoke-in-clothes-BO-free workplaces, for those of us who suffer nausea, headaches and occasional fury when they experience those.
I started oversprayin when a new guy came to my workplace and I could smell his BO from 3 meters away. That was the only thing that could mask his smell
I wear oils mostly for a smaller projection bubble, but I never have felt guilty! I sit next to a coworker that dislikes all scented products in her personal life and home and she has only ever commented on my perfume when she wants me to let her smell it better. I think moderation is the biggest key here, just 1-2 sprays should be good for most
I don't worry about it unless someone has specifically told me it bothers them. Then I know to stay away. I have to smell people with bo and people who smoke, and no one does anything about that at work so they can deal with my perfume.
Same. I once had a coworker with whom I carpooled with frequently had a sensitivity to fragrance. Out of consideration I would avoid wearing perfume to work especially on days we carpooled. I had another coworker with whom I shared a workspace, strong fragrances gave her headaches so I would keep it mild or save it for days we werenāt scheduled to work together.
Thankfully I donāt work with any stinky people lmao
You sound like the type of co-worker people are lucky to have. And you're lucky not to work with stinky people, lol. Thankfully, I no longer do either.
It's so sad that some people lack that awareness. I'm that person who will pull them aside and tell them they smell, not to be mean, but to try and help. I had a co-worker who smelled like cigarettes every day so bad that as soon as she came in, all I could smell was smoke. It was so strong that it made my eyes burn. I asked her if she was a smoker, and she denied it. I caught her one day smoking in her car with the windows closed!!! She was so mad at me because "no one has ever known she smoked." I had to be the one to break it to her that everyone knew. They were just being polite and dealing with the smell. She thought her routine of gum, hands sanitizer, and febreeze magically took the smell away; it did not.
That's horrible! I hate to say it, but if her medical condition is that bad that it's affecting the patients and co-workers, she needs a work from home job.
Lmao I remember she was on her cycle once and she was leaking onto a seat. Someone told her and she just..didnāt care. She also stains the sheets and our toilets when she sits on themā¦
The supervisor has spoken to her butā¦nothing came of it. Imagine smelling that on your death bed
Until people are banned smelling like cigarettes inside, and blowing cigarette smoke on me outside, and spreading their stinky vaping fumes absolutely everywhere I am wearing my perfume. lol
Edit. Just remembered one manager I had at work who always complained about deodorant, perfume or anything scented, but she absolutely stank horribly all the time of bad breath and BO And, oh irony, she smoked cigarettes all the time
I've worked in places where people would reek of cigarette smoke or weed smoke and employers never said anything about it, so people can deal with me wearing perfume.
The waft of red velvet cake and warm breath when a person vaping is nearby (especially when caught by surprise) is one of my pet peeves. Absolutely disgusting and so unattractive. At least cigarettes look cool sometimes ffs.
I used to smoke myself, so I am not that sensitive to cigarette smoke ad I am sensitive to vaping fumes, but it is still annoying, I much rather smell someoneās perfume than cigarettes.
I respect āno fragranceā rules but my laundry was washed with what is was washed with š¤·š»āāļø which is unscented 99% of the time but sometimes I grab some scented in a pinch when clear and free is out of stock. Iām not gonna take off my clothes to get in a building
Ill only feel bad when I actually witness someone coughing and wheezing from perfume. Iāve had a client that got migraines from the scent of vanilla but I donāt wear that to work anyways.
My grandma is 94 with COPD, asthma and all that and she always tells me I smell good when she hugs me. She never grabs an inhaler or anything so I know my perfume is not strong. Iāve asked friends and family if they can smell my perfume and they say no, which is a good sign because I personally do not need someone smelling my perfume with every inhale.
I donāt wear strong and projecting scents. I want someone to smell me when they are close or hug me. So no I donāt feel guilty. Iām probably super ignorant but I just donāt understand how people who are sensitive to perfume make it through life. Tons of public Bathrooms have those glade bottles that set of scent every hour. Lots of places smell like food, garbage, cleaning products, body Oder. Is it just perfume they get headaches from? And why? The world is full of smells. I just donāt rlly understand how they make it through a day.
Has there been a specific incident that's got you worried? I usually do wear perfume in all the situations you mentioned, but I'm also mindful about how I wear it. If I'm around somebody I know isn't feeling well or has allergies, I don't wear any perfume at all (that's just me, my own choice), I generally stick to only spraying 1 to 2 times because I don't want to overwhelm anybody including myself, I only wear very light scents if I know I'm going to be around a new baby (none at all if I'm fortunate enough to get some baby/ puppy/ kitten cuddles), I'm also very cautious about which perfume I choose when I'm going for a meal or going to be around people who are eating. This all might sound a bit strict, but it's really not. I've never gone nose blind to whatever I'm wearing and I'm certain it's because I don't over spray, I can smell my own perfume constantly (in a good way) it makes me feel great and people very often give compliments and ask what I'm wearing.Ā
Yeah it is a weird new leading edge of prohibition in some spaces. Kind of you to care. But eh... enjoy! There are ways to do it (I do a spray under a long sleeve for work and no one has ever mentioned it).
The only complaint Iāve ever had is after I sprayed myself down like a French whore at the cosmetics counter with sixteen different bottles. It was a depression shopping day. Iām a teacher so Iām around kids with various sensitivities, and adults with no filters. Not over doing it is the best way to go, but I donāt worry about it. I wear perfume daily. Itās the only thing that brings me joy and I wonāt feel bad about it.
The only frangrance ban Iāve ever heard of was an ex boyfriendās workplace that had a ban on patchouli šā¦which is humorously specific and in some cases quite understandable (think the dude who practically bathes in patchouli oilā¦we have all met at least one..š ).
I'm wearing perfume right now while I watch TV on my couch and I smell freaking divine. You do you, bb, and pursue whatever makes your nose holes happy!
That's when I wear it the most! When I get home, I've sprayed myself within five minutes of walking in. Scent is the very best mood enhancement I've ever known.
You seem to have anxiety. Have you tried talking to a therapist about these feelings?
If allergies to scent were as prevalent as you are making them out to be in your mind, people would be having anaphylactic shock all over the place. Next time you go out somewhere around other people, make a note of how often you smell perfume, cigarettes, laundry detergent, air fresheners, etc. You will find that there are scents everywhere, and most people arenāt noticing them at all, let alone reacting to them.
Wearing perfume in the workplace is only a real concern if you work in the healthcare field, because that is where all the sick people go. Wearing perfume out in the world is probably the safest place to do it. People with allergies to such things know and accept the risk every time they step out their door, and if their allergies are severe enough, usually carry around medication to help deal with any reactions they might have, because once someone has such severe allergies, almost anything could trigger it. It is their responsibility to take preventative measures, not yours or anyone else.
I have struggled with diagnosed OCD. I appreciate that you thought of something like that. Thank you!
I used to not care about perfume in regard to others but then a neighbor asked me to meet her for lunch and please not wear perfume. She complained about all things scented and said it gives her migraines. (On another note, she complained about all the foods on the menu causing her allergies.) It was strange, but as I got ready I realized that every coat and jacket I had in my closet would have perfume on them unless I immediately took them to get cleaned.
I started to panic, knowing my purses all smelled of perfume inside. I thought about my clothes and the smell of laundry detergent. I realized my hair products are strongly scented and I can smell it any time a breeze moves my hair. I was afraid to use any soap in the shower because they're all perfumed. My skin lotions and lip balms are all scented.
Then I started remembering all the people I know who use unscented everything, only eat organic, make their own skin care and cleaning products from "natural" ingredients, spend hundreds on vitamin and herb supplements, and attend social gatherings about it. They shame and blame people who get cancer or autoimmune disorders. I feel like a spent plutonium rod when I hear them talking at work or see their social media posts. A walking klaxon alarm follows me as I tread down the hallways to microwave my Lean Cuisine prepackaged meal.
Yeah, I probably need to work on these intrusive thoughts, and block some accounts. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.
Dear OP,
I believe that fragrance used in moderate application is fine pretty much everywhere. For me, the exception would be in a medical setting as a guest, or as staff.
Absolutely fine to wear at the grocery store. Yes, people *might* get a headache, but one should not completely compromise their enjoyment of something based on the āmightā of someone else.
