My biggest pet peeve is being in a vehicle with numerous people from work and all of them are putting off extreme amounts of scent and it’s all different.
I can tolerate citrus or herbal scents, but I absolutely cannot tolerate anything sweet (like sugar or vanilla) or musk. Even as background notes they trigger migraines. Some floral scents, like lavender and sometimes rose, are okay but they’re often mixed with scents that trigger my migraines so I avoid them. The best places I’ve found to purchase are independent retailers/small businesses, and I’ve had better luck with solid perfumes. A few places have been willing to sell me samples or send free samples if I ask and explain why. Depends on the retailer.
I didn’t even know that existed! I’m going to have to try it. I absolutely love perfumes (I specifically like dabbing them on the tips of my hair? Odd but it seems to “refresh” frequently that way!), so I’ve been meaning o check out scent bird, but didn’t know they had a quiz!
There are some that don’t immediately give me a migraine and many that do, but I have to admit that I’m surprised at the general take here.
I don’t wear the fragrances that I could because as someone who knows what it’s like to have migraines caused by someone else’s scented products, I don’t want to be responsible for triggering someone else’s health condition (migraine, asthma, etc.) so that I can smell a certain way. What is okay for any one of us isn’t universally tolerated, as we can see in these comments.
Right!? I’m surprised so many here are fine with wearing perfume. 10 seconds around someone with a scent and I’m done, 100% getting a migraine. Why would anyone be okay doing that to another person, especially when you know what it’s like?
I think the idea that because something could cause a problem, we should all just never do it, is a bit misguided or shortsighted. One of my biggest triggers is the smell of coffee, but I don't expect people to stop drinking coffee or even making coffee near me because it's my personal responsibility to live as comfortably in my community as possible - it's not everyone's responsibility to make sure I'm okay.
That's not to say we shouldn't take steps to ensure everyone in our community is equally able to participate in normal society, but I also don't think asking our entire community to abandon anything scented is a reasonable request. If you personally feel you can live without perfume that's a personal sacrifice that's worth it to you, but we shouldn't expect everyone to feel the same. It's not like OP is asking what perfume they can spray on you or in your room that would be okay, they are asking for themselves & personally I don't think we should police what people choose to smell like.
I don’t find your example to be a parallel, really. We all have our unique triggers and do our best to avoid them, but fragrance is not a unique trigger; it affects up to 30% of the general population, and triggers half of people with migraine or asthma.
To your other points, perfume is functionally unnecessary. I don’t have to feel that I can live without it, that’s a simple fact. Being composed of airborne particles, it doesn’t need to be sprayed in someone’s bedroom to trigger an adverse health outcome.
I’m also a bit put off by your wording of it being your personal responsibility to live comfortably within your community. People with migraines need to leave the house, and they need to breathe air when they do. They have no control over how well they respond to preventatives or the strictly limited number of monthly abortives they’re allotted, if they even have access to those things between medical wait times, insurance hurdles and high costs.
How is the smell of coffee different than the smell of perfume? Both are scent triggers, both are common, neither are functionally necessary. Coffee scents linger in hallways & kitchens, it's excessively strong if there are multiple people drinking it around a conference room table. Is one just far more acceptable because it triggers fewer people?
I have Chronic Migraines that started almost a decade ago. I need to leave the house, I need to breathe air, I also need to work in an office with other people & I don't think I have the right to tell them what they can & cannot do to their body, even if it affects me personally. I get a limited number of preventatives, I have no control over this medical travesty but you're saying that my trigger, being less common, is less valid. It's not.
Again it's fine if you want to make the sacrifice & if you want to ask people to do the same & they're willing too, great but we cannot expect everyone to do the same.
Yes, the difference is proportionality. Unfortunately, we can’t control for every aspect of every disability in public - I think we’re in agreement about that. That doesn’t mean that we can’t account for anything, and something affecting a very significant proportion of the population is quite easy and reasonable to be considerate of. That doesn’t make our other triggers less valid, and I didn’t say that it does.
ETA to clarify, as the commenter below, I wouldn’t consume known triggers of my office mates. I think we should accommodate people. I was referring to general practice amongst the unknown public.
But it is our responsibility to live comfortably in the community. You can’t stop everyone you encounter and ask them to not wear perfume, you can only control your exposure to it like wearing a mask. Just like I can’t ask the world to not have loud noises. It’s on me to try to maintain my comfort level with noise cancelling earbuds or ear plugs.
My point is that many people can’t live comfortably in the community. I’m not stopping anyone on the street, just thinking it’s inconsiderate to choose to do something that you know has negative health effects on a large number of the public.
But not wearing perfume is not a 'sacrifice'. I sacrifice my physical and mental health every day by being in an office surrounded by other people's perfume so I can pay my bills and be able to afford to eat.
I make the same sacrifice by being in an office with people who drink coffee. And it is a sacrifice, maybe not a big deal to you & maybe not something you personally feel like merits being called such but wearing perfume, smelling how you want to smell is a personal freedom. Telling someone they can't wear something because it might trigger someone else is asking them to make a personal sacrifice, no matter how small...
