Do you still wear perfume in public? Maybe you should stop

[kenny]

Partial Snip:
We''ve all been there.
Trapped in an elevator with an overly perfumed passenger who has you holding your breath until the doors open.
Held hostage at a restaurant next to a fellow diner whose Poison is tainting your filet mignon.
Ambushed at a movie theater where the only recourse is to bury your nose in the popcorn.

Perfume may be a pleasure to those who wear it, but its over-application is often a nuisance to others.
Though fragrance is often worn to attract, it stands an equal chance of repelling because scent is so subjective.

So what''s a perfume fanatic to do?
End Snip

More

 

[asscherisme]

Ohh, I hate it when others wear perfume in public. I''m really sensitive to smells and perfume and cologne bother me tremendously! I even buy unscented laundry detergent.

I was on a flight a few weeks ago and the woman next to me was covered in perfume. I asked the flight attendent if I could move but the flight was full. It was awful to be stuck for 3 hours next to the perfume smell. Just awful.

 

[kenny]

A flight is the worst for a fragrance.
Your victims cannot escape.

 

[Circe]

Kenny, you''re turning into the new Dancing Fire with all of these provocative questions!

I have to admit, I love perfume passionately ... but I''m seriously puzzled by the application methods that many people seem to employ. My notion of the purpose of perfume is that it''s supposed to please *you,* and to make those close to you want to get closer. If anybody who''s 3 feet away or more can smell it ... too much!

I had one TA whom I could literally identify blindfolded: I ALWAYS knew when she walked into a room, because she slathered herself with Bath & Body Works vanilla. I love vanilla, but that stuff is *pungent!* And in the GIA class I took, one girl loved Angel. I know that, because I could smell her 3 rows back. When I asked - from that distance! - if it was Angel, she smiled proudly and said, yes, it was her signature scent. She took her signature style from John Hancock, I think. Whatever happened to less being more?

 

[diamondfan]

i think you just need to try to be aware of how much you put on. That can be tough but less is always more and if people smell you well before you appear and after you leave it might be that you are wearing too much. But it is a very subjective, one can think they do not have too much on or their nose is not sensitive enough to tell...one of those things that happen in life...

 

[MonkeyPie]

Date: 11/29/2009 12:39:30 PM
Author: diamondfan
i think you just need to try to be aware of how much you put on. That can be tough but less is always more and if people smell you well before you appear and after you leave it might be that you are wearing too much. But it is a very subjective, one can think they do not have too much on or their nose is not sensitive enough to tell...one of those things that happen in life...

One spritz at the wrists and another at the neck (if it''s actual perfume, not body spray or lotion) is enough. The problem is that over time, you become desensitized to the scent so you think you need to put on more and more to get the smell to be noticeable. That''s why you always get trapped with little old ladies in the elevator with a gallon on, hehe. They can''t smell it anymore. If you stick to the two spritz rule, it usually isn''t too bad and won''t bother others.

Another thing to keep in mind is the keynotes in a scent. I understand that some people actually like that strong musk, but it "lingers" a lot longer than a floral or fruity scent will.

 

[VRBeauty]

Hmmm... older women the main offenders? That''s not my experience at all. And the over-use of fragrances isn''t limited to the female of the species...

Anyhow, in my office we have "thank you for not wearing fragrance products" type notices in many of our conference rooms. We have several employees who hare very sensitive to some fragrances, including an former executive officer whose breathing could become severely restricted, and some asthmatic staff whose asthma can be triggered by some fragrances. The last choir I sung in also had a strict no-fragrance policy because several members had fragrance sensitivities. The last thing you want in a choir is to trigger reactions that make it impossible for some of your members to sing!

Earlier this year we had an employee work from home one day because someone was wearing a fragrance that was setting off an asthma attack. It turned out the offending product was a fragrance-laden facial sunscreen! Fragranced hand lotions can also be bad offenders. Part of the problem is that it can be hard to find products that are not fragranced or only lightly fragranced.

 

[asscherisme]

Date: 11/29/2009 12:39:07 PM
Author: Circe
Kenny, you''re turning into the new Dancing Fire with all of these provocative questions!

I have to admit, I love perfume passionately ... but I''m seriously puzzled by the application methods that many people seem to employ. My notion of the purpose of perfume is that it''s supposed to please *you,* and to make those close to you want to get closer. If anybody who''s 3 feet away or more can smell it ... too much!