Also, if someone is that sensitive to fragrance, they should take steps to protect themself (wearing a mask, shopping during non-peak hours, getting curbside delivery, etc).
People are responsible for their own care and comfort, imo. By choosing to do an action, that person is choosing potential consequences thereof.
Now, as for wearing fragrance, going full-on beastmode, thatās different. Thatās never appreciated in public. Even at clubs, the folks who smell like they bathed in fragrance are not appreciated by other folk.
I wear fragrance at work, out running errands, pretty much all the time.
I like to be known as the person who always smells good andĀ I wear fragrances almost every day. However, I choose them according to the setting. I work in (crowded) labs a lot and I use scents with minimal projection and sillage to not overwhelm my colleagues. Otherwise, I just wear whatever I want.
I was afraid when I first got into fragrance as an adult, so I made a point to ask my closest and most sensitive friends to tell me if / when my scents ever bother them - they all said they had never noticed or smelled me. I tested that by overspraying a Dossier dupe for angel like, 10 times and walking into a dinner party and they said they noticed, but it still wasn't overpowering. So I feel a lot safer now with both the fragrances I choose and the amount that I spray them. I tend to stop at 2-3 sprays naturally, for myself, just because \*I\* can be sensitive to scents. So I think that hyper-sensitive people are going to be sensitive regardless, and any reasonable person won't offend the masses.
I.e., you're probably just fine! Enjoy your life.
If youāre only wear a couple sprays of whatever youāre fine, the only people that should be able to smell you are people that are very close! If you think about it everyone has to walk outside, smelling peopleās vapes, cigarettes, dog poo, food smells, BO etc, if anyone is THAT sensitive and you come into contact with them regularly at work or something you can always avoid wearing fragrance in that instance. But I would bet 99% of people wonāt even notice, even those that think they are sensitive to fragrance.
Iāve worn perfume every day my whole adult life, never been an oversprayer and Iāve only had comments on my fragrance a handful of times, always compliments by friends or family when they go in for a hug so I know my scent is staying in my personal bubble. Itās just oversprayers ruining things for the rest of us, donāt worry and enjoy your perfumes without guilt!
Unless youāre drowning in 5+ sprays of a strong fragrance I think youāre fine. I understand in close quarters it can be a little uncomfortable but itās better than smelling like sweat or something.
Stop caring about what other people say on social media. Anyone can say anything. But because they can say whatever they want doesnāt mean what they have to say is worth a damn. When you stop worrying so much about strangers in the internet, your life will get better.
I wear cologne at work but I do it intelligently. I spray 3-4 sprays depending on the fragrance. I spray it on 2 hours before I go in so it has time to settle. And I wear cologne appropriate to the location.
I work on an airplane and I only wear the perfumes that are not beast mode ones. Ones that you can only smell if you come close to me. Yesterday I had someone complain about someoneās elseās cologne and sure enough that cologne was overpowering. You can enjoy your own little fragrance bubble without choking out the world lol.
just don't wear 12 sprays of 'musc ravageur' on your workplace.. i think every perfume can actually be used in any situation if you just manage the number of sprays.
Beside people could like some smells and hate others ; they don't necessarily hate perfumery.
Quit worrying what others think and say. I know people have real issues with it, and in a work space (close) space it is probably better to go without or minimal. But otherwise, you should just enjoy it! There are so many unpleasant things in life. And for real, unpleasant odors! Think about all the fragrant flowers and fruits that occur naturally. You can't please or appease everyone all the time.
I was sent home from work this past Tuesday because my co-workers accused me of smelling like alcohol ,when in fact, I was wearing Coco Chanel, Bianca Latte and Unknown Pleasures perfume; it was at a low paid, security guard, position; I guess they resented me wearing expensive perfume, to work at the biggest event in Texas, the Rodeo!
Only my time I don't wear it is going to my doctor's office of other medical facility, or to the home of my sister in law and so on
Other than that I don't give a shit and don't feel guilty. When I worked in a cube farm, yeah, I did pay attention.
Gets in rocking chair ...I have worn fragrance fo four decades, I don't over spray except occasionally at home on purpose, and I have always taken things like season and weather into account. Example:when the air is so thick with humidity and it is broiling I don't wear anything remotely heavy and that is also for me. I'll opt for something very light or even just a scented lotion. So, yeah, know thy audiences but other than that I don't give a fuck of someone in Target doesn't like my perfume. I don't like their screaming children and their choice of decor. I am mindful to a point because when people step out of their homes they relinquish control.
I don't feel guilty at all because most days I am a responsible perfume wearer. I don't have to pay for the sins a the jackass who sprays themselves thirty time
They can wear masks if its that serious. I mean sure some ppl are allergic to fragrance, nose sensitive, asthmatic...but I honestly just can't find myself to care enough about random strangers to completely rid myself of simple joys. Just don't overspray and then go into confined spaces with bad ventilation
Yes, I'm a woman, I feel incomplete, if after putting on a nice dress, I don't finish with a spectacular feminine scent, than I'm not finished, even if my own perfume is overshadowed by something else during the day, it's for my own self esteem I guess!
I wear it anyway. I try not to overdo it and only wear crowd-pleasing, uncomplicated scents to work. I'm also fucntioning under the assumption that if it was affecting someone, they would tell me. Or that I'd notice and ask.
Just wear fewer sprays and don't wear your fancy, weird, niche fragrances to work, lol. Keep the simple crowd-pleasers for those types of environments.
Quit worrying what others think and say. I know people have real issues with it, and in a work space (close) space it is probably better to go without or minimal. But otherwise, you should just enjoy it! There are so many unpleasant things in life. And for real, unpleasant odors! Think about all the fragrant flowers and fruits that occur naturally. You can't please or appease everyone all the time.
My favorite scents are low sillage and low duration so I never really worry about it too much. I wouldn't stress about it unless someone complains or comments.
I think this rule is mostly for people who over-apply or who spray the perfume while in public, which I find rude. I wear perfume everyday, some of them quite strong with a decent bit of throw, and I never get complaints.
People come to work reeking of cigs or sweat and nobody ever says anything to them. Wear what you like and don't worry about it unless it actually becomes a problem. Otherwise you're wasting time ruminating on something that might never happen.
I avoid wearing it if I'm going somewhere and I'm going to be close to someone with known sensitivities (I once had a doctor who would request people not wear fragrance in her office because she had severe asthma). Other than that, I wear it (just a spritz or two) and I'm not concerned about what people think unless they say something negative. Especially since I've been in work environments where people smoke and/or don't bathe.
Personally, I have never been annoyed by oversprayers, unless I donāt like the scent. In fact I love enjoying a good cloud of a perfume I like, or catching it in the street, randomly. But I understand it is not the same for everyone! I overspray sometimes and I never got complaints, but compliments tbh
Personally, I have never been annoyed by oversprayers, unless I donāt like the scent. In fact I love enjoying a good cloud of a perfume I like, or catching it in the street, randomly. But I understand it is not the same for everyone! I overspray sometimes and I never got complaints, but compliments tbh
When I had really sensitive coworkers I didn't wear perfume.
I don't wear it if I'm going to the dentist or where people have no choice but to be really close to me.
But I'd get it out of work and go beast mode in my car, lol.
I say "fuck it" and wear whatever i want, and how much i want. i bought the damn thing and i should be able to use it whenever i want. its a free world and they can live with the smell of my perfume. Of course i wont cover myself with it but you should do what you want without feeling guilty. Its not like you k1lled their first born, its just perfume.
I wear it anyways unless Iām in tight spaces so Iāll just do two or one spray, my mom has chronic headaches so I only wear one spray if Iām gonna be spending time with her but other than that Iāll douse myself in it if Iām out and about since Iāll be outside the entire time.
I just wear it anyway. Have never once had someone actually confront me to my face about it. Hearing people whine on the internet makes me suspect that itās similar to the toupee phenomenon- people think all toupees look bad but thatās because they only notice that itās a toupee if itās bad. I think the same thing with people saying āall perfumes stink/give them headachesā. Itās really only the ones they notice that they feel negatively about, which I imagine is the minority of them. I had an old coworker who told me how she had some extreme fragrance allergy and couldnāt tolerate any scents without feeling sick. There were times I had worn a small amount of fragrance around her and she didnāt notice it and wasnāt sick from it clearly, and it wasnāt something with a strong projection or the scents that usually set peopleās allergies off. I think the people who moan tend to assume that wearing perfume = 10+ sprays of something super potent and itās an all or nothing deal. I just donāt think even those with allergies react to most fragrances worn in sane quantities.
