posted
one of my mom's friends switched to the only perfume my mom can tolerate for my mom's allergies, that was sweet. I wear Gap vanilla body spray once in a while, but I don't think it really bothers people, it smells like cookies (so it might be distracting )
Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004
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posted
In the school of music at IU, I will occasionally get on the very small elevator in the library, and find myself with a guy who has not only completely covered himself in cologne from head to toe, but has also chosen a scent that might be described as Eau de Skunk. I'm not allergic, but those situations leave my head swimming, and it's all I can do not to gag.
Posts: 4077 | Registered: Jun 2003
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But, to be honest, almost no perfume bothers me if it's in reasonable amounts. Reasonable to me means that unless I am close enough to be in physical contact with you, I should not be able to detect it. And even if I am that close, it should be faint, like an aftertaste, and not overpowering to the point of being unignorable.
Posts: 13680 | Registered: Mar 2002
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posted
Exactly, that's how I wear it, and incredibly rarely. It doesn't bother me, and basically anything that sprays does (orange cleaner as made me not walk on the main floor of our house all day.
Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004
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posted
There's a woman who works in the office across the hall from me that positively marinades in the stuff. I don't even have to be in the same room with her... if she's walked through the corridor recently her cloud remains.
It's one of my pet peeves, I'm afraid. I haven't noticed hispanic women being especially at fault though. In my experience, it's usually older white ladies (although the woman in my building is asian).
Posts: 2069 | Registered: May 2001
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posted
Marinades *giggls* I have mild asthma so perfume drives me insane. I just like victoria's secret garden collection as it is sweet and fruity.
Posts: 9942 | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
Okay, I fully agree that some people use waaaaay too much of the stuff. Any perfume or cologne should be used in moderation.
quote:Reasonable to me means that unless I am close enough to be in physical contact with you, I should not be able to detect it.
But if there's that little, doesn't that defeat the purpose? If you're using perfume or cologne to make yourself more attractive to members of your target sex--and let's be honest, what on earth is the point of the stuff if not to serve as an artificial pheromone--then shouldn't they be able to detect it without already being all up ons? I mean, if they're already so close to you that their nose is buried in your flesh, then evidently you didn't need the help. . . .
Posts: 1814 | Registered: Jul 2004
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posted
I've noticed men being worse offenders in the "walk by them in the mall" category--just yesterday I had a guy walk past whose cologne nearly knocked me out. He was walking in the opposite direction from me, and as I continued along the route he'd come from, I could follow the scent like a cookie crumb trail leading me back where he'd been!
I also remember a date in college w/ a man considerably older than me who had on so much cheap cologne that I thought I was going to choke.
I don't mind perfume/cologne if it's not heavy; I use it myself on occasion and enjoy it. I've probably been guilty of putting on a bit too much at times, but I don't think ever to the degree of the examples above!
Posts: 3149 | Registered: Jul 2005
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Not only does one of the attorneys in the office do it, but so do a lot of his clients. And the generalization mentioned above does definitely fit my experience, although the men are probably a little bit more at fault than the women.
I was always taught that if I could smell it on myself, I was wearing too much. Of course, now that I've developed sensitivities to most of these scents (I don't think they're all the way to allergy yet), I don't wear anything more than whatever scent is in my bath products and deodorant, and I take the time to sniff contents and find the least intrusive scents I can.
Oh, and don't get me started on Eau de Skunk, or for that matter, Essence of Mosquito Repellent! What are these people THINKING?????
Posts: 4515 | Registered: Jul 2004
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Here's my theory. Just as someone who is hard of hearing has the volume turned up on their TV (and voice) until it is loud enough to drive everyone else from the room, people who are hard of smelling do the same with perfume. To the hard of smelling, their overpowering scent is a mere whisper of deliciousness, to everyone else, it is the stench of all that is unholy.
Perhaps one day, medical science will develop smelling aides to assist them, until then, we must suffer.
Posts: 10397 | Registered: Jun 2005
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posted
I went backpacking this summer in Europe, and there was this perfume/scent whatever that was EVERWHERE in Amsterdam. It was some vanillaesque cheep perfume, pretty much the most promenant smell around the prostitutes/bookstores in the red light district.
A few weeks later I am living half the summer in Barcelona, there is this Estonian girl staying with my homestay family and she is REALLY REALLY getting on my nerves (total racist). Anyway her last night, I get forced into going out with her to a bar, and she wears the SAME PERFUME!!! HAAHAHAHA, oh yes, the whole night she wanted to know what I thought was so funny, and i could barely keep from saying that her cheep perfume reminded me of a hooker. Beware cheep perfume ladies.
Posts: 9912 | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
Working in retail, I've encountered a few of these situations. Fortunately, they don't occur on a regular basis.
One gentleman, someone from a completely different culture than America, approached me with questions. At first, the only unusual aspect of the situation was how close he stood to me. I'm from western Kansas, and I'm not ashamed to say I prefer a comfortable amount of personal space between myself and complete strangers. He stood quite close. I caught a strong whiff of his cologne. It about smothered me.
Anytime someone's in my personal space, I'll casually back up or just slowly move away. It's normal. The smell of his cologne made me do the step-back immediately. It was still bad. And it was definitely coming from him.
All the while, he continues to ask me some unimportant questions, and I politely answer them.
He moves toward me. Now, I'm quite sure he can hear me. My voice carries, and I wasn't talking quietly. What the heck?
I step back again, casually. I just need some space, buddy, and your scent isn't helping my situation.
He steps toward me again.
I back up, getting a little irritated. I'm trying not to choke on the smell when I talk.
He does tilt his head a little quizzically at me, but keeps on yammering.
And steps toward me again.
I answer the question. But I have to interject, because the cologne-stink waltz has continued long enough.
"I'm sorry, sir, but your cologne is overpowering. Perhaps it's just me, but I've been trying to create a little more space between us to compensate for it. I'm truly not trying to offend you."
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