Bleuch!!! Perfume

[Shirley]

I don't wear perfume - I can't stand the smell and neither do I want all the artificial scents and other nasty ingredients anywhere near me. The smell of some can make me feel very ill and others make me wheezy and short of breath....

Unfortunately, I can't quite get this message across to my 19 year old daughter who loves it - even though she's read about it in my WEN stuff and other sources...

Anyway - this morning, little one comes up to me with a huge smile on his face holding a tiny sample bottle of perfume that my daughter had left around... he'd managed to open it and got some on his finger (yuck!) - but then the bottle left his hands and went onto the floor UNDER MY CHAIR where I sit to type... even now I can smell it and it's making me feel quite ill.... Any good tips to get rid of the smell? I'm trying bicarb at the moment... it's a bamboo floor so can't use anything that would damage it...

Anyway, for now, as I can't stand the smell I'm off out to see if I can cadge that greenhouse from my ex - wish me luck everyone PLEASE

[ina]

I'm keeping all my fingers and toes crossed for you!

As for the perfume - I can well understand your problem. I hate it, too; especially when it's strong stuff, or has been applied liberally. Had an argument with a friend once - she was wearing her usual perfume, smelled like she had bathed in it. I consequently developed a headache and applied Olbas oil to combat it. She broke out in hysterics - you can't use essential oils in my presence, that upsets my homeopathic remedies!!! She simply couldn't get her head around the idea that somebody might get a headache from HER WONDERFUL perfume!

Unfortunately I'm short on advice on how to get rid of the stink, especially as it is bamboo floor. Get the dog to pee on it... Might be a better idea to consider moving the computer for a while!

[Andy Hamilton]

No advice I am afraid only sympathy. I hate the stuff too, it is a nightmare when I am on a bus or train on a long journey and someone gets on plastered in the stuff. I get a headache and in the worst cases my eyes itch, the back of my throught goes dry and my sinuses play up.

Have you heard about some places banning it? Rightly so http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/fume27.shtml

[ina]

That's one reason why I hate department stores! They always have their perfume department at the entrance. Whenever I do have to go in there (happens very rarely nowadays), I take a deep breath and dive through. And then one of those women pounces on me and wants me to try something out... Or threatens to spray me without even asking. Arghh!

[Andy Hamilton]

Or threatens to spray me without even asking. Arghh!

I wonder if that could be considered as assault? I hate department stores for the same reason, when I lived in Bath the nearest chemist was Boots and I had to walk through the perfume counter to get into the main store. I ended up going all the way around the back to avoid it. Will start a new post with a poll on it about this me thinks.

[Shirley]

Thanks for the sympathy folks.... It's amazing isn't it.. so many people bothered by it but yet people still plaster it on... what is wrong with smelling like... well, smelling like people. Obviously we need to keep clean but surely that is enough. Fashion I suppose plays a huge part in it with the ads that make some people think they will appear irresistable to the opposite sex if they wear X brand of perfume... I can 'taste' perfume too - does that happen to any of you??

Anyway - I can't move the desk... the bicarb has helped a little and I've left it there and covered it with a piece of newspaper - will leave til morning and meantime sit and type with a peg on my nose lol.

Andy - that is a very interesting article! I really do think it should be banned!

[Millymollymandy]

I agree about some perfumes being overwhelming and leaving their stink behind for hours! However, on the other hand, reading that article - who wants to be surrounded by people stinking of BO? That's just as bad!

[LSP]

Second time today I'm writing to a forum to say: how nice to know I am not the only quirky one!

Some of us react physically to perfumes. I used to start sniffing as soon as a colleague walked into the office wearing her signature brand-name perfume.

As for BO, I think the answer is to find a balance, find something that we could use to take the edge off the stink, but which is not overpowering. Natural oils? Unscented talcum? A hankie soaked in rose water? I seem to remember a time before deodorants.

What do the others think?

[Libby]

When I was younger I never needed deodorant, a bath every day kept me smelling sweet enough
I don,t know if it,s an age thing, or because I,m carrying more weight, but I feel the need to wear it now.
I only use pitrock, so there,s no artificial smell, and thats all I wear in general.(+ clothes obviously)
On a special occassion, when I,m dolled up, I have to have a dab of my fave perfume. Sorry!
Some people completely overdo it though, and thoughtful dabbers like myself get overpowered by it too.
I,m still anti ban, where will it all end?