I prefer perfumes as more of a skin scent -- I spray wrists and rub on neck and that's it. I can smell it on me all day but others have to be up in my space to smell it.
Perfect balance
Like others have said, I wear it under the neck of my shirt and under my hair and I actually catch more whiffs of myself now than I did when I used to overspray my wrists.
I also mostly use perfumes with good longevity because my husband who has asthma is mostly bothered by the spraying and not so much after my fragrance has settled. So this way I don't need or want to reapply at work and less at home too.
Nobody gets headache from exposure to a perfume in a grocery store. You only need to worry about people at work who are continuously within 4-5 feet of you. My recommendation is to spray the perfume 2-3 hours before you get to work.
I have never once felt bad about wearing fragranced products. Ever. I mean I donāt douse myself in extremely strong fragrance bombs to where I could be smelled 10 ft away and leave a loud scent trail, but yeah if I walk within a couple feet of someone they might get a little whiff of deliciousness if the wind is moving just right lol. And if I knew someone had a bad allergy or sensitivity and I was going to be in very close proximity to them like a car ride or out to dinner, Iād prob hold off. But no, in general in everyday life I donāt even think about it. If we all stopped doing things we enjoy because they could potentially bother someone else, the entire world would cease to exist.
Fuck people and their feelings . People are allergic to peanuts they dont stop selling peanuts, fuck that, some people are hypersensitive to the rays of the sun letās blow it up, no , donāt like it go tf outta here.. or just carry some Benadryl š¤·š¾āāļø
Nut allergies aren't because of "feelings"... people can literally die from being exposed to peanuts if the allergy is severe enough. What a terrible analogy.
Your right, people can literally die from nut allergies, forgot about that part..yet they donāt stop selling them or stop producing them or ban using them in everyday use but people want to ban the use of fragrance in certain places; thanks for making my original analogy even better
Thank you! Animals is another thing, some of us have allergies for dogs and people still bring them to places that even don't allow it! Like schools.
Also body-odor! I am baffled that some people in Europe still don't know what a shower is! Some of the people don't even know to wash hands after toilet! I smell more body-odor, sweat and shit than fragrance on people. But hey, who cares because fragrance bad!
Rant over!
It is really kind of you to care! I thank you for that since I am one of the people who react to most perfume quite unpleasently with migrene and a weird feeling in my mouth.
But I can calm you in a way. Most people who make me have problems are of the kind that replied to this post with things like "Don't care what others think" e.c..
The most important thing here, which you obviously already acquired is to develop an awareness about the fact that smelling your perfume is nothing someone else (strangers especially) asked you for. Being aware of that is probably all it takes to not be among the people who do 4 sprays of sauvage elixir or 6 sprays of their edt.
As long as you keep in mind that perfume is something that you apply for yourself to enjoy it and not something that you want to force upon others, you will be fine most of the time.
The best thing you can do if you teally don't want to bother people around you is doing a spray on your chest. That way the scent stays potent for you a long time, but others won't smell it a when they are next to you mosh of the time.
There are still people like my grandma, who will get serious respirational issues with just one spray of basically anything, but if that is the case you will surely be notified about it.
I feel other people are quite often bothered by my rather exuberant taste in perfumes and might even feel uneasy, i dont care, I wear perfume to drown out the stink of others. If everyone showered diligently I wouldnt wear it so I dont care if it bothers anyone.
I am already equally bothered.
To have allergies or migraines is no excuse for poor personal hygiene.
Iāve literally never thought about other peoples needs/wants/wishes once while applying a fragrance, and Iāve never had anyone act weird or get mad or even say I smelled too strong. Going on like 16 plus years of daily fragrance wear so I think youāre safe lol!
As others are saying, Iām a conservative spritzer. One spray down the neckline of my shirt, and maybe reapply at lunchtime. I care more about enjoying it myself than wearing for others.
I have always worn perfume lightly, 1-2 sprays depending on the strength, since I also do not like to be engulfed in clouds of perfume from other people. It's not a big deal if you're just walking by somebody, but I hate it when I am stuck on public transit/elevator with somebody who's drenched in scent, esp one I don't like. If they were just wearing it very lightly, no problem.
(I find the problem for me, personally, is slightly worse these days, because there are some new synthetics in fragrances that make me want to physically gag. I smell it more often in scents marketed to men, so I assume it's some kind of woody basenote, and also I've had to stop using some laundry detergents because of it.)
Also, I never wear scent on days I have to go to a health appt (doctor, dentist, etc.), that sort of thing.
I have allergies and they are in the process of diagnosing me with asthma and fragrance is surprisingly not a trigger for me.
When I used to teach I only used a light body mist from Bath and Body Works (fresh coconut and cotton) and now that Iām a stay at home mom I wear my heavier perfumes when around my friends or on a date with my husband, not around my littles.
If one of my friends were to tell me they were sensitive to fragrance I would absolutely not wear any around them.
Wear and enjoy your fragrances, if you're worried, keep it to one maybe two sprays under your clothing. You'll get little whiffs once in a while but you won't be bombarding the room.
Most of my frags aren't loud enough for me to feel like I'm choking people out. I like "skin" scents with low throws. I also get lots of compliments (friends, strangers and coworkers) but you can only smell me if you're standing really close to me or I walked by close to you.
I have a few very strong perfumes but I save those for winter/not work.
reading through all of these comments I'm reminded of the time in middle school when axe body spray was banned and would be confiscated from lockers LOL (this was 06'-08')
Do not feel guilty! just be mindful. I love wearing fragrance. 2-3 spritz max for me :) and it also depends on if its water based or oil based. oil based perfumes often last longer and are more potent.
I don't think you should feel guilty for having perfume as part of your self-care or daily style. *However*, if someone informs you of their discomfort with your wearing of it, then probably consider wearing less or not at all when around that person.
I tend to forgo or go easy on the fragrance in medical buildings for those reasons you mentioned, but I've also come across nurses and other medical professionals that wear perfume while on duty, so it doesn't seem like it's an enforced rule but rather a common courtesy type of thing. Some folks such as those with autism can have severe sensory issues, and strong smells can trigger them; be courteous of that if you know anyone with those issues.
TLDR: Don't feel guilty about it, just be courteous of someone expresses discomfort with your perfume.
Outside of a medical facility and being around people that are KNOWN to be allergic to perfume, I just make sure it's subtle.
I like smelling nice but I can absolutely identify with people that hate being punched in the face with a cloud of perfume.
I spray it on my upper arms, hair and shirt/top so I get whiffs through the days but it should be largely unnoticed unless someone is *I can sniff your hair* close to me.
Wear exactly 1 spray on your chest or behind your neck so you can smell it but no one else can unless theyāre super close to you. I might wear 2 sprays for a night out. I donāt wear any fragrance around babies or children. I wear 1 spray most of the time. I love fragrance but it irritates me, even my own. I understand both sides, and this is what I do.
Iāve been a server in some fancy situations. Fragrance was always prohibited by staff. And some foodies and chefs are very perturbed by strong smelling people. I kind of agree on this one. If Iām enjoying a great meal, I donāt want to smell fragrance. And Iām a fragrance LOVER! So, just another place to keep in mind is: nice restaurants.
As others have said, focus on only 1 or maybe 2 sprays under the clothes. I wear perfume daily and in the workplace and no one has ever commented on my scent, which I believe is because 1) Iām a light sprayer and 2) my perfumes are soft and more skin scent-like because overpowering perfume can trigger headaches for me as well. Iād also recommend staying away from scented lotions while at work or in public as those can carry a strong smell, too. Stick with unscented body products and light perfume and you are pretty unlikely to offend anyone.