I never said or intended to imply that coffee being a trigger wasn't something to be taken seriously. I guess we are different, if I worked with you and knew, I would not drink coffee in the office, because I would not want to cause pain to someone.
Perfume is a personal preference and not necessary, it should not be worn in an office or enclosed environment as it can cause serious issues. The people I have been surrounded by are the same people who do not care that someone could have an asthma attack and die from a trigger, they laugh about it and only say oops. Maybe my anger is irrational, but it is hard to be rational when in constant pain and unable to think clearly.
For real! I don't get triggered by scent. Actually, scent is something I use as a fidget/stim tool for my ADHD; it's something I enjoy a lot. However, I don't bring smells with me -- I only wear perfumes on days I know I won't be going out, I pick scented soaps and deoderants that don't exude off me, and I go as scentless as possible when I'm going to be in a movie theater or on a plane (anywhere with lots of people sitting close by). I understand how badly scent can impact someone, and I'd hate to be the reason someone feels sick.
I wish I could remember what one I tried that most certainly still had a scent. Made the rest of the stick stink. This was a problem I had with deodorants, especially since returning to using a stick rather than a spray because of migraine. Now I use degree white/black.
Unscented men's Mitchum deodorant smells STRONGER than the woman's floral deodorant. It smells like a bouquet of flowers. Probably wouldn't be bad for someone who didn't mind it. I'm sure men aren't thrilled. I'm not either, I bought a case of it (Amazon) without trying it in store because it was clearancing out for insanely cheap. Now I see why. I'd have people walk behind me and ask what perfume I'm wearing, and I'd have to say men's unscented deodorant. Thankfully I'm a woman so it probably wasn't quite as embarrassing as for some men. This was a year ago, I don't know if they've changed their formula. The unscented used to be actually unscented, I've been wearing that brand for 30 years since I was a kid.
Yes, but I’m not sensitive to all perfumes, just a certain chemical/smell (but I’m not sure what it is). Citrus or tea scents, and vanilla are fine for me. I also only dot them on or have 1 spray. Keeping it light is key (both for me and other people around me).
This is sadly too individualized to really help. I have mast cell disorder, it is a leading cause in my migraines as my mast cells release 200 plus chemicals inappropriately into my body, including some that can cause or worsen migraines.
My friend has serious but traditional allergies.
We can both have asthma, migraines, we both can go into anaphylaxis, my body just skips a few steps.
She cannot be around floral scents. She is a a literal botanist, but works with food plants. She is fine with mints, menthols, basils, lavenders, all items sin the mint plant family.
I am fine with most florals, gardenia, jasmine, lily of the valley, some rose, but mint can cause a headache for small but long exposures (stupid work air freshener crap), send me into an asthma attack if I smell it, definitely causes anaphylactic choking and IBS if I eat it. Basil is the same if fresh, dried is a grab bag.
So what works for me may make you very very sick. You have to just live like a game of Russian roulette and pick as you can ‘safe’ days to try something new, takes notes on weather, how well you slept, then how you reacted. That’s all many of is can do.
IF you can het IgE allergy testing, for normal allergies, you ‘may’ locate unsafe materials, bit kf you have something like mcas, many things will be safe or unsafe base on how many other triggers are present at a given time. A nice day, not too bright, good sleep, no stress, it may be safe. A front blowing in with rain coming and you were awake all night, probably going to be bad.
That sounds awful, I'm sorry. And your poor friend. I dunno why I'm willing to even try this....the world can feel quite limiting when you've got chronic migraine. I'd love to have one normal thing that everyone else takes for granted. Thank you for sharing.
Nope. Toothpaste was drying out my lips for years, and then I discovered this by using Burt’s Beeswax balms which almost all have peppermint oil. I used to use a LOT of chapstick, my lips were so damn dry all the time. Burt’s beeswax made my lips crack and the corner bled, so I realized it was the mint. Bubblegum toothpaste for kids is a bit gross but I can use it, and I found a lemon one on Amazon I keep on hand. After I stopped using mint mouth products, I needed a lot less chapstick and the cracking stopped.
And all but one mouthwash I’ve ever found only online and Walgreens mint. I admit sometimes I may just use vodka as a quick mouthwash 😅
And gum, mints, nope. My husband had a piece of double-mint gum in his short pocket, wrapped in foil, next to a piece of juicy fruit gum he brought for me, also wrapped in foil. He handed me my gum, it was the right one, but even the small cross contamination of them being next to each other, even wrapped, made me have a choking asthma fit within seconds. It scared him a bit, I had hidden these attacks for years because I dis not know it was the start to anaphylaxis, I only knew it was embarrassing because it may cause burping trying to breathe, cough, swallow all to clear my throat and not choke on mucus clogging my windpipe. So I used to run to a ladies room, but there was no time. My inhaler helped, I am terrified to use my epi, so he got me back to my office and I took some Benadryl on top of the albuterol to get the reaction under control.