I had one TA whom I could literally identify blindfolded: I ALWAYS knew when she walked into a room, because she slathered herself with Bath & Body Works vanilla. I love vanilla, but that stuff is *pungent!* And in the GIA class I took, one girl loved Angel. I know that, because I could smell her 3 rows back. When I asked - from that distance! - if it was Angel, she smiled proudly and said, yes, it was her signature scent. She took her signature style from John Hancock, I think. Whatever happened to less being more?

But when you are on a flight, you are not 3 feet away. Your are inches away from the other person.

 

[Circe]

Date: 11/29/2009 12:50:16 PM
Author: asscherisme

Date: 11/29/2009 12:39:07 PM

Author: Circe

Kenny, you''re turning into the new Dancing Fire with all of these provocative questions!


I have to admit, I love perfume passionately ... but I''m seriously puzzled by the application methods that many people seem to employ. My notion of the purpose of perfume is that it''s supposed to please *you,* and to make those close to you want to get closer. If anybody who''s 3 feet away or more can smell it ... too much!


I had one TA whom I could literally identify blindfolded: I ALWAYS knew when she walked into a room, because she slathered herself with Bath & Body Works vanilla. I love vanilla, but that stuff is *pungent!* And in the GIA class I took, one girl loved Angel. I know that, because I could smell her 3 rows back. When I asked - from that distance! - if it was Angel, she smiled proudly and said, yes, it was her signature scent. She took her signature style from John Hancock, I think. Whatever happened to less being more?

But when you are on a flight, you are not 3 feet away. Your are inches away from the other person.

V. true, and a good point - I''ll wear subtle perfumes to go out, but never on a flight. The recycled air makes it too risky that someone might have a reaction.

P.S. - Same principle, did you know this is why they no longer serve peanuts on flights? Meaning, if you''re getting a snack in the gift shop to take with you, dodge the nuts!

 

[kenny]

OMG - I honestly wrote that older women tend to be the worst offenders in my second post.
I quickly edited it out.
I see I'm not the only one who has noticed this.

Maybe the nose really does develop a tolerance to fragrance over the years so they can't judge how much they put on.
Hearing and sensitivity to light decline with age; why not the nose too?

 

[elle_chris]

Men are offenders as well with way too much cologne.

I think some of the problem is that people tend to spray or dab it on their clothes. Perfume is meant to be worn on the skin, and only those people standing very close to you should be able to smell it.

As far as older ladies being desenstized, apparently is happens with younger ones as well. In my building, getting on the elevator in the morning is the most god awful thing imaginable. So many young girls just wreek of perfume. Apparently less is not more where I live.

 

[kenny]

Sure, anyone can offend.

I think the two most permeating smells are patchouli and those fabric softener sheets.
I suspect one molecule of these substances is enough to gag a stadium.

Those two things really penetrate.

 

[fieryred33143]

My FI''s father DROWNS himself in cologne. He wears so much that even DD''s bottles somehow smelled like it. He switched to a baby cologne but it still stinks.

When they went to Chile this year he put cologne on and didn''t stop for 20 minutes straight. I felt so bad for the people stuck on that 8 hour flight next to him.

 

[that_someone_special]

I love scents! If anyone doesn''t like it, and many don''t.. oh well.

I try not to wear ANY though if I''m going on a plane, appointments, or I''m going to be around sick people or babies.

I am a "Lush" fanatic and own a couple thousands of dollars worth at any given time (but stock up during holiday sales so it doesn''t cost as much to get). I have a closet full of it. Scented bath products? I own like 50 billion. I loveeee scents. I have 5+ shampoos, 6+ body/ sugar scrubs, several conditioners and a bunch of different soaps in the shower right now. It''s quite crazy.



I do have a friend that drowns her self in perfume and usually it smells good, but when I really CAN smell her from 3 feet away i wonder how much she puts on at a time.

Luckily none of our friends are that sensitive to scents. Ohh! in 5th grade I had a teacher that would have to go home if anyone wore perfume or cologne, there were a few kids that would do it just to be mean

You know what''s worse than perfume? SMOKERS. And even if they go outside and smoke, they still come back inside smelling terrible and pushing their smoke scented everything all over the place. I''ll take an old lady smell over that ANY DAY.

 

[CaliSun]

Sometimes people do go overboard, but personally, I prefer the scent of perfume/cologne to the stank of B.O.

I enjoy wearing perfume - a spritz (I don''t bathe in it!) and don''t really agree that I should stop because others may like it.

That would be like telling others to stop listening to their iPods because I prefer not to overhear their music on the subway. (Oooo, SO annoying!! Why so loud? Who said we all want to hear that?!) Not my place... Plus, I prefer to minimize my odds of having my teeth knocked out and/or getting mugged.