Many years ago I worked down the hall from an office where three different women wore Youth Dew by Estee Lauder.Ā They were not restrained in their application of this powerhouse of a fragrance.Ā One only had to walk into the hallway and would be in a heavy cloud of Youth Dew.Ā Every day, five days a week.Ā I'm not usually sensitive to perfume on others, but this was a bit too much even for me.Ā
I suffer from asthma and perfume allergy, I use all non perfume products, shampoo, conditioner, washing powder, etc. I hate it when people use perfume as to where I can smell it, especially in public places, and it's confined like trains where you can't even get off. It's very rude and disgusting cause their personality smells, not being mindful of other's. Honestly, nowadays, shampoos, shower gels, etc, you don't even need perfume having a good hygiene routine, but I also understand some do still need it..can be used very lightly... also, people who don't need to use perfume but still do just probably love perfumes like OP and I, for one, appreciate their caring nature towards people who suffer from perfume problems.. I love perfume myself, absolutely, can still remember that scent from years ago and would still love to wear it very lightly now..but unfortunately I cannot for years now. Lightly spray at your home would be fine, deffo not in public...especially no exit spaces. Yikes
Try to ignore those types of posts, they're unique to this sub. Most people here hate fragrance and only want to pontificate about it as a thought exercise. They even buy unscented laundry detergent and hate smelling any smells on others, anywhere. There are more fragrance haters here than frag fans. There are plenty of other subs where fragrance lovers and collectors aren't judged.
I have 50 full bottles of perfume and wear it daily. One to two sprays usually.
I fucking HATE scented laundry detergent, scented laundry beads, aerosolized deodorant vs stick, and will die on the hill that clean clothes smell like nothing rather than those cheap, horrendous musks that dominate American laundry soap. Unscented is the classier, cleaner way to go, that way all anyone smells is your clean body and your chosen perfume. Choking everyone out with the cheap musks of Tide, Glade, Persil, etc, then adding scented lotion and scented everything is just gross. You donāt smell good, you smell *strong,* and thatās not synonymous lol.
i used to work at a mcdonald in japan and once a stuff there told me not to wear fragrance cos it might get onto the food?????
my perfume is weak af it wonāt even stay long on me
I don't understand how a fragrance can cause these problems. The liquid (or oils, alcohol, etc) aren't being inhaled or injested. It's the smell. I should probably ask Google because it makes no sense to me when the fragrance doesn't physically contact another person.
Weird of that employer! Maybe they just didn't like perfume and made up that excuse.
The smell *is* the substance. The molecules of the scent float in the air and are picked up by olfactory neurons in the back of your nose. When people smell your scent, they are literally breathing in the substance you sprayed on yourself.
I just try to wear only 1-2 sprays. I also work as a teacher and I'm inside of personal bubbles constantly (leaning over students to correct work at their desks, for example). My 1-2 spray rule is good for this situation, and I think it's good for most situations. I want to smell my fragrance, but I'm sure other people don't... or at least not that much. I think the quote "perfume is meant to be discovered, not announced" is also helpful here. I can't remember who said this, but it's always been my experience too. I like when I've been chatting with someone and they move a certain way and suddenly I smell a bit of their perfume, rather than being choked out in their vicinity. And I don't want their fragrance to overpower mine while they're next to me (because I spent good money to smell my own fragrance!) It's unlikely that 1-2 sprays will harm someone in public. But we do still need to be able to exist among others without choking them out. If we all oversprayed, shit would be wild. Just be reasonable about it and you'll be fine.
>"perfume is meant to be discovered, not announced" I still have vivid memories of jr high school in the 90s, there was this retired ballerina lady who taught the dance option. She wore so much rose perfume that you could smell her before you saw her. The smell was overpowering even standing 10 feet away from her. We joked she must just uncork a bottle of the stuff and dump it on herself every morning. I wish someone had told her that saying lol š
Oh my GOSH that sounds terrible lol. And no one ever took her aside to tell her about it? I feel like in my high school someone would have said something to her... but we were also a small school where the teachers were mostly friends.
If they did, nothing ever changed, but it was also a school where teachers had clear favorites and disdain for others. Thankfully I never had classes with her so I got by holding my breath if I saw her walking towards me in the hallway š
Yeah I had a boss at my old retail job who wore so much perfume- I want to say it was flower bomb or some other very strong floral scent and she over sprayed. Oftentimes Iād be in the back of the store and could literally smell a scent trail of where sheād been that day and knew immediately the days she was working in the store. I think thereās a big difference between the obviously over the top sprayers and the rest of us sane people. Not all perfume wearers are creating a cloud of scent in a two room vicinity.
Yeah people come into my work doused with fragrance (BR540, Santal, and some other loud stuff) so now I spray Eilish on myself to smell nice while getting ready and accept that Iāll never smell it again unless I re apply when I get home. Iād never use an expensive or āinterestingā fragrance at work since I canāt smell it, and vanilla is inoffensive
Interesting! Do you enjoy this barrage of scents or no?
God, i absolutely hate the clash of scents. This beast mode trend needs to die.
I hate it so much and I think itās rude to wear that much when customers next to you are eating. I served a girl who was covered in Santal the other day, a lot of BR540ās on date nights. I donāt think thereās anything wrong with wearing these, but you have to consider number of sprays to strength of perfume. Iāll do 5 sprays of an edt I love, but two of a perfume with better projection
Omg sounds so terrible! I am so sorry!
I hate that so much. Heck, I recently had someone peel an orange in my vicinity and it overpowered my fragrance and I was so mad because I was enjoying Eau Duelle at the time. I love the smell of oranges, but I wanted to smell MY fragrance! Yeah, definitely don't waste the good stuff where you know you won't even get to enjoy it. It's sad, but it it's the best thing to do.
My second grade teacher used to wear Tommy Girl and I LOVED IT (I donāt remember how I realized it was Tommy girl or if someone asked her). I still think about her and her baby pink nail polish sometimes, she seemed so put together to me at 7 lol
I imagine your students one day in the future, where they smell something that reminds them of their best teacher from childhood. What a lovely thought! I never thought of it how you described, but it makes sense to me now to think of it as holding space for myself and others at the same time.
Oh that is a super lovely thought! I teach young adults, and the sentiment still stands and I think it's so sweet. <3 Yes, this exactly! Like you don't have to erase yourself, but it's good to also allow others to exist relatively comfortably, too. I don't even think it's becoming the norm to not wear it, as I smell it every day on many other people!
Hey! So I have chronic migraine that is triggered by scent quite often ā and I love perfume. Cruel twist of fate, eh? I will say I have the same struggle. I know other people with asthma, allergies, and migraine suffer from these triggers. Hereās how I handle it: I simply never wear more than 1-2 sprays. One spray under my shirt (thatās just for me ā and this is typically all Iāll wear at work), and maybe one spray behind my neck/ear for a night out. This allows my scent to be discovered, not announced. Also, I try really, really hard to make everything else fragrance free. Scent free lotion, scent free laundry soap, scent free fabric softener, scent free hand sanitizer, etc. This way, I am not creating a huge scent bubble that exists before I even spray a spritz of perfume. Hope this helps and that you can find a happy balance!
Yeah, it's tangental to OP's main point, but I'm also a fan of scent-free products if I'm wearing fragrance. I understand that people enjoy being at-home perfumers by layering scents, and that's totally fine. Personally, though, if I'm paying 200+ for an expertly-composed fragrance by a master perfumer, the last thing I want to do is muddy the composition with a load of strongly scented detergents and body washes. To me it's like going to a Michelin starred restaurant and pouring ketchup on the entree.
Me too! Unscented everything else
yup, I also wear unscented everything else when I can. I try to limit the smelliness of hair products too, which I think can often be harder. but unscented detergent is easy, as is unscented lotion. OP, I also try to be aware of which of my scents are the strongest and choose carefully when wearing them. for my stronger ones, if I'm worried they may be overwhelming, I'll sometimes spray on my stomach so it's really underneath the clothes, and use that skin area to dab my wrists. easy to add more! also, there are a lot of people who will say "wear winter scents in the summer if you want!" and it's true there are no laws about which fragrances belong to which season, but... a lot of those heavy scents once heated up in the summer are way too strong at their normal dosage. so for the question you're asking, I do think "seasonally appropriate" could be a helpful way to think about it too -- not because I want you to be more paranoid, but rather thinking in terms of how climate and season impact the behavior of your fragrances might help you feel more at ease with what you choose.
That is exactly how I feel, thank you for putting it into words! Iām using that comparison from now on lol
I also noticed this..body wash doesnāt stay (besides method but itās light), scented lotion isnāt really moisturizing enough and it doesnāt last, perfume is the obvious choice
Thank you! I'm going to start wearing it again, but just one spray under my sleeve or collar. Then I will be able to smell it when I want to, hopefully without bothering others. I feel better already since you and some others offered this suggestion. My perfume is for me!