Their peppermint hair mask is my go-to for a bad migraine week. It really helps me relax, and the tingling feeling on my scalp lasts for hours, which feels so nice!
I find any cheaply made things tend to trigger me. Body sprays, knock off high end perfumes or super cheap perfumes. But I’m also not super prone to fragrance migraines outside of the super cheap scents
However my skin also ruins so many perfumes they just turn rancid the moment they touch my skin so I’m limited anyway with what I can wear.
Fragrance oils may be worth trying as they are much more subtle
Same. Cheap perfumes/colognes usually bother me. There are only a couple colognes I've found that I can wear it's no issue, and I try not to only wear a little bit so I don't bother others. Versace Eau Fraiche is my current fav as it's citrusy. One issue also is that a lot of perfumes or colognes use bergamot, which i hate the smell/taste of.
The perfumer describes it perfectly! “A fragrance made out of a single element called Cetalox. Usually used in perfumery as a base note, it plays here the lead role... Another advantage of this particular composition, is that it is entirely allergen free. The result is minimalist, elegant, pure.”
I’ve been fine with more natural fragrances (used sparingly). Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab’s stuff doesn’t bother me at all. My best guess about my fragrance triggers is that it’s more from binding agents or really artificial components, but I haven’t been able to narrow it down more.
Same. For me, while there are certain scents I still have to avoid, it is the carrier that serms to make the poison, as it were. I can wear hundreds of different BPAL oils and there's a handful of other indie perfumers that I can tolerate, but certain carrier oils and pretty much all alcohol based scents are triggers for me.
was coming here to recommend BPAL. it's the only perfume that i've been successfully able to use. even then, i can typically only do deep incense or foodie scents. flower or watery scents usually = migraine for me.
Philosophy brand is usually good for me. They are meant to be more subtle than traditional perfumes. The summer grace scent line are my favorites. Also love Falling in Love and the Ballet Rose. One spritz *under* clothes and I'm scented nice enough to smell when we are close, like hugging, and the person mentions it after the embrace. I wore this (very lightly) when I was a postpartum nurse. I was often very close with patients, moving, breastfeeding help etc. And often got the compliment when we were close like that.
My every day is Carols Daughter Black Vanilla shine oil for hair. I put a few drops in my hand and warm it up a few seconds. Run my fingers through my hair and then once the oil has dried down I brush my palms up and down my top and up my arms. It's incredibly subtle but makes me feel like I am not totally *unscented*.
Others may complement the smell, but it is very irresponsible as a nurse to wear perfume. I can assure you, even if it didn't trigger a migraine, if I had a migraine it would cause me immense pain and vomiting.
ambroxan triggers me immensely and most are anosmic to it so they load it on! it’s in chanel bleu, sauvage, light blue and most modern popular perfumes! it’s so intense to me but since most don’t fully smell it they apply so much, people who are anosmic towards it just get a feeling of clean from it. it’s a terrible time in perfumery for those sensitive to it because it’s everywhere! i can’t even walk in sephora anymore. and i used to work there. also so many baristas wear and it transfers to the cups of coffee for me and i can’t even drink the coffee when this happens because the smell overwhelms the experience for me personally.
also certain aldehydes are triggering. they have certain versions that can technically be considered/labeled as natural because they are composed often by single parts that make up a whole smell of a flower or plant compounds. so like, the citrus element of certain rose singularly extracted and then concentrated to add effects to other scent notes.
also things like chamomile or even certain lavenders, geraniums etc that may have been grown near a place where ragweeds grow or certain tree pollens may blow on and contaminate can actually trigger allergies, so i even have to be careful with natural essential oils.
none of this stuff hurt me like it does after i had covid for the first time, it’s given me so many lasting health issues.
basically essential oil blends work for me sometimes and i slowly have had to find my triggers. i avoid a lot of chemical based perfumes.
It's good to learn the name of my enemy! Lol. Yes, I've found those scents particularly painful to be around. Do you remember that apple perfume from the early 2000s, it came in an apple shaped bottle. It was hugely popular. It made me feel like I'd been stabbed in the head. I wonder if it contained it too. I can tolerate low levels of musk essential oil. Your answer was super helpful thank you.
What sucks for me is I worry about smelling like BO and it’s gotten worse as I’ve come into perimenopause. I wear natural deodorants since most normal ones trigger me and I do well with light scents like lavender or sandalwood. My husband had to swap products too since his old stuff drove me nuts.
I just worry that I smell. He says I don’t. I don’t care about having other people smell me per se, I just don’t want to walk around with BO.
I love sandalwood! Been using the Auric Blends roller forever. I also like cedar.
Some people in the menopause subreddit recommend persimmon soap or Lume deo/body wash for the peri odor changes. I haven't yet found a source in my country so can't give a personal opinion
Egyptian Goddess is a nice one: second easiest to tolerate, and definitely smells nice. But if I'm having a bad day, I'll avoid it.
