Do you have a fragrance allergy or a sensitivity to perfumes?
A fragrance allergy or sensitivity is life-changing.
It used to stress me out massively when I got diagnosed. Still tough at times – shops, being near people wearing fragrances, being careful in large social settings, travelling, walking around, the costs of buying fragrance-free products and the awareness and communication you have to have in ALL situations – work, events, places, home, travelling and social.
Hopefully, this will help explain what I’ve learnt about having one.
A fragrance allergy is an allergy to synthetic fragrances, aromas, perfumes, parfum, certain essential oils and problematic ingredients used in fragrance.
- The Environmental Working Group (EWG) describe “fragrance” or “parfum” in a products ingredients list, “representing an undisclosed mixture of various scent chemicals and ingredients used as fragrance dispersants such as diethyl phthalate. Fragrance mixes have been associated with allergies, dermatitis, respiratory distress and potential effects on the reproductive system.”
- News Medical state that a “Perfume or fragrance allergy is the second most popular cause of skin allergies, according to contact dermatitis expert, Dr. Sandy Skotnicki-Grant, from the Bay Dermatology Centre in Toronto.” Their definition is:
“Fragrance sensitivity can be defined as an irritation or an adverse reaction to chemicals in a perfume or other scented products such as air fresheners and cosmetics.
Sensitivity to strong odours can make allergic people severely ill.
People with asthma or other respiratory illness can be more susceptible to fragrance allergies compared to healthy individuals.”
My motto since discovering I had a fragrance allergy, is ‘always read the ingredients list’
I’m ALWAYS checking the ingredients and use-by dates of any beauty, household and food products that I buy. And I’m gluten and dairy-free so it’s not just fragrances that are a problem.
Side note: reading ingredients lists can take a while for me to do during a food shop. I know! I used to probably be one of those annoying people that just stand there in the aisle and looks and reads everything in and people have to manoeuvre their trollies as I’m in my own ingredients world.
So – to save my dignity (lol) and my time faffing around, I signed up to Ocado and it was the best thing I did. I can spend however long I need to, wherever I am – in the car, on a train, on a plane, at home in bed – reading ingredients and searching for gluten, dairy and sugar-free foods to ensure what I eat is safe and healthy.
During the Pandemic it’s literally been a massive saviour as we always got a delivery slot as I pay for the slots.
So at the beginning of the first lockdown when nothing was on the food aisles and toilet roll was sparse, I’d put all my family and neighbours essential shopping on my list too. Okay, I’ve diverted massively here, and no Ocado don’t do affiliate links as far as I’m aware because I’m a massive advocate (or maybe they do them now?) anyway back to fragrances!……..
Products that can contain fragrances
- Perfumes – the average scent can contain around 14 ingredients and synthetic chemicals which may trigger allergies
- Aftershaves
- Air fresheners
- Car fresheners (you know the little smelly thing you hang from the car mirror)
- Laundry detergent, cleaning products, bleach
- Deodorants and aerosol deodorants
- Sunscreen, SPF’s
- Hairsprays, shampoo, conditioner, hair wax, hair serums
- Moisturisers, night creams, serums, oils, body creams,
- Shower gels, shower wash, body scrubs, soap, hand soap, soap dispensers in public places
- Makeup including foundation, blusher, bronzer, eyeshadow, cream blusher and eyeshadow
- Lip balm, lipstick, lip gloss, lipliner, highlighter, eyebrow pencil, eyebrow powder
- Toilet roll – yes they have scented coatings on, even the recycled paper loo rolls can smell
- Tissues (you know the ones with an aloe vera or Vicks Vapour Rub type coating you get when you have a cold)
- Nail polishes and nail polish remover
- Essential oils (the worse include tea tree oil -which causes severe reactions. Lavender, citronella, and other strong oils)
- Magazines – in the perfume or moisturisers or shampoo inserts or scratch and sniff inserts.
- Dry Cleaning
- Cleansers, wipes, antibacterial wipes, anti-bac,
- Cleaning products containing fragrances
- Incense, Candles, Reed diffusers
- Plug-in air fresheners
- Air-conditioning units [emitting fragrances in hotels for example]
It’s surprising just how many products actually do contain fragrance.
DIY and industrial products like paint, foam, glues, white spirit and that white stuff that fills in holes around sinks (can’t remember the name now..) all those products are toxic and contain toxic fragrances and can cause me to get nausea and sickness, severe headache, head fogginess, irritability.