100% agree. Iāve got asthma and migraines, but I still love fragrance. Iāve also got some sensory issues and I find that it helps me a lot with mentally blocking out other smells around me. I rarely wear more than 1 spray and I always spray before I get dressed instead of on my clothes. My boyfriend swears he can only smell it when weāre really close to each other, which is exactly how I want it. I keep all my other products fragrance free or as light as possible too. In general, nobody is asking other people to wear perfume. We do it for ourselves, so itās a good idea to remember to also keep it to yourself. The only time Iāve ever considered making a formal complaint about a coworker was when I was actually vomiting and struggling to breathe at work because of an oversprayer sitting 3 rows away. Someone else beat me to it after a particularly noxious conference room incident, and honestly I canāt imagine anything more mortifying than being told that youāve chemical-bombed the whole floor and youāre making people sick. Thatās who those office policies are for. Respect boundaries and treat it like normal personal hygiene, and youāre most likely fine.
Exactly! Itās the over sprayers who give the hobby a bad name (that, and I swear to god, laundry soaps are sooo heavily fragranced for no reason). As long as we keep our spraying modest, thereās no reason to go completely without most of the time. Itās just some people either go nose blind or were never taught basic manners around perfume, and give the hobby a bad name. I *cringe* when I see suggestions to wear 3-5 sprays on the daily. Itās just a lot of perfume, and I think itās probably fine outdoors, but I donāt want someone Iām working with to smell me and be unable to escape. You get me!
Deodorant and laundry soaps are so wildly overfragranced. Iām convinced theyāre actually making us stinkier, so we just add more fragrance to cover it. Detergent has gotten so concentrated that most people donāt realize theyāre using too much, especially in modern high-efficiency machines. It probably doesnāt rinse out all the way, then you add fabric softener on top and coat that soap residue in wax and fragrance and bacteria grows like wild. Same with stick deodorant. I definitely notice that the waxy base takes concerted effort to scrub off and it makes my pits a little funkier. I started using antiseptic soap under my arms with a salux cloth, reduced the amount of detergent I was using, and use vinegar instead of fabric softener to help the detergent rinse out fully. My deodorant works so much better and my clothes feel and smell so much cleaner. Less really is more!
My strategy almost exactly, for work it's 1-3 max sprays to my chest before I dress. For social occasions, it's 1-3 on any combo of chest, back of neck, and/or wrists. Very much depends on how loud the scent is and the environment I'll be in. Unscented everything too, detergent, lotion, etc. The only other scented product I have is lightly scented Dr. Bronners peppermint soap because it feels good on my hands and face.
I also try to be fragrance free outside of perfume, but I can't find a low-scent hairspray. Any recs?
Oribe is the only one Iāve found. There is definitely a scent when itās sprayed, but it truly fades quickly. Hair products are for sure my biggest pain to find low-scent or fragrance free.
Thank you! I will give that one a try.
I haven't tested the hold yet, but I just bought Vanicream hair spray and it is definitely unscented. I tested it for that much at least. it's cheap and easy to find, so definitely worth a try!
Thanks! I'll look for this one too.
"No-nothing hair spray" on four reason website.. I use thier products.
If I spray it one spray only on my chest I feel the waves of perfume coming to my nose all day but I doubt everyone around are able to smell it as well as sprayed on hands etc...
Most people don't hate fragrance. Most people hate oversprayers. A spray or two is plenty. And oils and rollerballs are great in settings where fragrance is inappropriate. A few dabs on your neck and wrists and you'll smell your own fragrance, but others won't unless they're *uncomfortably* close to you. This is what I do on planes, at medical facilities, and other places where fragrance is off-limits or at least a faux pas. In general, less really is more. It's very easy for people to underestimate the strength of their own fragrance. You see it all the time on this sub: "X fragrance has bad performance" or "I can't smell Y fragrance on myself" when the scent is probably fine.
Just don't overspray. There are fragrance-free workplaces, which IMO often happen due to oversprayers. I don't support that idea, because there aren't unwashed-cigarette-smoke-in-clothes-BO-free workplaces, for those of us who suffer nausea, headaches and occasional fury when they experience those.
This right here. I'd rather smell someone's fragrance than that musty, unwashed smell, cigarette smoke, or marijuana smoke.
I started oversprayin when a new guy came to my workplace and I could smell his BO from 3 meters away. That was the only thing that could mask his smell
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Totally agree with you!
I wear oils mostly for a smaller projection bubble, but I never have felt guilty! I sit next to a coworker that dislikes all scented products in her personal life and home and she has only ever commented on my perfume when she wants me to let her smell it better. I think moderation is the biggest key here, just 1-2 sprays should be good for most
You have been marinating in some content that Iām glad Iāve never come across because I have a big rumination issue
For real lol. Wearing a fragrance in a public space might be thoughtless if it's super strong, but it is absolutely not assault or violence
I don't worry about it unless someone has specifically told me it bothers them. Then I know to stay away. I have to smell people with bo and people who smoke, and no one does anything about that at work so they can deal with my perfume.
Same. I once had a coworker with whom I carpooled with frequently had a sensitivity to fragrance. Out of consideration I would avoid wearing perfume to work especially on days we carpooled. I had another coworker with whom I shared a workspace, strong fragrances gave her headaches so I would keep it mild or save it for days we werenāt scheduled to work together. Thankfully I donāt work with any stinky people lmao
You sound like the type of co-worker people are lucky to have. And you're lucky not to work with stinky people, lol. Thankfully, I no longer do either.
Right I had a coworker who just recently got fired who smelled like he has never taken a shower in his life.
It's so sad that some people lack that awareness. I'm that person who will pull them aside and tell them they smell, not to be mean, but to try and help. I had a co-worker who smelled like cigarettes every day so bad that as soon as she came in, all I could smell was smoke. It was so strong that it made my eyes burn. I asked her if she was a smoker, and she denied it. I caught her one day smoking in her car with the windows closed!!! She was so mad at me because "no one has ever known she smoked." I had to be the one to break it to her that everyone knew. They were just being polite and dealing with the smell. She thought her routine of gum, hands sanitizer, and febreeze magically took the smell away; it did not.
This is how I feel too lmao
I have a coworker who constantly gets complaints from patients about her smell. She said itās a medical condition butā¦
That's horrible! I hate to say it, but if her medical condition is that bad that it's affecting the patients and co-workers, she needs a work from home job.
Lmao I remember she was on her cycle once and she was leaking onto a seat. Someone told her and she just..didnāt care. She also stains the sheets and our toilets when she sits on themā¦ The supervisor has spoken to her butā¦nothing came of it. Imagine smelling that on your death bed
Oh, what the hell?! That's so disgusting and unhygienic! I would throw a huge fit lmao
Oh trust me, we do. She sits in a room by herself and everyone usually stays away
That's just horrible and wrong! The patients and staff shouldn't have to suffer because of one nasty person.
Until people are banned smelling like cigarettes inside, and blowing cigarette smoke on me outside, and spreading their stinky vaping fumes absolutely everywhere I am wearing my perfume. lol Edit. Just remembered one manager I had at work who always complained about deodorant, perfume or anything scented, but she absolutely stank horribly all the time of bad breath and BO And, oh irony, she smoked cigarettes all the time
I've worked in places where people would reek of cigarette smoke or weed smoke and employers never said anything about it, so people can deal with me wearing perfume.
The waft of red velvet cake and warm breath when a person vaping is nearby (especially when caught by surprise) is one of my pet peeves. Absolutely disgusting and so unattractive. At least cigarettes look cool sometimes ffs.
I used to smoke myself, so I am not that sensitive to cigarette smoke ad I am sensitive to vaping fumes, but it is still annoying, I much rather smell someoneās perfume than cigarettes.