I have to tell you though; perfume has saved me on several occasions. Case in point: Being stuck on a yucky musty/smelly train (after a good rain, for example), a nicely perfumed scarf over one''s nose can really help the commute go by

 

[steph72276]

Ugh, I HATE strong perfume. It literally makes me sick. Especially older women that lose their sense of smell and end up smelling like they took a bath in it...yuck! When I was an intern, I had to share an office with this girl that wore such strong perfume...after dealing with headaches everyday, I finally asked her not to wear it since the office was such tight quarters. I hated having to do it, but I think it is beyond rude for people to put on so much when in public. Seriously people, spray and walk into it

 

[ChargerGrrl]

I prefer "clean" smells like citrus & grass as opposed to flowery ones. I have a very sensitive nose, even more so lately because I''m PG. There''s been a couple of times where I''ve been **this** close to getting sick- the offenders have usually been men!

And there''s NOTHING worse than going to a wine tasting event and not being able to smell the vino because some idiot is drenched in perfume/cologne. Now, that''s a faux pas!

 

[asscherisme]

Date: 11/29/2009 1:08:15 PM
Author: Circe

Date: 11/29/2009 12:50:16 PM
Author: asscherisme

Date: 11/29/2009 12:39:07 PM

Author: Circe

Kenny, you''re turning into the new Dancing Fire with all of these provocative questions!


I have to admit, I love perfume passionately ... but I''m seriously puzzled by the application methods that many people seem to employ. My notion of the purpose of perfume is that it''s supposed to please *you,* and to make those close to you want to get closer. If anybody who''s 3 feet away or more can smell it ... too much!


I had one TA whom I could literally identify blindfolded: I ALWAYS knew when she walked into a room, because she slathered herself with Bath & Body Works vanilla. I love vanilla, but that stuff is *pungent!* And in the GIA class I took, one girl loved Angel. I know that, because I could smell her 3 rows back. When I asked - from that distance! - if it was Angel, she smiled proudly and said, yes, it was her signature scent. She took her signature style from John Hancock, I think. Whatever happened to less being more?

But when you are on a flight, you are not 3 feet away. Your are inches away from the other person.

V. true, and a good point - I''ll wear subtle perfumes to go out, but never on a flight. The recycled air makes it too risky that someone might have a reaction.

P.S. - Same principle, did you know this is why they no longer serve peanuts on flights? Meaning, if you''re getting a snack in the gift shop to take with you, dodge the nuts!

Smart not wearing it on a flight

Oh, and on this particular flight a few weeks ago, they DID serve peanuts! I was surprised. It was southwest airlines. I fly them a few times a year and they often serve peanuts.

 

[Selkie]

Something that really grosses me out is when I pump gas at the gas station after someone who''s wearing a ton of perfume or hand lotion, and my hand ends up smelling like this totally nauseating mixture of perfume and gasoline. Ughhh. It happens frequently, too. Makes me want to start wearing latex gloves to pump gas.

 

[kenny]

Date: 11/29/2009 4:37:01 PM
Author: Selkie
Something that really grosses me out is when I pump gas at the gas station after someone who's wearing a ton of perfume or hand lotion, and my hand ends up smelling like this totally nauseating mixture of perfume and gasoline. Ughhh. It happens frequently, too. Makes me want to start wearing latex gloves to pump gas.

Thanks for reminding me.
I have a box of latex gloves I bought at Home Depot for painting and stuff.
I'm going to put a few into my glove compartment.
I hate my hands smelling like gas, plus getting gas on your skin can't exactly be good for you.
If you can smell it on your skin that means gas residue IS on your skin.

 

[Elmorton]

I''d much rather be smelling perfume than BO or bad breath - so I''m kindof a fan of fragrance.

I also LOVE perfume. That said, it''s actually my step right after the shower - I spray it directly to my collar on to skin, and then my clothes go over, so I''d imagine it''s pretty diluted.

 

[oddoneout]

I''m another huge fan of perfume. I wear it in moderation (I''ve worn it before and I can smell it but the person near me couldn''t...and they were sensitive to perfume). I agree that some people over do it. Isn''t perfume for the wearer''s enjoyment anyway?

