# Fragrance and chemical sensitivities...let's talk



## Sylie (Apr 4, 2011)

I posted to the tread on waterless shampoos, but I think this would be a good thing to discuss. There are so many products that I have bought that I couldn't use because of a strong and lingering scent that made me sick. Personally, I think it is a fixative that is used to make the smell last. It seems that some products permeate your sinuses so that you can't smell anything else. Then the headache.
For me the worst offenders are: perfume, perfume saturated catalogs and magazines, air fresheners....Febreze is the WORST, cleaning products...swiffer...oh yuck. Drugstore brands of shampoo, hair color, even face make-up and lipstick. Last, but not least, lots of dog grooming products.
Even some so called aromatherapy items have given me the awful throbbing sinus headache. That's because they use orris root as a fixative to make the fragrance last. Orris root is also known as devil root, and is the most allergenic plant on earth. People who are allergic to nothing else are allergic to devil root. It is commonly used in potpourris. 

Sometimes I will start off actually liking the smell of a product, but as my sinuses become irritated ...well, I get oddly cranky, and start to hate it.

I don't like the fragrance of Cowboy Magic, it is ugly to me...but it doesn't make me sick. The medicated shampoos I use for Ru smell icky to me, but they don't make me sick.

I don't understand my friends who use scented candles, air fresheners or perfumed fabric softeners. 

Would you like to share your feelings on this subject? I would like to hear both sides...especially regarding highly scented dog products.


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

If a product has "Fragrance" on his label it means that the scent is synthetic. That's why it makes you sick. Most candles are made with synthetic scents, even the candles so called "aromatherapy" are not 100% pure essential oils. It's hard to find some, they are a lot more expensive. I found some a couple of weeks ago at Sprout's. Here is there website :

https://trumelange.com/about/

I also found some chemical free dog shampoo from Aroma Paws :

AROMA PAWS: CHEMICAL FREE GROOMING PRODUCTS FOR YOUR DOG


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

I'm with you, Sylvia. Can't stand almost all manufactured fragrances. Gives me headaches, makes me feel ill. Especially perfume. I can't stand when people seem to bathe themselves in it. I have to literally run through the first floors of department stores. Can't stand any fresheners. I'm not too bad with some fruit smells and some spices but they need to be the real thing, not fake scents. And I really get ill from the white lilies that are pink inside and narcissus. They just totally choke me. As for things that keep the scents, I think that's one of the things formaldehyde does (also called Quarternium). I get a violent allergic reaction from them and have to use herbal hair dye and formaldehyde free nail polish, etc.


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## Leila'sMommy (Oct 20, 2012)

There are a couple of strong smelling perfumes that really bother me and give me a headache. One is a scent from Bath & Body. I can't remember the name, but it has the dark purple label on it (if I remember correctly). Some of the "girls" at work were passing around a bottle of the lotion one day and I almost had to run to the bathroom because I felt like I was going to get sick. It gave me a horrible headache and felt like my head was closing in and squeezing my eyes. One of our case managers at work has been wearing some perfume a few months now that I don't know the name of. I really like her and used to enjoy talking to her. Now, I have to run when she's coming because of what it does to my sinuses and gives me a headache. She's really sweet and I haven't said anything to her because I don't want to hurt her feelings. For some reason, her perfume smells like she has taken a bath in it. But other people say they don't even smell it. It's so weird how it can smell so strong to me and no one else there can smell it!! I can smell her coming before I can even see her! I've smelled this same scent on other women from time to time when I've been in a store. To my nostrils, it smells bad too.

Other than these two things, I usually don't have any problems with different scents and actually enjoy using different scented lotions, body sprays, perfumes, air fresheners, candles, etc. We're not supposed to wear anything scented to work (hospital) even though some people do anyway, so I don't wear anything scented there. So, it's very rare I wear anything. I will use my favorite scents at home. But if I ever find that someone is coming over who has a sensitivity to scents, I won't use anything.


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## Furbabies mom (Jul 25, 2011)

I have no sensitivities to chemical odors like cleaning supplies, paint thinner, furniture stripper oven cleaner , really anything(good thing) Fragrances don't bother me either. I enjoy walking down the candle aisle, or the perfume department. As much as I love flowers, my least favorite scent is floral, it does not smell like the real thing! My mom had a condition called atrophy rhinitis that left her with no sense of smell or taste. Everything bothers her!! She has even fainted from an oven cleaner before. Even though she can't smell or taste, she's a great cook!!


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## pippersmom (May 21, 2012)

I like any kind of smell that is clean and fresh smelling but can't stand anything that is flowery smelling. That will give me a headache. Oh and pennies, can't stand the smell of pennies. That will give me a headache for sure. So will the smell of cigarette smoke. That's nasty.