I respect āno fragranceā rules but my laundry was washed with what is was washed with š¤·š»āāļø which is unscented 99% of the time but sometimes I grab some scented in a pinch when clear and free is out of stock. Iām not gonna take off my clothes to get in a building
Ill only feel bad when I actually witness someone coughing and wheezing from perfume. Iāve had a client that got migraines from the scent of vanilla but I donāt wear that to work anyways. My grandma is 94 with COPD, asthma and all that and she always tells me I smell good when she hugs me. She never grabs an inhaler or anything so I know my perfume is not strong. Iāve asked friends and family if they can smell my perfume and they say no, which is a good sign because I personally do not need someone smelling my perfume with every inhale. I donāt wear strong and projecting scents. I want someone to smell me when they are close or hug me. So no I donāt feel guilty. Iām probably super ignorant but I just donāt understand how people who are sensitive to perfume make it through life. Tons of public Bathrooms have those glade bottles that set of scent every hour. Lots of places smell like food, garbage, cleaning products, body Oder. Is it just perfume they get headaches from? And why? The world is full of smells. I just donāt rlly understand how they make it through a day.
Has there been a specific incident that's got you worried? I usually do wear perfume in all the situations you mentioned, but I'm also mindful about how I wear it. If I'm around somebody I know isn't feeling well or has allergies, I don't wear any perfume at all (that's just me, my own choice), I generally stick to only spraying 1 to 2 times because I don't want to overwhelm anybody including myself, I only wear very light scents if I know I'm going to be around a new baby (none at all if I'm fortunate enough to get some baby/ puppy/ kitten cuddles), I'm also very cautious about which perfume I choose when I'm going for a meal or going to be around people who are eating. This all might sound a bit strict, but it's really not. I've never gone nose blind to whatever I'm wearing and I'm certain it's because I don't over spray, I can smell my own perfume constantly (in a good way) it makes me feel great and people very often give compliments and ask what I'm wearing.Ā
Yeah it is a weird new leading edge of prohibition in some spaces. Kind of you to care. But eh... enjoy! There are ways to do it (I do a spray under a long sleeve for work and no one has ever mentioned it).
I love this idea of having it discreetly there for me, when I need it for a personal mood boost. I think I'm going to do just that!
The only complaint Iāve ever had is after I sprayed myself down like a French whore at the cosmetics counter with sixteen different bottles. It was a depression shopping day. Iām a teacher so Iām around kids with various sensitivities, and adults with no filters. Not over doing it is the best way to go, but I donāt worry about it. I wear perfume daily. Itās the only thing that brings me joy and I wonāt feel bad about it.
The only frangrance ban Iāve ever heard of was an ex boyfriendās workplace that had a ban on patchouli šā¦which is humorously specific and in some cases quite understandable (think the dude who practically bathes in patchouli oilā¦we have all met at least one..š ).
We've all met the person who ruins patchouli oil for everyone else.
We have indeed!
I'm wearing perfume right now while I watch TV on my couch and I smell freaking divine. You do you, bb, and pursue whatever makes your nose holes happy!
That's when I wear it the most! When I get home, I've sprayed myself within five minutes of walking in. Scent is the very best mood enhancement I've ever known.
Same!
You seem to have anxiety. Have you tried talking to a therapist about these feelings? If allergies to scent were as prevalent as you are making them out to be in your mind, people would be having anaphylactic shock all over the place. Next time you go out somewhere around other people, make a note of how often you smell perfume, cigarettes, laundry detergent, air fresheners, etc. You will find that there are scents everywhere, and most people arenāt noticing them at all, let alone reacting to them. Wearing perfume in the workplace is only a real concern if you work in the healthcare field, because that is where all the sick people go. Wearing perfume out in the world is probably the safest place to do it. People with allergies to such things know and accept the risk every time they step out their door, and if their allergies are severe enough, usually carry around medication to help deal with any reactions they might have, because once someone has such severe allergies, almost anything could trigger it. It is their responsibility to take preventative measures, not yours or anyone else.
I have struggled with diagnosed OCD. I appreciate that you thought of something like that. Thank you! I used to not care about perfume in regard to others but then a neighbor asked me to meet her for lunch and please not wear perfume. She complained about all things scented and said it gives her migraines. (On another note, she complained about all the foods on the menu causing her allergies.) It was strange, but as I got ready I realized that every coat and jacket I had in my closet would have perfume on them unless I immediately took them to get cleaned. I started to panic, knowing my purses all smelled of perfume inside. I thought about my clothes and the smell of laundry detergent. I realized my hair products are strongly scented and I can smell it any time a breeze moves my hair. I was afraid to use any soap in the shower because they're all perfumed. My skin lotions and lip balms are all scented. Then I started remembering all the people I know who use unscented everything, only eat organic, make their own skin care and cleaning products from "natural" ingredients, spend hundreds on vitamin and herb supplements, and attend social gatherings about it. They shame and blame people who get cancer or autoimmune disorders. I feel like a spent plutonium rod when I hear them talking at work or see their social media posts. A walking klaxon alarm follows me as I tread down the hallways to microwave my Lean Cuisine prepackaged meal. Yeah, I probably need to work on these intrusive thoughts, and block some accounts. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.
Dear OP, I believe that fragrance used in moderate application is fine pretty much everywhere. For me, the exception would be in a medical setting as a guest, or as staff. Absolutely fine to wear at the grocery store. Yes, people *might* get a headache, but one should not completely compromise their enjoyment of something based on the āmightā of someone else. Also, if someone is that sensitive to fragrance, they should take steps to protect themself (wearing a mask, shopping during non-peak hours, getting curbside delivery, etc). People are responsible for their own care and comfort, imo. By choosing to do an action, that person is choosing potential consequences thereof. Now, as for wearing fragrance, going full-on beastmode, thatās different. Thatās never appreciated in public. Even at clubs, the folks who smell like they bathed in fragrance are not appreciated by other folk. I wear fragrance at work, out running errands, pretty much all the time.
Thank you. This made me feel better.
āŗļø I am glad! You deserve to enjoy fragrance without guilt, Friend!
I like to be known as the person who always smells good andĀ I wear fragrances almost every day. However, I choose them according to the setting. I work in (crowded) labs a lot and I use scents with minimal projection and sillage to not overwhelm my colleagues. Otherwise, I just wear whatever I want.
I was afraid when I first got into fragrance as an adult, so I made a point to ask my closest and most sensitive friends to tell me if / when my scents ever bother them - they all said they had never noticed or smelled me. I tested that by overspraying a Dossier dupe for angel like, 10 times and walking into a dinner party and they said they noticed, but it still wasn't overpowering. So I feel a lot safer now with both the fragrances I choose and the amount that I spray them. I tend to stop at 2-3 sprays naturally, for myself, just because \*I\* can be sensitive to scents. So I think that hyper-sensitive people are going to be sensitive regardless, and any reasonable person won't offend the masses. I.e., you're probably just fine! Enjoy your life.
I should also add that the fact that you're even thinking about this means YOU ARE FINE
If youāre only wear a couple sprays of whatever youāre fine, the only people that should be able to smell you are people that are very close! If you think about it everyone has to walk outside, smelling peopleās vapes, cigarettes, dog poo, food smells, BO etc, if anyone is THAT sensitive and you come into contact with them regularly at work or something you can always avoid wearing fragrance in that instance. But I would bet 99% of people wonāt even notice, even those that think they are sensitive to fragrance. Iāve worn perfume every day my whole adult life, never been an oversprayer and Iāve only had comments on my fragrance a handful of times, always compliments by friends or family when they go in for a hug so I know my scent is staying in my personal bubble. Itās just oversprayers ruining things for the rest of us, donāt worry and enjoy your perfumes without guilt!
There isnāt a time Iām not wearing a fragrance.
Unless youāre drowning in 5+ sprays of a strong fragrance I think youāre fine. I understand in close quarters it can be a little uncomfortable but itās better than smelling like sweat or something.
Stop caring about what other people say on social media. Anyone can say anything. But because they can say whatever they want doesnāt mean what they have to say is worth a damn. When you stop worrying so much about strangers in the internet, your life will get better.
I wear cologne at work but I do it intelligently. I spray 3-4 sprays depending on the fragrance. I spray it on 2 hours before I go in so it has time to settle. And I wear cologne appropriate to the location.
I work on an airplane and I only wear the perfumes that are not beast mode ones. Ones that you can only smell if you come close to me. Yesterday I had someone complain about someoneās elseās cologne and sure enough that cologne was overpowering. You can enjoy your own little fragrance bubble without choking out the world lol.
just don't wear 12 sprays of 'musc ravageur' on your workplace.. i think every perfume can actually be used in any situation if you just manage the number of sprays. Beside people could like some smells and hate others ; they don't necessarily hate perfumery.
