As a mom herself, Sick of Perfume finds herself bewildered by the trend that's taken over our homes and playgrounds: strong fragrances for everyone. For her, it's a case of "too much is never enough." What happens when we're exposed to scents all day, every day?
At first glance, it might seem harmless – we've got perfume, deodorant, laundry detergent, and even 'fragrance-free' products that still contain fragrance ingredients. But the truth is a bit more complicated. Cari Casteel's research suggests that Covid-19 isolation may have left some people "de-acclimated" to their fellow humans' normal odors – which then became hyper-unfamiliar, causing anxiety over our own scent.
Lindsay Dahl, an environmental health expert, explains that nearly 20% of fragrance ingredients are potential allergens. Women are more likely to react poorly to these chemicals due to prolonged exposure throughout daily life.
So what does this mean for Sick of Perfume and her family? She's developed a sensitivity to strong fragrances – particularly fabric softeners – over time, which makes her feel unwell.
The solution isn't as simple as asking the parents to tone down their kid's fragrance levels or sending a polite note asking them not to bring scented items into your home. That could be perceived as judgmental or stigmatizing, especially if they come from different socio-economic backgrounds.
Instead, Sick of Perfume suggests talking to the parents and framing her sensitivity as a house rule: "We can't really have play dates inside our house because my kids get unwell when I'm exposed to strong fragrances." By doing so, she avoids singling out her child's scent without directly attacking it.
The advice is simple yet powerful. As Sick of Perfume so aptly puts it, now that we know nearly a third of people could experience adverse reactions to certain scents – consider toning down the fragrance, or better yet, find ways to minimize our impact on those around us.
At first glance, it might seem harmless – we've got perfume, deodorant, laundry detergent, and even 'fragrance-free' products that still contain fragrance ingredients. But the truth is a bit more complicated. Cari Casteel's research suggests that Covid-19 isolation may have left some people "de-acclimated" to their fellow humans' normal odors – which then became hyper-unfamiliar, causing anxiety over our own scent.
Lindsay Dahl, an environmental health expert, explains that nearly 20% of fragrance ingredients are potential allergens. Women are more likely to react poorly to these chemicals due to prolonged exposure throughout daily life.
So what does this mean for Sick of Perfume and her family? She's developed a sensitivity to strong fragrances – particularly fabric softeners – over time, which makes her feel unwell.
The solution isn't as simple as asking the parents to tone down their kid's fragrance levels or sending a polite note asking them not to bring scented items into your home. That could be perceived as judgmental or stigmatizing, especially if they come from different socio-economic backgrounds.
Instead, Sick of Perfume suggests talking to the parents and framing her sensitivity as a house rule: "We can't really have play dates inside our house because my kids get unwell when I'm exposed to strong fragrances." By doing so, she avoids singling out her child's scent without directly attacking it.
The advice is simple yet powerful. As Sick of Perfume so aptly puts it, now that we know nearly a third of people could experience adverse reactions to certain scents – consider toning down the fragrance, or better yet, find ways to minimize our impact on those around us.
. It's not about judging others or being "fragrance-free" obsessed, it's just about being considerate of those around us who might be more sensitive. I think framing it as a house rule like she suggests is super reasonable and can help create a more inclusive environment for everyone 
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I totally get why sick of perfume would be frustrated with all these strong fragrances everywhere! I mean, can you imagine being constantly sniffed at or having your own scent be a problem? 
My cousin's sister-in-law has this super bad allergies to perfumes and always gets headaches when people wear strong scents. And now that everyone's more aware of how chemicals affect us, it's like...let's just reduce the fragrances already? 
I feel for sick of perfume having to explain her sensitivity to others without making them feel judged. It's not easy being the one who has to say no to certain things 'cause of your own health 
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. It's not that hard! And Sick of Perfume makes a valid point about framing it as a house rule, no need to be all judgy or anything 
. Let's just be considerate of each other, 'kay? 
. We need to think about our impact on others, you know? It's not just about us and our own preferences... we gotta consider the others too 