These types of products and many other household items contain VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) which are toxic gases emitted into the air, and they have a strong smell that can be an irritant.
The best natural way to remove VOC’s from your home or indoor air, are plants! They purify air quality inside the home.
During the Pandemic because those of us that are not essential keyworkers are staying at home 24/7, I researched plants online and now have a Kentia, Areca palm or Spider plant in every room plus a Bamboo palm in the bedroom and lounge. Basically you want an air purifying plant in every room.
I have a Money plant in the kitchen, they like light airy rooms.
I would highly recommend any of these plants as they are beautiful plants. It’s not been my thing but I’ve now become a bit of a gardener during the lockdown.
Here are my favourite plants at home for purifying the air quality
- Areca Palms
- Bamboo palms
- Kentia palms
- Spider plants
Also, a good air purifier can help with allergies and clean the indoor air. (Feel free to leave a comment if you’re interested to know where I got them!)
Back to why fragrances are toxic:
Toxic ingredients used in fragrances
- Phthalates (pronounced (thal-ates)– are chemicals hidden in products, packaging, food.
- solvents that can damage the liver, kidneys and lungs
- Benzophenone – endocrine disruptors
- Essential oils extracted from plants can have side effects
- Limonene – a fragrance chemical and Linalool (a component of lavender oil) are often in cleaning products
Some people love the smell of a beautifully rich burning candle or a spritz of perfume and the uplifting aroma of incense sticks. And I totally get it – I used to be too. Until 2010 when I unfortunately discovered I had a fragrance allergy.
How to manage a fragrance allergy
- CHECK PRODUCT INGREDIENTS: Learn how to read the ingredients label and understand what INCI is and what every single ingredient means before buying or considering it. Use the EWG for reference.
- ESSENTIAL OIL ALERT: Kitchen products or bathroom products – ensure it’s fragrance-free or if you can tolerate some essential oils – there are some natural brands (Greenscents are my favourite) that do some lovely products.
- SHOPS: Avoid places, shops, perfume heavy areas, fragrancy shops, bath bomb type shops
- EVENTS: Inform any events people or virtual assistants for work events and work travel
- SPA OR BEAUTY TREATMENTS: Going to a Spa? Always check whether you can actually go before booking it. Call the Spa Manager to see if they use fragrances in the spa and can you take your own products for a massage (I take organic coconut oil)
I’ve learnt how to thread my own eyebrows and I have found a home-based beauty therapist that uses my own products when I go to have a facial or massage. - TOILET ROLL: Do not use fragranced loo roll or tissues. Ever!
Check it before using it. Grab a bit and smell it first before using them. It happened to me once in the Dominican Republic. Never again. I have to now smell all toilet roll before I use it. (apologies to be so open about this topic, but it’s so true and you have to be super careful) Recycled loo roll won’t be safe either. Or synthetic dyed/coloured toilet paper. It has to be completely natural and fragrance free. - TRAVEL: Booking travel -Inform the hotel manager or receptionist and put it in writing before staying anywhere. Check whether the reception areas of a hotel uses or pumps out fragrances.
You may be required to fill in forms when travelling or going on holiday and doing a declaration statement of any allergies.
Fragrance-free solutions and business ideas!
Well, I’ve had plenty of time to think about this. For me, some interesting solutions could be:
A device that detects the scale of scents in a place/room/area – AND will tell you what type of perfumes people are wearing!
- These devices could be on your mobile or this device detects the severity of the fragrance of the room on a scale of 1-10 before you even have to step in. (or someone can go in for you and use the device)
- The benefit is that you don’t have to walk into a room or place and get sick/ill/reaction.
- I’d name it the Scent-o-meter or just Scentometer. or Scentdetector. Makes scents? (had to get that one in somewhere)
- I reckon there’s a big market for it. Well me for a start. I’ve met so many people with fragrance allergies I’d try it out with them too. I could be their biggest ambassador
- For when travelling in a group – a funny/humourous handy cheat sheet that helps you explain to people you’ve got a fragrance allergy and can they tone their fragrances down a bit when around you but in a funny way.
Less serious but keeping it real as it is a severe allergy you can’t joke about it. - A fragrance-free workspace clause – that tells your employer to consider fragrance-free people and maybe create a pod or working area for them. And to offer an unfragranced toilet roll for these people.
Hope this provides some helpful tips if you’ve got a fragrance allergy. Share/comment on how you manage yours.
Please note I am not a medical specialist. Your health is your responsibility. Please note if you have allergies please consult a Dr or medical professional.