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## Summergirl73 (Sep 18, 2011)

As yall know, I'm allergic to almost everything (food, fabrics and chemicals) lol. Bella and I both get our baths in Aveeno unscented body wash. It may not make her shiny and bright white, but I can hold her and that makes us happier than a white coat  . At the antique store where I work part-time, there are a bunch of candles and for some reason, they don't bother me. They are handmade by a lady and so I now have a ton of them. It is such a joy to be able to enjoy fragrances again! We also use essential oils sprayed in the air for fragrance when when want it. I love lavender, peppermint and eucalyptus.


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## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

I'm glad I'm not allergic to it, I love scents. I have scented candles, and more recently I got a wax burner that I am IN LOVE with! It is quite strong though and sometimes I have to turn it off because it does give me a headache after an extended period of time.

I like to smell good, I like body sprays and perfume, White Diamonds in particular. 

For those who have birds, scented things are really not good for them at all. Chico is upstairs when I have something going.


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## Grace'sMom (Feb 22, 2012)

There is something called Multiple Chemical Sensitivity ... it's not uncommon.

It may not be the chemicals themselves, but that your body is overloaded and needs to detox.

We have tried to eliminate as many chemicals as possible in the house. Because of my Lyme I am severely chemical sensitive.

If someone comes into the house wearing perfume, my lips go numb.

Earlier this year a little caulking in the kitchen was being done, the fumes weren't bad, but I walked past it on the way to my room. Just those few seconds, my entire throat went numb, my tongue started swelling. It wasn't good.

It's why I use all natural herbal shampoos. They don't have things people are used to... don't foam up as people as used to. But it works, we are clean  And it doesn't make me sick.

I also use natural oils instead of lotions. I will use essential oils to scent them if I want.

We use soap nuts instead of laundry detergent.

If you have a lot of Chemical Sensitivities, Environmental allergies, Food allergies - that throws up red flags for me. There are conditions out there that are easily treated that your regular doctor may completely miss.

I have a condition called HPU (hemopyrrollactamuria) ... sounds scary, huh? It isn't... It's a blood disorder, and it isn't that uncommon, but sadly it is often never looked for (and general practitioners will look at you funny LOL).

It's where I basically pee out many of minerals and nutrients I need. I have a zinc deficiency, which isn't a normal blood test - my ND had to order a special blood panel that looked at every vitamin and mineral. I have other deficiencies. Taking supplements doesn't help because I pee out 10 times the amount I consume. So it is a never ending battle.

But there are easy natural treatments that help this. The problem is - many are left untreated and the condition is diagnosed as other things: food allergies, environmental allergies, insomnia, hormone disorders, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, migraines, headaches, depression, panic disorder, borderline personality disorder, schizo-affective disorders, etc....

I guess what I'm saying is: If you are highly sensitive to things, there is probably a genuine reason why - be it a disorder like HPU or something like heavy metal or chemical toxicity

I'd really recommend finding a Naturopathic Doctor, a Holistic Doctor, or a Chinese Medicine doctor. I'm not saying you should use chemicals, but you can help lower the symptoms you get when you are exposed....


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## beckinwolf (Sep 2, 2008)

My least favorite scents are from laundry detergents like Tide, Downey, and Bounce dryer sheets. I hate the smell. Can't stand it. They are SO strong most of the time. I use that stuff, just the unscented kinds.


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## Furbabies mom (Jul 25, 2011)

beckinwolf said:


> My least favorite scents are from laundry detergents like Tide, Downey, and Bounce dryer sheets. I hate the smell. Can't stand it. They are SO strong most of the time. I use that stuff, just the unscented kinds.


I hate the smell of dryer sheets, I use unscented .Downey.


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## Furbabies mom (Jul 25, 2011)

pippersmom said:


> I like any kind of smell that is clean and fresh smelling but can't stand anything that is flowery smelling. That will give me a headache. Oh and pennies, can't stand the smell of pennies. That will give me a headache for sure. So will the smell of cigarette smoke. That's nasty.


I never thought of pennies, I don't like that smell either,it reminds me of how blood smells. Yuck!


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## Sylie (Apr 4, 2011)

Oh yeah, laundry stuff smells so strong. I can't stand to walk down that isle in the grocery store. I do use regular tide though, it doesn't bother me at all. Go figure.


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## pippersmom (May 21, 2012)

Sylie said:


> Oh yeah, laundry stuff smells so strong. I can't stand to walk down that isle in the grocery store. I do use regular tide though, it doesn't bother me at all. Go figure.