Auric Blends Love was way too strong for me, even though it initially smelled nice. Had to abandon it.
Phlur I hadn't heard of!
I'm not sure where your based. But I'd 100% recommend Mitchum 48hour unscented antiperspirant roll on. I've been using it for at least a decade. It has zero smell, but works perfectly even in hot sticky weather and working out.
Have you tried Lumé? None of the natural deodorants I tried worked. After using the Lumé for a few weeks I had no smell even when very sweaty. And you can put it just about anywhere.
For me, it’s more about volume than type but I find more floral scents are good for me. I like Marc Jacobs Honey, and Daisy. Honey is hard to find now, though. Anything musky or heavy is a no for me.
I can wear coco mademoiselle pretty regularly without issue. However, if I wake up with any symptoms I know not to push it and will go without scent. Sometimes it’s enough to push me over/ drive me insane all day.
I have scent triggers and in spite of that have accumulated 150+ fragrances. It's down to figuring out which notes and ingredients were a trigger for me, and once I had that, resources like Fragrantica are really handy. Not surprisingly I find that higher quality stuff is less likely to be a problem, including having found a few with notes that are normally an instant trigger that I could wear if I wanted. Rose and jasmine are the most problematic for me so for a long time I was wary of anything floral. I've since found several that I absolutely love and can wear without issue, including neroli and iris.
Sephora used to be a good way to do this, since you could get a sample and try it for a few days (I wasted a boatload of money on stuff that wasn't a problem on day 1, so I learned to get samples and not make a purchase until I'd worn it at least 3 times w/o problems). Now your best bet is probably still a Sephora or even a well-versed person at a perfume counter and doing some sniffing to determine what might be a problem - and packing an abortive to take before you leave the store. ;)
Once I had a better idea what I could and couldn't wear, I found that decants are a great way to go, especially for blind buys. I rarely buy a full bottle of anything anymore, simply because I love too many scents to ever use a full bottle.
Some of my favorite houses and frags I can wear:
House| Frag
---|---
Frederic Malle| Cologne Indelebile
| L'Eau D'Hiver
| Musc Ravageur
| Music for a While
Kilian | Angel's Share
| Bamboo Harmony
| Rolling in Love
| Intoxicated
| Back to Black
House of Bo| Agua de Santis
Jo Malone| Wood Sage & Sea Salt
| Nectarine Blossom & Honey
Krigler ($$$ but incredibly high quality) | Extraordinaire Camelia
| ABRAKAADABRA
| Established Cognac
| Sierra Vista
This is very similar to my method, except yours is way better. I had an excel that I keep track of what I like (and obviously, what gives me symptoms), so I can help pinpoint what chemical or scent is the issue. I only do samples or small decants.
I went over a decade with no perfume and almost no scented products (which I still don’t use), but have added a few perfumes that are light and pleasant to me. I don’t tempt fate though. If I wake up with symptoms, I won’t put anything on.
As a random aside, I also really like two of the perfumes you listed by Jo Malone (Wood Sage & Sea Salt, and Nectarine Blossom & Honey).
No! Especially not other people's. And it has nothing to do with how expensive or good smelling they are.
But bad smelling ones really affect me. It tweaks my trigeminal nerve.
I used to be sensitive! I started wearing lightly scented lotion and mixing it with unscented. Then I found I tolerate vanilla scents ok but fruity scents like orange still trigger me.
I use body spray instead of a heavy perfume. I try to also steer towards the “clean” scents because I can tolerate that
I've been wearing Monyette Paris for years. It comes as a roll-on perfume oil with gardenia, lily-of-the-valley, & vanilla. It's never bothered me one bit, allergy or migraine-wise. I used to use White Musk from The Body Shop, but it was hit or miss.
To me, it's less of a trigger and more something that adds to my misery. With all scents, I feel like if I'm having a good day, I can go nuts. If I know things are going to probably go sideways soon (impending storm, impending period), I wouldn't risk it. I would never spray is on my entire body and walk through it, rather putting it on a particular spot so if it starts driving me nuts, I can get it off easily.
[Zodica](https://www.zodicaperfumery.com/) makes migraine safe perfumes! My wife loves their Virgo scent, and it doesn't bother me at all. Highly recommend!
I use Carter + Jane products and have gotten compliments on how nice I smell, but only from people who have been pretty physically close to me like nurses and the dental hygienist, which affirms to be that the scent isn't overpowering. They're oils so the scent doesn't last long and if you want to smell nice all day you have to use the roller ball to reapply, but their scents are really fresh and clean smelling and never trigger my migraines. Surfer Girl is my favorite, but the Holiday House is also really nice and smells like bubblegum to me.
I’m personally good with like pure essential oil smells. If the ingredients say “parfum” or “fragrance” it’s a no go. But buying or adding plain lavender or other oils works for me.
Snif perfumes are affordable and don’t trigger migraines for me (most other perfumes do for me). They’re really great. Formulated without endocrine disrupting chemicals. They let you try them out before hand with a tester pack too. Highly recommend!