 

[Mara]

i am not a perfume or 'scent' fan at ALL. the only scents i can even stomach are more 'natural' plant scents like rosemary, lemongrass, lavender. my nose is VERY sensitive and ugh since being preggo even more sensitive. the alcohol in perfumes tends to give me a headache.

i don't wear scents and i try not to use stinky hair products either. esp in a corporate environment, there is nothing worse than sitting in a cube farm or meeting room with 5 perfumes doing battle with each other in a closed air environment...ugh!

oddoneout...if people overdo it it's for everyone else's 'enjoyment' too. i am more of the 'stuff a sachet in your underwear drawer' bend if you really like a scent. then only you (and maybe one other!) smell it!

oh and using perfume to cover BO...that's like layering one bad smell on top of another. i don't think it 'masks' anything. i had a kbox class and this gal would wear the same clothes without washing them AND perfume on top of it. some days i thought i would get sick, esp when you are lightheaded already from working out. i would always try to position myself away from her.

 

[Haven]

I have an extremely sensitive nose, but I love perfumes.

I pump two sprays in front of me, wait a beat, and walk into it. I never spray directly onto my skin, nor do I wear it on my clothes. That''s too much, IMO.

An old friend of mine wore so much cologne it was really difficult to be in a small space with him. We were on the same martial arts team, so we often grappled and I would smell like his cologne for days after grappling with him, even after multiple showers. I once left a pair of sunglasses in his car and by the time he returned them to me they reeked of his cologne, so I had to recycle them! When I met his father, though, his habit made sense: Dad wore just as much cologne as his son. Their house was really noxious.

 

[kenny]

Speaking of age and perfume, The LA Times has something about fragrances and age.

Partial Snip:

Teenagers with little life experience and less-experienced noses tend to go with sweet, "linear" perfumes, according to Franco Wright, founder of the online niche-fragrance emporium Lucky Scent and the Scent Bar boutique in L.A.
In their 20s, they're able to distinguish multiple notes in a fragrance, but they are also extremely brand conscious, which is good news for the marketers of celebrity and fashion-brand perfumes.

It's in their 30s, 40s and 50s that women become less predictable in their perfume choices.
Armed with more life experience, a greater sense of who they are and an increase in disposable income, they're "more daring," Wright said.
They choose a larger swath of fragrance and are more likely to match a fragrance to the season and their wardrobes.

More

 

[y2kitty]

I do, but only when I am going to be in open air places. Come to think of it, I should bring a small size bottle on flights and spritz myself with it if there is a screaming child next to me.

 

[kenny]

Date: 11/29/2009 7:00:47 PM
Author: y2kitty
Come to think of it, I should bring a small size bottle on flights and spritz myself with it if there is a screaming child next to me.

Touche.
Then again perfume may be why the kids are screaming.

 

[ksinger]

Date: 11/29/2009 6:40:59 PM
Author: kenny
Speaking of age and perfume, The LA Times has something about fragrances and age.

Partial Snip:

Teenagers with little life experience and less-experienced noses tend to go with sweet, ''linear'' perfumes, according to Franco Wright, founder of the online niche-fragrance emporium Lucky Scent and the Scent Bar boutique in L.A.
In their 20s, they''re able to distinguish multiple notes in a fragrance, but they are also extremely brand conscious, which is good news for the marketers of celebrity and fashion-brand perfumes.

It''s in their 30s, 40s and 50s that women become less predictable in their perfume choices.
Armed with more life experience, a greater sense of who they are and an increase in disposable income, they''re ''more daring,'' Wright said.
They choose a larger swath of fragrance and are more likely to match a fragrance to the season and their wardrobes.

More

Fun thread. I wear perfume for me, but I feel I''m pretty sensitive to others. To the point that I''ve been known to ask those near me if they can smell my perfume. They almost always say no, which is good. I don''t wish to offend, and am also one of those who prefers those who don''t marinate. I tend to wear scents that dissipate pretty quickly. Powdery, light florals, or citrusy, ones that lose their top note fairly quickly (before I get to work) and don''t have penetrating middle or base notes.

 

[elrohwen]

Date: 11/29/2009 5:40:44 PM
Author: Mara
i am not a perfume or 'scent' fan at ALL. the only scents i can even stomach are more 'natural' plant scents like rosemary, lemongrass, lavender. my nose is VERY sensitive and ugh since being preggo even more sensitive. the alcohol in perfumes tends to give me a headache.

Ditto, Mara! (except for the preggo part

) There are very few scents I actually enjoy, and 99% of perfumes aren't in that catagory. I think deoderant is smelly enough and wish people would just stick with that. I love the subtle smell of deoderant, but that's about it.

FWIW, I had a concierge at a hotel tell me repeatedly that I smelled nice (from across a counter) when I was only wearing deoderant and a spritz of hair spray. If he could smell that from 3ft away, just think of how much the average perfume smells!

 

[AprilBaby]

Perfume actually triggers an asthma attack in me. It''s like someone came in the room and sucked out all the air. Same with a small room and fresh flowers.