Community Chat

[chihuahuamom]

I see this sweet lady about once a week at church, and she often gives me a hug.  Problem is she wears something that really, frankly, smells awful and after that hug, I smell like her for a while. I know it is some kind of fragrance, but evidently it's either just stinky to my nose or it changes on her skin. I guess you just have to live with things like that, because I don't want to stop hugging her!  I don't know her enough to comment (and even if I did, I don't think I would). What to do besides giving her a gift of a nice smelling lotion??? 

[LOVEMYFURBABY]

You have a very nice fragrance.  Can you  share with me the name of it.      Then, tell her you can't wear strong fragrance,    They usually change on  some people and probably  would enter the room before you would, or try to tell her in a sutle way without her knowing what you are doing.   She may let up a little on the fragrance.   When I was in the work arena, I had no  that some people may be  allergic

[AngelPuppy1]

I know what you mean. Strong scents give me migraines.  Luckily you don't have to be in contact with her much, so I really don't think I would do or say anything to her.  I'm sure she loves her perfume and thinks it smells wonderful.  I wouldn't want to hurt her feelings.  If you had to be around her all the time it would be a different story perhaps.  

[Desertdi]

Some "seniors" have a diminished sense of smell...........They probably are unaware of the HEAVY perfume they are wearing.

[StylishLady]

Could be worse. Could be a cigarette smoker. Smokers likely don't realize it either. I remember when I finally quit in 1991, my leather coats smelled like an ashtray. Ugh.

[missy1]

I can't wear perfume. Strong smelling perfume on people is as bad as them smelling like smoke IMO. They should ban it in some public places, like smoking. I am glad many Dr. offices have signs that say don't wear it in here.

[candys mine]

If she is older I think her generation grew up with bold perfumes.  If her perfume it truely, obviously, overdone, Perhaps it is her polite way of masking some other smell that may occur about her. 

Could you wear a shawl or sweater to Service that you can remove after the hug?  I'm sorry the perfume doesn't agree with you but I'm sure your huggs are a bright spot in this womans day!

[Yardlie]

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@Desertdi wrote:

Some "seniors" have a diminished sense of smell...........They probably are unaware of the HEAVY perfume they are wearing.

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Definitely! As I was leaving the bank the other day, I passed an older lady who was coming in. She had on a very heavy dose of extremely pungent perfume. It was enough to knock you over. I always try to keep in mind three things: (1) Many seniors do have a somewhat diminished sense of smell. (I am a senior.) (2) What one person finds to be a pleasant scent may be extremely stinky and offensive to another person. (3) There are a lot of people who get headaches, asthma, and other problems from strong fragrances (myself included). Add to that the fact that some people do not shower every day, so the body odor mixed in with the perfume is enough to make you gag.

[SharkE]

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@StylishLady wrote:

Could be worse. Could be a cigarette smoker. Smokers likely don't realize it either. I remember when I finally quit in 1991, my leather coats smelled like an ashtray. Ugh.

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Yeah, it's in their hair, clothes, houses stink and cars.

[Mmsfoxxie]

Senior or not, not everybody considers the same fragrant to be strong.  I've seen on the boards here where someone asks suggestions on a light scented perfume and I'm always surprised by some of the suggestions.

There is one by Dolce & Garbana (spelling might be wrong) that I consider very strong and several here consider it light.

I think that I would kind of hold the hugger at arms length and give her a big smile and friendly greeting and then tell her that her cologne doesn't agree with you.  I would understand if someone told me that.