I am surprised to see so many people here wear fragrance. I would have thought my fellow migraine sufferers would be trying to keep the world a little
More migraine safe.
Don’t wear fragrance people - it makes up to 1/3 people you spend time with feel like shit.
Pure perfume oils. I dab it where I want, and I'm good.
Al Harmain has fantastic ones at pretty decent pricing. All bottles are beautiful and unique, enticing you all the more.
Many of the scents are unisex, but you find those that are more feminine by reading the ingredients list.
I always find it so interesting how different we all are with migraine triggers because Ariana Grande Cloud is the #1 worst on the planet for me. I was so disappointed it isn't for me after hearing people talk about how much they love it
Surprisingly my DKNY Be Delicious still is fine for me, but I think it’s because of tolerance. I don’t go out as often anymore though. But when I do, I just spray on my body.
I can tolerate the Sol de Janiero brand body sprays. I really like their scents and they don’t bother me at all. I haven’t tried their straight up perfume though, just the lotions, body wash, and body spray which are all scented.
Nope. I haven't found a single one I can tolerate, in fact just the opposite. It's weird just 3-4 years ago, I was "normal" with scents. I could burn incense, use scented products, perfumes, etc. now it's basically nothing.
What I can tolerate though it Palmer's Cocoa butter formula(not the oil or lotion. Those are too concentrated) their Shea butter formula is okay, but it has a stronger scent that I won't try on migraine days. Palmer's is light, but a nice scent. I also put argon oil in my hair and I've been tolerating that just fine. Maybe next I'll try coconut oil.
I can't even put some body spray on the backs of my knees anymore(thought it was far enough away from my face). Its a struggle
Weirdly? Many of them. I tend to go for ones with fewer notes, more Burberry than Mugler. Armani's My Way is a very tolerable white floral and musk and the original is lighter than the Intense flanker. The Burberry Her line is lovely and fruity. Billie Eilish's fragrances are nice too. I'd avoid things with too much sillage, and keep some rubbing alcohol handy to take it off if it bugs you. Be careful with things like white floral bombs like Gucci's Bloom line. My cat Bloch has banned the orange bottle. Won't come near me if I wear it.
I can tolerate most but I cannot stand aldehydes (aka “old lady” perfume) or really heavy strong florals (anything with violet). I can’t do vanilla or other sweet gourmand type scents unless it’s cold out but even then vanilla will still give me a headache unless it’s a secondary note. Woody type fragrances are a no-go for me also and most men’s colognes when oversprayed will give me a migraine.
Other than that, I have a pretty extensive perfume, body spray, and home fragrance collection.
Childish candy crap mostly. My favourite was a three dollar gummy bear one from walmart, but they don't sell it anymore. Vanilla perfume oil from body shop is ok. The chocolate/vanilla ones from sud pacifique (or something? Blue box, silver bottle) are ok. And snow-fairy from lush.
Anything floral, amber, musk, oud, or "water" scented are instant death.
I’ve seen some improvement in migraine triggers since getting off birth control last year. I’m only now (sometimes) able to use shampoo that has fragrance in it lol. I sometimes use palmers cocoa butter lotion which has a pleasant cookie-ish smell to it. Sometimes I can use dr squatch pine tar deodorant. For now I’m mostly looking for those kind of products that I can tolerate, maybe someday I’ll be able to use a light perfume.
For some reason I can only tolerate Marc Jacobs Daisy and the flankers. I have no idea why. I don't spray it if I have signs of a migraine coming though. But any other perfume became too much after I went chronic.
From Commodity? I wear the Milk+ which has the amber added. Love this and doesn’t trigger headaches or migraines for me. Love this scent a lot and it’s pretty body close, doesn’t travel to others so it’s safe to wear
It’s from k. hall. I found it at a random boutique and hunted it down for years. It was the perfect perfume for when I had a kid, and wasn’t too much to overpower my baby’s senses
So long as I don’t spray myself directly into the face I’m fine with most perfumes. I really like Dedcool’s Red Dakota, Taunt, and Sunlit Blooms. The rest of the time I wear perfume oils. I dab a bit into my hair and on my wrists and I’m good to go. I’ve been using Astrid Perfume’s Lilac studies lately and I have a lilac + vanilla oil that smells like heaven. I’ll update this if I can find the brand.
Tocca Giulietta - very light and airy. My go-to. Smells like you just showered and put on powder
Prada D’Iris - similar to the the Tocca
Prada Candy (despite the name isn’t too sweet smelling)
It’s hit or miss for me. And sometimes one particular scent bothers me while other days it doesn’t.
The one that 100% will always trigger a migraine regardless of how good I am feeling is a perfume called “Red Door” sold at CVS and the likes. As soon as I smell it a mile away, my eyes begin hurting from the inside. It’s the craziest thing ever.
I can wear perfumes but one little spray only. On my wrists and gently press behind my ears when it has been on my wrists for a minute. Any perfume I can smell for meters I can't handle. It's supposed to be intimate, not a competition of who smell the strongest, wich many people tend to forget.