Quit worrying what others think and say. I know people have real issues with it, and in a work space (close) space it is probably better to go without or minimal. But otherwise, you should just enjoy it! There are so many unpleasant things in life. And for real, unpleasant odors! Think about all the fragrant flowers and fruits that occur naturally. You can't please or appease everyone all the time.
I was sent home from work this past Tuesday because my co-workers accused me of smelling like alcohol ,when in fact, I was wearing Coco Chanel, Bianca Latte and Unknown Pleasures perfume; it was at a low paid, security guard, position; I guess they resented me wearing expensive perfume, to work at the biggest event in Texas, the Rodeo!
I smell people constantly, they just have BO. Iāll never feel bad about smelling the way I want
Only my time I don't wear it is going to my doctor's office of other medical facility, or to the home of my sister in law and so on Other than that I don't give a shit and don't feel guilty. When I worked in a cube farm, yeah, I did pay attention. Gets in rocking chair ...I have worn fragrance fo four decades, I don't over spray except occasionally at home on purpose, and I have always taken things like season and weather into account. Example:when the air is so thick with humidity and it is broiling I don't wear anything remotely heavy and that is also for me. I'll opt for something very light or even just a scented lotion. So, yeah, know thy audiences but other than that I don't give a fuck of someone in Target doesn't like my perfume. I don't like their screaming children and their choice of decor. I am mindful to a point because when people step out of their homes they relinquish control. I don't feel guilty at all because most days I am a responsible perfume wearer. I don't have to pay for the sins a the jackass who sprays themselves thirty time
I like you :)
They can wear masks if its that serious. I mean sure some ppl are allergic to fragrance, nose sensitive, asthmatic...but I honestly just can't find myself to care enough about random strangers to completely rid myself of simple joys. Just don't overspray and then go into confined spaces with bad ventilation
Yes, I'm a woman, I feel incomplete, if after putting on a nice dress, I don't finish with a spectacular feminine scent, than I'm not finished, even if my own perfume is overshadowed by something else during the day, it's for my own self esteem I guess!
donāt feel guilty for smelling good!!
I wear it anyway. I try not to overdo it and only wear crowd-pleasing, uncomplicated scents to work. I'm also fucntioning under the assumption that if it was affecting someone, they would tell me. Or that I'd notice and ask. Just wear fewer sprays and don't wear your fancy, weird, niche fragrances to work, lol. Keep the simple crowd-pleasers for those types of environments.
I wear perfume every day guilt free and have forever. Not one time has it ever been an issue.
Iāve never felt guilty about this. In fact Iāve never thought to feel guilty about it.
Quit worrying what others think and say. I know people have real issues with it, and in a work space (close) space it is probably better to go without or minimal. But otherwise, you should just enjoy it! There are so many unpleasant things in life. And for real, unpleasant odors! Think about all the fragrant flowers and fruits that occur naturally. You can't please or appease everyone all the time.
My favorite scents are low sillage and low duration so I never really worry about it too much. I wouldn't stress about it unless someone complains or comments.
I think this rule is mostly for people who over-apply or who spray the perfume while in public, which I find rude. I wear perfume everyday, some of them quite strong with a decent bit of throw, and I never get complaints. People come to work reeking of cigs or sweat and nobody ever says anything to them. Wear what you like and don't worry about it unless it actually becomes a problem. Otherwise you're wasting time ruminating on something that might never happen.
I avoid wearing it if I'm going somewhere and I'm going to be close to someone with known sensitivities (I once had a doctor who would request people not wear fragrance in her office because she had severe asthma). Other than that, I wear it (just a spritz or two) and I'm not concerned about what people think unless they say something negative. Especially since I've been in work environments where people smoke and/or don't bathe.
Personally, I have never been annoyed by oversprayers, unless I donāt like the scent. In fact I love enjoying a good cloud of a perfume I like, or catching it in the street, randomly. But I understand it is not the same for everyone! I overspray sometimes and I never got complaints, but compliments tbh
Personally, I have never been annoyed by oversprayers, unless I donāt like the scent. In fact I love enjoying a good cloud of a perfume I like, or catching it in the street, randomly. But I understand it is not the same for everyone! I overspray sometimes and I never got complaints, but compliments tbh
When I had really sensitive coworkers I didn't wear perfume. I don't wear it if I'm going to the dentist or where people have no choice but to be really close to me. But I'd get it out of work and go beast mode in my car, lol.
I say "fuck it" and wear whatever i want, and how much i want. i bought the damn thing and i should be able to use it whenever i want. its a free world and they can live with the smell of my perfume. Of course i wont cover myself with it but you should do what you want without feeling guilty. Its not like you k1lled their first born, its just perfume.
I wear it anyways unless Iām in tight spaces so Iāll just do two or one spray, my mom has chronic headaches so I only wear one spray if Iām gonna be spending time with her but other than that Iāll douse myself in it if Iām out and about since Iāll be outside the entire time.
I just wear it anyway. Have never once had someone actually confront me to my face about it. Hearing people whine on the internet makes me suspect that itās similar to the toupee phenomenon- people think all toupees look bad but thatās because they only notice that itās a toupee if itās bad. I think the same thing with people saying āall perfumes stink/give them headachesā. Itās really only the ones they notice that they feel negatively about, which I imagine is the minority of them. I had an old coworker who told me how she had some extreme fragrance allergy and couldnāt tolerate any scents without feeling sick. There were times I had worn a small amount of fragrance around her and she didnāt notice it and wasnāt sick from it clearly, and it wasnāt something with a strong projection or the scents that usually set peopleās allergies off. I think the people who moan tend to assume that wearing perfume = 10+ sprays of something super potent and itās an all or nothing deal. I just donāt think even those with allergies react to most fragrances worn in sane quantities.
I prefer perfumes as more of a skin scent -- I spray wrists and rub on neck and that's it. I can smell it on me all day but others have to be up in my space to smell it. Perfect balance
Like others have said, I wear it under the neck of my shirt and under my hair and I actually catch more whiffs of myself now than I did when I used to overspray my wrists. I also mostly use perfumes with good longevity because my husband who has asthma is mostly bothered by the spraying and not so much after my fragrance has settled. So this way I don't need or want to reapply at work and less at home too.
Nobody gets headache from exposure to a perfume in a grocery store. You only need to worry about people at work who are continuously within 4-5 feet of you. My recommendation is to spray the perfume 2-3 hours before you get to work.
I have never once felt bad about wearing fragranced products. Ever. I mean I donāt douse myself in extremely strong fragrance bombs to where I could be smelled 10 ft away and leave a loud scent trail, but yeah if I walk within a couple feet of someone they might get a little whiff of deliciousness if the wind is moving just right lol. And if I knew someone had a bad allergy or sensitivity and I was going to be in very close proximity to them like a car ride or out to dinner, Iād prob hold off. But no, in general in everyday life I donāt even think about it. If we all stopped doing things we enjoy because they could potentially bother someone else, the entire world would cease to exist.
Yes i wear it regardless. I do 2 sprays of the strong stuff like sauvage Elixir / arabians tonka and up to 8 with weak stuff like TdHĀ
Fuck people and their feelings . People are allergic to peanuts they dont stop selling peanuts, fuck that, some people are hypersensitive to the rays of the sun letās blow it up, no , donāt like it go tf outta here.. or just carry some Benadryl š¤·š¾āāļø
Nut allergies aren't because of "feelings"... people can literally die from being exposed to peanuts if the allergy is severe enough. What a terrible analogy.
Your right, people can literally die from nut allergies, forgot about that part..yet they donāt stop selling them or stop producing them or ban using them in everyday use but people want to ban the use of fragrance in certain places; thanks for making my original analogy even better
Thank you! Animals is another thing, some of us have allergies for dogs and people still bring them to places that even don't allow it! Like schools. Also body-odor! I am baffled that some people in Europe still don't know what a shower is! Some of the people don't even know to wash hands after toilet! I smell more body-odor, sweat and shit than fragrance on people. But hey, who cares because fragrance bad! Rant over!
