Beauty

[Jordan2]

Have you ever worked with or have a family member who seems to have been heavy handed with fragrance? I have, but I don't want to hurt someone's feelings by saying their fragrance is too much. I say nothing and just try to bear it. Do they really not smell it on themselves?

[geezerette]

Yes.  I have a dear close friend that not only personally overdoes the fragrance, but her house smells overpowering too.  And the thing is she has a very bad case of asthma.  

She's very sensitive and if I ever did more than hint that perhaps she'd be better off without quite so much fragrance in her life, it would devastate her.  

I figure people have to put up with things they don't like about me, so I need to do the same.🤷‍♀️

[Carolina925]

I had a coworker who used to mix all kinds of different fragrances, saying she wanted her own "signature fragrance"; she'd give me headaches and everyone knew when she was walking down the halls. I'm guessing she didn't smell them on herself since I rarely can smell my own perfume after about half an hour. I can't think of a single way to let people know when it's too much.

[decaf]

It's worse than annoying, you can develop allergies to fragrance if you're forced to be around someone who constantly overdoes it, as in a work setting.

ETA- This happened to my husband, any perfume now starts him sneezing and getting a headache.

[Carolina925]

@geezerette , I feel the same way about people putting up with my little quirks. Since I never can smell my own perfume, I may be guilty of overdoing it, as well.

[decaf]

@Jordan2  If it was a co-worker I'd definitely ask a boss to step in, to tell the worker not to wear any fragrance at work.

It's more sensitive with a friend or relative, I'd try to bear it unless it's someone you see all the time. Then I'd be direct, but in a non confrontational, caring manner.

[Jersey Born]

@Jordan2 - Many years ago, my mother liked the smell of Giorgio, and I truly disliked that intense smell. I did tell her, and I encouraged her to switch to another one. I was quite relieved when she discovered Lancome's Tresor, because even though I did not completely love that fragrance, I found it much more pleasant to my olfactory senses than Giorgio.  

While I felt completely comfortable discussing this issue with my mother, I don't recommend telling someone other than an immediate family member that their fragrance is offensive to you for the very reason that @geezerette mentioned-- some people are extremely sensitive to negative input, and they will feel extremely hurt. 

Another thing to consider is that there are worse things to smell than even the strongest perfume, like a co-worker who comes to work with breath stinking of alcohol, cigarrettes, and coffee. I once offered such a co-worker a mint when I had to work closely with him at an offsite location, but he declined it.  There is only so much you can do to remedy such a situation without coming off as hostile or unkind.

[qualitygal]

I once worked with a lady who was kind enough to say she was sensitive to perfumes and had to take pills. I wasn't heavy handed, she was just very sensitive to perfumes. I appreciated her honesty and saved the perfume to wear, places she wasn't.  It was all good, I appreciated knowing that, and didn't want her to be uncomfortable or even miserable, if she had a reaction of sorts.  We can communicate kindly and not everyone will react badly to the truth. 

Came back to add:  if you are a garlic lover, if you overdo, it will come out your pores, or was that cumin?  I was around someone once who was that way.  Wow, and I love garlic, so now, I'm careful of that too. 

[manny2]

The amount of fragrance that is offensive is subjective, so unless it's so heavy you can almost taste it I wouldn't say anything. We can't control what other people do. If you are at work in a tight space I would just go to a supervisor, and let them handle it.

[KingstonsMom]

My DD recently bought a 'designer' fragrance that she absolutely loves, but I had to tell her that it was waaay too strong, the way she was applying it.

She swears that she only did a spritz on her wrist and one on her throat, but still it was way too much.

I mean, if your Mom won't tell ya', who will?