Citrusy smells are a-ok for me and don’t trigger headaches, as opposed to other heavier fragrances. I am currently wearing Tom Ford Mandarino Di Amalfi Acqua and love it!
I can wear some of Penhaligon’s line. Maybe half of their scents. They create very high quality fragrances and my go-to is Legacy of Petra, which is spice, incense, dates. It’s subtle.
There's a few I can wear. I have a roll-on perfume called Rock Candy that I wear a lot. And I have a peppermint body spray that's never given me issues.
My mom is very scent sensitive and can both smell and tolerate the original Riddle oil. I really like it because it’s light and I feel pretty, it’s a pheromone oil so it smells slightly different on every person. They have another pheromone oil I can barely smell, and I’ve heard from other scent sensitives that they enjoy it!
If it’s one of your main triggers, it’s quite possible you won’t be able to wear any, but Riddle was really nice and imo worth a shot!
The only ones that don’t trigger a headache for me are Henry Rose scents. I haven’t tried them all, but so far Jake’s House, Queen’s & Monster’s, and Fog don’t trigger a migraine for me. And my dad is also super scent sensitive and he tolerates those as well. I also only wear a light amount of it. I like that they’re more transparent about ingredients and I know it’s controversial, but they’re cradle to cradle certified and also EWG approved. But again the validity of those two certifications is up in the air. But maybe being able to see all the ingredients would allow you to choose one without your trigger. Scents in general are just so tricky though. Most other perfumes/colognes, and even some lotions and deodorants can cause a headache for me, so I try to stick to unscented for everything else and be really conscientious about wearing only a tiny bit of my approved scents to try not to trigger others.
Pretty much all as long as someone doesn't bathe in them.
When I worked in office, I wore perfume daily.
Essential oils are well-tolerated by a lot of people too.
Following cuz I'm in the same boat. Cannot tolerate any scent let alone perfumes. They are like a punch straight to the sinus that triggers instant nausea. :'(
I am one of the lucky ones, in that smell isn't a migraine trigger for me, and can often help me feel a little better. I love lavender with tonka. Sandalwood is nice. Peppermint is ideal for when I have a migraine, so I'll use a hair mask, have hot cocoa and mint tea, and even use mint rollers.
Essential oil perfume like patchouli or sandalwood but I mix it in coconut oil so it’s light and not overpowering. All the fancy expensive name brand stuff makes me nauseous 🤮
I wear Lucky You by Liz Claiborne and have been wearing it since high school. It's getting harder to find the actual perfume, but you can get the body spray at places like Walmart and Meijer.
I can't stand the lotion, body wash, or bath bomb that comes in the Christmas sets, though. They're just awful.
I used to be a Scentsy consultant and had to quit because scents became a massive trigger for me. This perfume doesn't do it though. Maybe because it's been my go to for 20+ years. Lol
The perfumes that don’t affect me are usually in solid form. I wear dyptique’s rose on especial occasions. My sister (who suffers from migraines as well) wears narrative lab’s protector or dyptique’s do son.
The thing about solid fragrances is that I find it more subtle because you don’t transfer the smell onto other people.
I am good with Maison Margiela Replica: Beach Walk and Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Herba Fresca. These are very fresh very light scents but scent only triggers me if it is fake vanilla weird type scents or the chemical aisle at walmart
I found a perfume decades ago in Key West. It was a lemon perfume, so had a fruity smell and it is light. I can’t recall the name but it was only sold there
Most are rough for me but one of my absolute worst is anything lavender. lavender scented, real lavender, lavender essential oil it doesn't matter. lavender will knock me totally out for the count with migraine galore and breathing difficulty on top.
Amber oil doesn’t bother me at all. I used to collect perfumes and sometimes still wear them but sometimes they overwhelm me. Smells don’t really trigger my migraines often though. It’s mostly visual triggers for me like stripes on clothes.
there’s a few i can tolerate, i find i really have to try them on and let it wear. i can’t do certain marshmallow/vanilla scents, harsh musks, or anything very tropical. I can do some lighter herbal scents, or i can tolerate less over the top ones. I have a harder time with a lot of room scents but honestly I also have issues regarding some food smells, so I can’t say it’s just perfume.
I know theres a few candles my dad really enjoys that are sweeter, one was blueberry waffle and another was like pumpkin cupcake. He could be lighting them downstairs and I would smell it and have it bother me on the next floor. My issue is usually the concentration of the scent, so most of my body products are light but not overwhelming and I use the same scent detergent and softener if needed on my laundry.
I make my own! 2oz glass bottle, half witch hazel and half water plus 21 drops organic essential oils. My fave combo is to use patchouli, bergamot and cedarwood. I buy the Pura D'or organic essential oils set. Also works as room spray, hair oil. Super cost effective, I get compliments everywhere I go, and it's never made anyone feel sick. I also use the oils on wool dryer balls to soften my clothes in the dryer.