I LOVE the laundry soap aisle. Mmmmmmm it smells so good! I will go out of my way just to walk down that aisle and inhale deeply.


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## Furbabies mom (Jul 25, 2011)

pippersmom said:


> I LOVE the laundry soap aisle. Mmmmmmm it smells so good! I will go out of my way just to walk down that aisle and inhale deeply.


Me too! Pennies??? Ha ha who thinks of pennies???


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## pippersmom (May 21, 2012)

Furbabies mom said:


> Me too! Pennies??? Ha ha who thinks of pennies???


Me of coarse! :HistericalSmiley: :HistericalSmiley: :HistericalSmiley:


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## SammieMom (Nov 13, 2010)

I've never had a problem dealing with odors like some of you mentioned. Except some cleaning products :w00t: but my sister has same issues you all describe - --- due to sinus problems I think it is. I really LOVED my Yankee Candles and Bath & Body Works items. It was a tradition for us girls as far as gifts. But I had to get rid of all mine, and if I apply my perfume has to be once I leave home -- because it really bothers Sammie. I miss them all. 
But as far as pet products, Sammie is allergic to grains, scented shampoo, the "stupid" medicated shampoo my old Vet sold me, FPlus topical meds, grass, pollen, and who knows what else. He would sneezes and itches. What works good for him is a puppy shampoo called (TROPICLEAN) tearless. Nothing seems to bother Miss penny - yet. I've learned never say never with a Maltese, tomorrows a new day.


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## Sylie (Apr 4, 2011)

One of the things I really like the smell of is just about all the Pure Paws grooming products. Unfortunately, they make the dogs itchy, so I can't use them. But they smell great.


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## beckinwolf (Sep 2, 2008)

I love the smell of Bath & Body Works stuff, but I'm really allergic to it, and if I wear it, by the end of the day I'm wheezing like I have some kind of asthma. Same with Jergen's Cherry Almond. I LOVE that smell, but it doesn't love me back.


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## zooeysmom (Aug 1, 2011)

I can't stand scented products of any type!!! Since I have horrible allergies, I have a negative association with anything with a scent (except food!). I buy unscented soap, shampoo (Nature's Miracle for Zooey), laundry detergent, and never use candle or sprays or anything. Many women with endometriosis have compromised immune systems that can't handle the toxin overload, as Tori mentioned about so many conditions. I've been working on eating a diet to support my immune system in hopes that my allergies will improve, but so far, no improvement


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## Sylie (Apr 4, 2011)

zooeysmom said:


> I can't stand scented products of any type!!! Since I have horrible allergies, I have a negative association with anything with a scent (except food!). I buy unscented soap, shampoo (Nature's Miracle for Zooey), laundry detergent, and never use candle or sprays or anything. Many women with endometriosis have compromised immune systems that can't handle the toxin overload, as Tori mentioned about so many conditions. I've been working on eating a diet to support my immune system in hopes that my allergies will improve, but so far, no improvement


I'm so sorry. It irritates me that there are so many products out there that make us sick for no good reason. I think that some of us are more sensitive than others, but that those who don't actually feel it are still being harmed by all these senseless chemicals. To what end? To sell stuff....often times completely useless stuff. I'm shaking my head in despair, but there is not an emoticon for that.


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## vjw (Dec 20, 2006)

Would those of you with sensitivities mind sharing the names of some of the fragrance free products you use? I have asthma and lung scarring and can't tolerate any scent at all, so even the aromatherapy and natural products aggravate the asthma.


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

vjw said:


> Would those of you with sensitivities mind sharing the names of some of the fragrance free products you use? I have asthma and lung scarring and can't tolerate any scent at all, so even the aromatherapy and natural products aggravate the asthma.


Be wary of even aromatherapy products and natural products. Most of them still use synthetic scents. Some blend essential oils with synthetic ones. If you like a particular scent, buy the pure essential oil and put it in a diffuser. A lot safer that way. And when they write "Fragrance" in the ingredients list, run from it, it means that whatever scent they put in the product is synthetic.


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## beckinwolf (Sep 2, 2008)

vjw said:


> Would those of you with sensitivities mind sharing the names of some of the fragrance free products you use? I have asthma and lung scarring and can't tolerate any scent at all, so even the aromatherapy and natural products aggravate the asthma.


Since I can't use scented lotions, and even most unscented lotions have questionable ingredients, I just use unscented raw Shea butter as a moisturizer. The brand I'm using now is called "Inesscents" They do sell some with fragrance added, but also sell unscented. It's mixed with jojoba oil and that's it. Both are organic. Other than Shea butter, I also have used coconut oil and almond oil. Almond oil has almost no natural scent at all, and of course coconut oil smells like coconuts. 

