Perfume is Unfashionable and Inconsiderate

[Anonymous]

I agree. Strong perfume really, really bothers me. I don't understand how people don't get this - you are bothered by someone's nasty BO when they walk by you, right? Well, I am bothered by your nasty perfume.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Sorry, I will keep wearing a minuscule dab of J'Adore, or Poison, my two favorite perfumes. I have a very sensitive sense of smell and a tiny dab goes a very long way. Feel free to tell me that you can't stand the way I smell. I won't be offended, but I will keep doing something non-lethal that makes me happy.

Also, my son has anaphylactic allergies to peanuts and tree nuts, and I do not appreciate that people like you demand that others cater to their sensitivities when others need to carry Epipens for their lethal allergies and navigate potentially deadly situations, often daily, without making a big deal out of it. As a general rule, I've noticed that the people with the biggest burdens in life don't make the most noise.

Are you 85? Those are grandma perfumes.

[Anonymous]

Ugh I hate it too OP. It's full of so much crap and you have no idea what's in those bottles.

[Anonymous]

I get headaches from most perfumes and from scented personal and laundry products. I’ve had to talk to a coworker who wore buckets of perfume and scented everything. Every day, she’d arrive after me, walk by my desk on the way to her own some 20 feet away, and immediately I’d get a headache and stuffy nose. I had to take Advil twice daily.

It was beyond awkward talking to her about it, but I suppose as the HR manager she was used to some strange conversations. But it was fine, she was very considerate and had no clue her scents were so heavy. She stopped wearing the perfume to work, stopped even with the heavily scented hand lotion she applied throughout the day.

Advocate for yourself. In public, just move away.

[Anonymous]

It depends on the occasion. I wouldn't wear it to the Dr office, grocery store, medspa.

I do wear perfume for occasions though, just the smallest dab to skin, not spray. I hate when my hair and clothes smell

Perfume can be lovely but it should scent an entire room. It should only be noticeable if you are in very close proximity to someone, and even though, just a small hint.

[Anonymous]

I feel like perfume gets too much of the hate. Frankly, though I really don't want to smell you at all unless, as a PP said, you are my family or I'm giving you a hug, a decent perfume* is not half as aggravating to my senses as the really sickly sweet hand lotions (and perhaps deodorant?) that some women use in my office. We just live in a very scented environment and I think tolerance/consideration has to go both ways.

*Heck, give me even a grandma perfume over VS "vanilla" lotion (gag), which yes, I did ask a coworker to identify for me as I never want to be within a 1/2 mile of it again...

[Anonymous]

These threads are so weird to me because I am definitely "scent sensitive" in that I notice smells very easily and more than others do. But I have no allergies or medical issue that make the smells affect me. I just notice them, even subtle smells, good and bad.

But I don't view that as a reason to demand other people stop wearing perfume. That's bizarre to me. I get if you have an allergy or similar and therefore can't work near someone wearing strong perfume. In that case, ask for an accommodation -- makes perfect sense (scents, ha!).

But to demand that all the old ladies at the Kennedy Center stop wearing their perfumes? To get angry about smelling someone else's perfume in a waiting room or standing on line at the post office? This just seems so controlling to me. Sometimes other people's perfume bothers me, but it's a temporary annoyance, something I notice and then forget about. I don't go home fuming about some woman on the bus and her heavy perfume.

These complaints are like eavesdropping on people and then complaining that their conversation is dull. Just move along. It doesn't concern you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These threads are so weird to me because I am definitely "scent sensitive" in that I notice smells very easily and more than others do. But I have no allergies or medical issue that make the smells affect me. I just notice them, even subtle smells, good and bad.

But I don't view that as a reason to demand other people stop wearing perfume. That's bizarre to me. I get if you have an allergy or similar and therefore can't work near someone wearing strong perfume. In that case, ask for an accommodation -- makes perfect sense (scents, ha!).

But to demand that all the old ladies at the Kennedy Center stop wearing their perfumes? To get angry about smelling someone else's perfume in a waiting room or standing on line at the post office? This just seems so controlling to me. Sometimes other people's perfume bothers me, but it's a temporary annoyance, something I notice and then forget about. I don't go home fuming about some woman on the bus and her heavy perfume.

These complaints are like eavesdropping on people and then complaining that their conversation is dull. Just move along. It doesn't concern you.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These threads are so weird to me because I am definitely "scent sensitive" in that I notice smells very easily and more than others do. But I have no allergies or medical issue that make the smells affect me. I just notice them, even subtle smells, good and bad.

But I don't view that as a reason to demand other people stop wearing perfume. That's bizarre to me. I get if you have an allergy or similar and therefore can't work near someone wearing strong perfume. In that case, ask for an accommodation -- makes perfect sense (scents, ha!).

But to demand that all the old ladies at the Kennedy Center stop wearing their perfumes? To get angry about smelling someone else's perfume in a waiting room or standing on line at the post office? This just seems so controlling to me. Sometimes other people's perfume bothers me, but it's a temporary annoyance, something I notice and then forget about. I don't go home fuming about some woman on the bus and her heavy perfume.

These complaints are like eavesdropping on people and then complaining that their conversation is dull. Just move along. It doesn't concern you.

I've noticed it's always about women's perfume and never about men's cologne. Which is weird because men tend to wear stronger scents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I saw Goody Proctor with Chanel No. 5

Omg I’m dying

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These threads are so weird to me because I am definitely "scent sensitive" in that I notice smells very easily and more than others do. But I have no allergies or medical issue that make the smells affect me. I just notice them, even subtle smells, good and bad.

But I don't view that as a reason to demand other people stop wearing perfume. That's bizarre to me. I get if you have an allergy or similar and therefore can't work near someone wearing strong perfume. In that case, ask for an accommodation -- makes perfect sense (scents, ha!).

But to demand that all the old ladies at the Kennedy Center stop wearing their perfumes? To get angry about smelling someone else's perfume in a waiting room or standing on line at the post office? This just seems so controlling to me. Sometimes other people's perfume bothers me, but it's a temporary annoyance, something I notice and then forget about. I don't go home fuming about some woman on the bus and her heavy perfume.

These complaints are like eavesdropping on people and then complaining that their conversation is dull. Just move along. It doesn't concern you.

Exactly! Unless you are working in a shared space, I don't see what the big deal is.

I actually find the smell of "unscented" moisturizer really unpleasant...like I can smell it all day on me. So, I use a few brands whose smell I know work for me. I don't care what OP thinks. I use products that make me comfortable all day and I'm not concerned with the 2 seconds we might pass in a store.

[Anonymous]

Complaining about perfume is hypochondriacal and entitled.

[Anonymous]

OP, I'm in complete agreement with you, but just get ready for someone to call you racist for your opinion. My coworker LOOVED her scents and prided herself on "smelling good." If you complained about it, she complained about you to HR.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Complaining about perfume is hypochondriacal and entitled.

It’s ridiculous. But so so DCUM.

[Anonymous]

I like wearing perfumes every day as public service.

If you can smell me you do not have COVID.