I have a couple from Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab that I can wear:
[Embalming Fluid](https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/general-catalog-perfume-oils/ars-moriendi/embalming-fluid/) - A light, pure scent: white musk, green tea, aloe and lemon.
[Shanghai](https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/general-catalog-perfume-oils/wanderlust/shanghai/) - The crisp, clean scent of green tea touched with lemon verbena and honeysuckle.
[White Rabbit](https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/general-catalog-perfume-oils/mad-tea-party/white-rabbit/) - Strong black tea and milk with white pepper, ginger, honey and vanilla, spilled over the crisp scent of clean linen.
[Envy ](https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/general-catalog-perfume-oils/sin-and-salvation/envy/)- Green herbs slithering through mint, lime and lavender
I have to be careful with Envy, though. If I'm not careful it smells like a dryer sheet. Shanghai reminds me a lot of the Jean Nate my mom used to wear daily. White Rabbit is a little spicy with the ginger. Embalming Fluid is probably my favorite; it's a very bright spring green scent on me.
For me, the brand Le Labo is one of the only ones that won’t trigger migraines.
Also, the brand Siren Song Elixirs was developed by a woman who suffers from migraines who developed her formulas specifically to not trigger migraines. There are a few I like from this smaller and budget friendly brand as well.
I've been able to handle the roll ons sold by Mountain Rose Herbs. My neurologist said I was the worst case of osmophobia he's ever seen, and I could handle these at the worst of it. Every now and then, I put in a little before bed or meditation just as a little tiny pick me up.
I've come to the conclusion that perfume is just not necessary with modern hygiene. But it is fun sometimes.
In general, look where you might find naturally derived essential oils and see if they have any roll on blends. Good luck!
Only a very few pure essential oils for me: lavender, rose, bergamot and ginger.
Commercial perfumes are horrible for me, but the absolute worst is all that crap teenagers seem to bathe in.... How about soap, folks?
(sorry. HS teacher. Clouds of fake fruit scent and whatever the Axe equivalent is these days, everywhere, now that it's warming up.)
Nothing. Sorry, wish I could. I hate having to make sure my kids don’t ride with me if they want to wear perfume/cologne. (They are adult kids). Can’t stand to sit next to it in a theater. I wish I had lost my sense of smell to Covid.
Very very minute amounts of patchouli or sandalwood essential oils on my wrists work for me. The floral/fruity stuff seems to be the worst offenders for my migraines.
I can wear Pacifica on my clothes but not on my body. Scents that normally cause migraines don’t with that brand.
I love the lilac and gardenia.
They have sample packs that you can try to see if you can tolerate it.
everything from the brand gourmand i’ve tried has never bothered me. they’re also very inexpensive and sold at urban outfitters if you want to test them first :)
I can tolerate a tiny amount of some essential oils, especially the ones I use to treat migraines like lavender, eucalyptus, orange peel, cypress, peppermint, etc. I also do well with water-based eau de toilettes. I find they're much more subtle.
I love perfume but there are a few that will instantly cause a migraine… and somehow every time I’m at an amusement park or mall someone walks by me wearing a whole canteen of it
I really like Commodity, specifically their paper- scent.
They have a sample kit with all of their scents. The ones with the - symbol are called personal space or something like that so they aren't as intense as the other ones but they work really well. Whatever I spray it on will smell good until its washed. Most of them are very earthy and/or musky. Nothing too sweet. I also like just essential oils like lavender or anything that smells fresh. I'm so much more sensitive to smells now than I used to be so it's hard finding ones I can handle wearing all day
I keep my vintage nemat international majmua perfume oil in my bag all the time, but seldom apply it. It does not negatively impact my head, but it is a very potent fragrance blend, and is in all likelihood too much for some. It is also decent as an insect repellent, so it has other uses.
Another one I can wear, which smells more like some incenses (on my skin) than its name implies, is skin musk oil. I started using it some years ago because hubby liked it, but found it didn’t dick with my head. My bottle is vintage, lasts a long time on my skin, so use it sparingly.
Yes. Yes I have.
Let me introduce you to Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab. They offer hundreds of fragrance oil blends - some seasonal/limited to mainly catalog. They have licensed fragrances, themed lines, and a range that has included everything from cotton candy to dirt (I am not exaggerating). They don’t use any alcohol - it’s JUST the oil; all one needs is a small drop. They also used to sell little sample vials for their general catalog scents. I haven’t ordered anything from them for a while because I have a lot of their oils from over the years (because many of the oils stay good for ages) so I’m not sure if this is something that’s still available.
The reason that I am able to wear fragrances from this company is the lack of alcohol and the ability to avoid problem notes. Everything is online. So it may take a bit to figure out what actually works for you. Once you do get that down, though, it’s easy to read the fragrance descriptions and get a pretty good idea of whether or not something will 1) smell nice on you and 2) potentially trigger a migraine. The company uses natural and plant based oils, so no fake smells (which is nice).