Dr. Bronner sells a bunch of unscented stuff with his "Baby Mild" line. Hand soap, liquid soap, bar soap, shaving gel, and body balm. Here's a link.

Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps Retail Store: Baby & Sensitive Skin Care

For Shampoo and Conditioner, they are super hard to find unscented, but I've found a few here and there. The brand Desert Essence makes an unscented. I've used their lemon and coconut scents before and they don't bother me at all, but I can't use regular stuff at all or it bugs me. No Suave or Dove for me. 

Hope that helps.


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## vjw (Dec 20, 2006)

Thanks Becky!


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## Silkmalteselover (Apr 1, 2010)

:thumbsup: Just want to say I am so glad this thread was started.. those of us who do not have this issue need to be much more aware of how all our perfumes, lotions, candles etc. affect those around us.


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## beckinwolf (Sep 2, 2008)

I used to work with a lady who used those stupid Glade Plug-ins. I hated those things so much. I'd get a headache whenever she got a new one. I remember one time she was on vacation, I actually unplugged it and put it outside while she was gone. She quit years ago, but I still remember her darn plug-ins.


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## zooeysmom (Aug 1, 2011)

Sylie said:


> I'm so sorry. It irritates me that there are so many products out there that make us sick for no good reason. I think that some of us are more sensitive than others, but that those who don't actually feel it are still being harmed by all these senseless chemicals. To what end? To sell stuff....often times completely useless stuff. I'm shaking my head in despair, but there is not an emoticon for that.


Thank you, Sylvia. I just don't understand why our world has to be so full of chemicals...



vjw said:


> Would those of you with sensitivities mind sharing the names of some of the fragrance free products you use? I have asthma and lung scarring and can't tolerate any scent at all, so even the aromatherapy and natural products aggravate the asthma.


Laundry--All Free and Clear

Dryer sheets--any unscented

Lotion--Cetaphil

Soap--Dove Unscented

Face wash--CVS brand version of Olay regenerist

Moisturizer--the real Olay Regenerist

Make-up--Laura Mercier, Miracle Skin

Lipstick--Burt's Bees

Deodorant--Secret Unscented

I'll try to think of any more products I use.



Silkmalteselover said:


> :thumbsup: Just want to say I am so glad this thread was started.. those of us who do not have this issue need to be much more aware of how all our perfumes, lotions, candles etc. affect those around us.


Thank you! I have friends and family who constantly "forget" that I'm allergic to perfume, most animals, etc. They just don't care. I appreciate people who do care


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## Deborah (Jan 8, 2006)

All I can say is you would not be happy campers in my house I love fragrance!:blush:


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## Sylie (Apr 4, 2011)

I was just having a conversation with DH about how perfumes affect our dogs. It started because MiMi was sniffing around an unopened, vacuum packed bag of dog food, and we remarked on her incredible sense of smell. Because dogs rely on their sense of smell more than vision, I have always held that it is a bad thing to use strong fragrances that they can't escape.
For those who believe that chemical fragrances are harmless, please read the two articles I am going to post. Then, please consider how this affects your babies.

HowStuffWorks "Are air fresheners bad for your health?"

The Straight Dope: Do air fresheners work by numbing out your nose?

As a person who has birds, I know not to use these things _because they will kill birds_, I figure if they KILL birds, they can't be okay for mammals either.


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## KAG (Jun 1, 2006)

Uh oh. I've been wearing perfume since I was little. I remember getting Jungle Gardenia in my Easter basket. Perfume is part of my M.O. I'd feel naked without it. Of course there are scents I abhor, and ones that give me sinus infections. I don't douse myself in the ones I love, though. Except for when my Father bought me Giorgio, the parfume and the eau de toilette, for a special occasion back in 1982. You could smell this stuff a mile away. The President of the company I was working for asked me not to wear it because it choked him. My point is, perfume makes me happy and I relate it to usually happy memories. 

I feel awful for you girls suffering with allergies and asthma. I get sinusitis often and it's horrible. 

Yes, this thread has made me think more about others. 
Xoxoxoxoo


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## Sylie (Apr 4, 2011)

Kerry, it is interesting that you mention Giorgio, because that is the first time perfume made me sick. In 1982 Giorgio launched a big promotion where they sent a bizzilion samples in the mail. My boss was taking me out for lunch at a very special restaurant (Christmas), and while we were driving to the restaurant I pulled out my little sample to try it out. He said, "Be careful not to use too much, we might not like it."
I used only the tiniest drop on my wrist, but it seemed to explode. The smell filled the car, and we both felt sick from it. As soon as I could, I washed it over and over, but the smell lingered. I believe that that was the beginning of the use of chemical binders to hold the fragrance.