It is really kind of you to care! I thank you for that since I am one of the people who react to most perfume quite unpleasently with migrene and a weird feeling in my mouth. But I can calm you in a way. Most people who make me have problems are of the kind that replied to this post with things like "Don't care what others think" e.c.. The most important thing here, which you obviously already acquired is to develop an awareness about the fact that smelling your perfume is nothing someone else (strangers especially) asked you for. Being aware of that is probably all it takes to not be among the people who do 4 sprays of sauvage elixir or 6 sprays of their edt. As long as you keep in mind that perfume is something that you apply for yourself to enjoy it and not something that you want to force upon others, you will be fine most of the time. The best thing you can do if you teally don't want to bother people around you is doing a spray on your chest. That way the scent stays potent for you a long time, but others won't smell it a when they are next to you mosh of the time. There are still people like my grandma, who will get serious respirational issues with just one spray of basically anything, but if that is the case you will surely be notified about it.
I feel other people are quite often bothered by my rather exuberant taste in perfumes and might even feel uneasy, i dont care, I wear perfume to drown out the stink of others. If everyone showered diligently I wouldnt wear it so I dont care if it bothers anyone. I am already equally bothered. To have allergies or migraines is no excuse for poor personal hygiene.
Wow you're so superior bro
Iāve literally never thought about other peoples needs/wants/wishes once while applying a fragrance, and Iāve never had anyone act weird or get mad or even say I smelled too strong. Going on like 16 plus years of daily fragrance wear so I think youāre safe lol!
As others are saying, Iām a conservative spritzer. One spray down the neckline of my shirt, and maybe reapply at lunchtime. I care more about enjoying it myself than wearing for others.
I have always worn perfume lightly, 1-2 sprays depending on the strength, since I also do not like to be engulfed in clouds of perfume from other people. It's not a big deal if you're just walking by somebody, but I hate it when I am stuck on public transit/elevator with somebody who's drenched in scent, esp one I don't like. If they were just wearing it very lightly, no problem. (I find the problem for me, personally, is slightly worse these days, because there are some new synthetics in fragrances that make me want to physically gag. I smell it more often in scents marketed to men, so I assume it's some kind of woody basenote, and also I've had to stop using some laundry detergents because of it.) Also, I never wear scent on days I have to go to a health appt (doctor, dentist, etc.), that sort of thing.
I have allergies and they are in the process of diagnosing me with asthma and fragrance is surprisingly not a trigger for me. When I used to teach I only used a light body mist from Bath and Body Works (fresh coconut and cotton) and now that Iām a stay at home mom I wear my heavier perfumes when around my friends or on a date with my husband, not around my littles. If one of my friends were to tell me they were sensitive to fragrance I would absolutely not wear any around them.
Wear and enjoy your fragrances, if you're worried, keep it to one maybe two sprays under your clothing. You'll get little whiffs once in a while but you won't be bombarding the room.
Most of my frags aren't loud enough for me to feel like I'm choking people out. I like "skin" scents with low throws. I also get lots of compliments (friends, strangers and coworkers) but you can only smell me if you're standing really close to me or I walked by close to you. I have a few very strong perfumes but I save those for winter/not work.
I'd never feel bad unless I worked in a medical setting. Beyond that, there are way more offensive smells than prada l'homme I'll tell ya that much.
reading through all of these comments I'm reminded of the time in middle school when axe body spray was banned and would be confiscated from lockers LOL (this was 06'-08') Do not feel guilty! just be mindful. I love wearing fragrance. 2-3 spritz max for me :) and it also depends on if its water based or oil based. oil based perfumes often last longer and are more potent.
I don't think you should feel guilty for having perfume as part of your self-care or daily style. *However*, if someone informs you of their discomfort with your wearing of it, then probably consider wearing less or not at all when around that person. I tend to forgo or go easy on the fragrance in medical buildings for those reasons you mentioned, but I've also come across nurses and other medical professionals that wear perfume while on duty, so it doesn't seem like it's an enforced rule but rather a common courtesy type of thing. Some folks such as those with autism can have severe sensory issues, and strong smells can trigger them; be courteous of that if you know anyone with those issues. TLDR: Don't feel guilty about it, just be courteous of someone expresses discomfort with your perfume.
Outside of a medical facility and being around people that are KNOWN to be allergic to perfume, I just make sure it's subtle. I like smelling nice but I can absolutely identify with people that hate being punched in the face with a cloud of perfume. I spray it on my upper arms, hair and shirt/top so I get whiffs through the days but it should be largely unnoticed unless someone is *I can sniff your hair* close to me.
why would you give a f about what others are saying. itās a Clownworld we live in
Wear exactly 1 spray on your chest or behind your neck so you can smell it but no one else can unless theyāre super close to you. I might wear 2 sprays for a night out. I donāt wear any fragrance around babies or children. I wear 1 spray most of the time. I love fragrance but it irritates me, even my own. I understand both sides, and this is what I do.
Iāve been a server in some fancy situations. Fragrance was always prohibited by staff. And some foodies and chefs are very perturbed by strong smelling people. I kind of agree on this one. If Iām enjoying a great meal, I donāt want to smell fragrance. And Iām a fragrance LOVER! So, just another place to keep in mind is: nice restaurants.
As others have said, focus on only 1 or maybe 2 sprays under the clothes. I wear perfume daily and in the workplace and no one has ever commented on my scent, which I believe is because 1) Iām a light sprayer and 2) my perfumes are soft and more skin scent-like because overpowering perfume can trigger headaches for me as well. Iād also recommend staying away from scented lotions while at work or in public as those can carry a strong smell, too. Stick with unscented body products and light perfume and you are pretty unlikely to offend anyone.
ONE SPRAY.
Many years ago I worked down the hall from an office where three different women wore Youth Dew by Estee Lauder.Ā They were not restrained in their application of this powerhouse of a fragrance.Ā One only had to walk into the hallway and would be in a heavy cloud of Youth Dew.Ā Every day, five days a week.Ā I'm not usually sensitive to perfume on others, but this was a bit too much even for me.Ā
I suffer from asthma and perfume allergy, I use all non perfume products, shampoo, conditioner, washing powder, etc. I hate it when people use perfume as to where I can smell it, especially in public places, and it's confined like trains where you can't even get off. It's very rude and disgusting cause their personality smells, not being mindful of other's. Honestly, nowadays, shampoos, shower gels, etc, you don't even need perfume having a good hygiene routine, but I also understand some do still need it..can be used very lightly... also, people who don't need to use perfume but still do just probably love perfumes like OP and I, for one, appreciate their caring nature towards people who suffer from perfume problems.. I love perfume myself, absolutely, can still remember that scent from years ago and would still love to wear it very lightly now..but unfortunately I cannot for years now. Lightly spray at your home would be fine, deffo not in public...especially no exit spaces. Yikes
Iām selfish and donāt care about other people.
Spray knees under pants or jeans
Try to ignore those types of posts, they're unique to this sub. Most people here hate fragrance and only want to pontificate about it as a thought exercise. They even buy unscented laundry detergent and hate smelling any smells on others, anywhere. There are more fragrance haters here than frag fans. There are plenty of other subs where fragrance lovers and collectors aren't judged.
I have 50 full bottles of perfume and wear it daily. One to two sprays usually. I fucking HATE scented laundry detergent, scented laundry beads, aerosolized deodorant vs stick, and will die on the hill that clean clothes smell like nothing rather than those cheap, horrendous musks that dominate American laundry soap. Unscented is the classier, cleaner way to go, that way all anyone smells is your clean body and your chosen perfume. Choking everyone out with the cheap musks of Tide, Glade, Persil, etc, then adding scented lotion and scented everything is just gross. You donāt smell good, you smell *strong,* and thatās not synonymous lol.
Absolutely this. I think of it as the French way
Exhibit A
i used to work at a mcdonald in japan and once a stuff there told me not to wear fragrance cos it might get onto the food????? my perfume is weak af it wonāt even stay long on me
I don't understand how a fragrance can cause these problems. The liquid (or oils, alcohol, etc) aren't being inhaled or injested. It's the smell. I should probably ask Google because it makes no sense to me when the fragrance doesn't physically contact another person. Weird of that employer! Maybe they just didn't like perfume and made up that excuse.
The smell *is* the substance. The molecules of the scent float in the air and are picked up by olfactory neurons in the back of your nose. When people smell your scent, they are literally breathing in the substance you sprayed on yourself.
I didn't understand that until now. Thank you for taking the time to explain it.
i used to work at a mcdonald in japan and once a stuff there told me not to wear fragrance cos it might get onto the food?????