Before then, I always used perfume. A dab behind the ears and on wrists. Other people could catch a whiff only when the were close. Perfume was sort of intimate, enticing...sort of sexy. We used to carry a small purse size with us, because it faded away quickly.

It seems that for a year or longer the whole world smelled of Giorgio. People would come into my office wearing it, and the smell would remain long after they left. I could even taste it. There is nothing intimate or intriguing about smelling the scent of someone who was in the elevator 10 minutes ago.

My gripe is not with perfume...it is with chemicals.


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## Snowball Pie's Mommi (Oct 16, 2008)

KAG said:


> Uh oh. I've been wearing perfume since I was little. I remember getting Jungle Gardenia in my Easter basket. Perfume is part of my M.O. I'd feel naked without it. Of course there are scents I abhor, and ones that give me sinus infections. I don't douse myself in the ones I love, though. Except for when my Father bought me Giorgio, the parfume and the eau de toilette, for a special occasion back in 1982. You could smell this stuff a mile away. The President of the company I was working for asked me not to wear it because it choked him. My point is, perfume makes me happy and I relate it to usually happy memories.
> 
> I feel awful for you girls suffering with allergies and asthma. I get sinusitis often and it's horrible.
> 
> ...


A lot of what Kerry has shared here ...

I would feel lost without a little perfume. It makes me feel good. I have gotten many compliments over perfumes I have chosen over the years. One example ... many men love the smell of Obsession by Calvin Klein. I have actually been standing in supermarket lines, etc., when men standing nearby me, have asked me what I was wearing that smelled so good. More than one man said he wanted to buy the perfume for his wife. I wore Obsession for several years. Now I wear Dior's Addiction. Funny ... *Obsession* ... then *Addiction*. LOL However, I can only find the original Addiction perfume directly by ordering through Dior. 

Oh, and I think there is nothing more sexy than a great smelling man. Again, not over powering cologne ... but, just a nice scent. I think it can be such a big turn on if a gentleman is wearing a first class cologne.

I am like Kerry, I do not douse myself in perfume.. When Kerry was here and we first hugged ... she said that I smelled so good. And, I thought she smelled great, too! 

I used to love Camay soap ... it used to be advertised as the "beauty cleanser " ... and, it had the most lovely scent. One time when at the post office, the postal clerk said I smelled so good and asked if I would mind sharing what the name of the perfume was that I was wearing. I didn't have on any perfume ... but, had just taken a shower with Camay! 

Over the years I have had many compliments, from men and women alike, that they loved the fragrances I wore. However, my most favorite compliment came from my granddaughter when she was about six years old. She had been in the supermarket with Felix. She pulled him over to the aisle that had the bath and facial soaps and said ... Oh, Pop- Pop! Isn't this wonderful ... it smells wonderful ... just like Grandma!" Felix said there was a man standing nearby with a big grin on his face. LOL

Sadly, Camay, after all these years, changed the scent I loved ... so, I no longer buy it.

I DO NOT like scented hand lotions or hairspray. I will never understand how women put up with that hairspray called Aqua Net! I always thought that stuff stunk, period. I do not like any hairspray with a scent. I need a little hairspray because my hair is fine and otherwise falls all over the place. I have used Paul Mitchell for years ... no scent at all.

I remember my mother always smelled so wonderful. During the Christmas holidays she loved Caron's Nuit de Noel that I bought her every year for Christmas. Then, a few years before she died ... she developed allergies to everything. I felt so bad for her ... as I do for anyone who suffers from allergies. 

And, if I am around anyone that I know has allergies, I will avoid wearing my perfume. Even if Snowball had an allergy to my perfume ... I would give it up for him in a heartbeat.

I have been wondering though ... and, especially after reading this thread ... with some of you loving perfume, and others not liking it, or, worse yet, suffering from allergies ... whatever happens to those of you who get together at the meet-ups, like the one at HH? I cannot imagine that everyone was perfume free ... unless everyone knew some friends were allergic to perfume, etc. Just wondering ...


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## Sylie (Apr 4, 2011)

Marie, I'll bet I would love the way you smell. For one thing, I think that what is nice is when you only get a gentle whiff when you are close. It isn't so nice when the whole room smells after the person has left.

There are lots of nice smell that don't give me a headache, but the ones that do are the ones that are strong and long lasting. It is probably one chemical that is used as a fixative.


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