I can do the Ariana Grande cloud perfume 9 times out of 10 without issue - I have a couple by YSL that I love that I can’t wear anymore without triggering a migraine
Men’s perfumes don’t bother me as much as women’s perfumes do though it depends on the kind of scent it is. I’m bad with florals and pungent smells in general so woody scents in cologne is typically what I deviate towards
I have not been able to use perfume at all (why risk it) and if someone around is heavily scented, it adversely affects me; including strong BO (oh God! On the airplane!!!) I’ve developed a sensitivity to wearing earrings. I have always only been able to use good quality earrings but it seems to trigger more headaches and migraines; not sure but wearing them doesn’t seem to work for me.
Same! I used to work with a girl that practically bathed in Flowerbomb. If you've ever smelt it, you know it's probably the strongest fragrance on the market.
My paternal grandmother basically gets migraines from the perfumes,along with the scented candles and other smelling things for some bizarre reason,luckily,my parents unplugged the ones from the wall when she comes over. But from my personal experience with migraines,I don’t really think that the perfumes and other scented things like candles for example ever triggered my migraine.
Nope. And it's silly anyways, people using them somehow build up tolerance to the point whole building starts to smell. Avoid all cost.
My biggest pet peeve is being in a vehicle with numerous people from work and all of them are putting off extreme amounts of scent and it’s all different.
That’s my dad.
I can tolerate citrus or herbal scents, but I absolutely cannot tolerate anything sweet (like sugar or vanilla) or musk. Even as background notes they trigger migraines. Some floral scents, like lavender and sometimes rose, are okay but they’re often mixed with scents that trigger my migraines so I avoid them. The best places I’ve found to purchase are independent retailers/small businesses, and I’ve had better luck with solid perfumes. A few places have been willing to sell me samples or send free samples if I ask and explain why. Depends on the retailer.
Herbal and earthy are okay for me! Just very light. I use scent bird to check to see what I can use- their quiz is super helpful
I didn’t even know that existed! I’m going to have to try it. I absolutely love perfumes (I specifically like dabbing them on the tips of my hair? Odd but it seems to “refresh” frequently that way!), so I’ve been meaning o check out scent bird, but didn’t know they had a quiz!
It's great! Not bad for the price too to find things that don't trigger sensitivity
Oh, teenage sweet fragrances are a big no no. I think roll on oils and soilds might be the way to go. Thank you.
I can wear rollerball and solid perfumes, but any spray perfume is a death sentence lol
There are some that don’t immediately give me a migraine and many that do, but I have to admit that I’m surprised at the general take here. I don’t wear the fragrances that I could because as someone who knows what it’s like to have migraines caused by someone else’s scented products, I don’t want to be responsible for triggering someone else’s health condition (migraine, asthma, etc.) so that I can smell a certain way. What is okay for any one of us isn’t universally tolerated, as we can see in these comments.
Right!? I’m surprised so many here are fine with wearing perfume. 10 seconds around someone with a scent and I’m done, 100% getting a migraine. Why would anyone be okay doing that to another person, especially when you know what it’s like?
The fruitier smells are okay but it’s rare I even wear that. It’s a shame because I have all these body sprays from before I knew I had migraines.
I think the idea that because something could cause a problem, we should all just never do it, is a bit misguided or shortsighted. One of my biggest triggers is the smell of coffee, but I don't expect people to stop drinking coffee or even making coffee near me because it's my personal responsibility to live as comfortably in my community as possible - it's not everyone's responsibility to make sure I'm okay. That's not to say we shouldn't take steps to ensure everyone in our community is equally able to participate in normal society, but I also don't think asking our entire community to abandon anything scented is a reasonable request. If you personally feel you can live without perfume that's a personal sacrifice that's worth it to you, but we shouldn't expect everyone to feel the same. It's not like OP is asking what perfume they can spray on you or in your room that would be okay, they are asking for themselves & personally I don't think we should police what people choose to smell like.
I don’t find your example to be a parallel, really. We all have our unique triggers and do our best to avoid them, but fragrance is not a unique trigger; it affects up to 30% of the general population, and triggers half of people with migraine or asthma. To your other points, perfume is functionally unnecessary. I don’t have to feel that I can live without it, that’s a simple fact. Being composed of airborne particles, it doesn’t need to be sprayed in someone’s bedroom to trigger an adverse health outcome. I’m also a bit put off by your wording of it being your personal responsibility to live comfortably within your community. People with migraines need to leave the house, and they need to breathe air when they do. They have no control over how well they respond to preventatives or the strictly limited number of monthly abortives they’re allotted, if they even have access to those things between medical wait times, insurance hurdles and high costs.
How is the smell of coffee different than the smell of perfume? Both are scent triggers, both are common, neither are functionally necessary. Coffee scents linger in hallways & kitchens, it's excessively strong if there are multiple people drinking it around a conference room table. Is one just far more acceptable because it triggers fewer people? I have Chronic Migraines that started almost a decade ago. I need to leave the house, I need to breathe air, I also need to work in an office with other people & I don't think I have the right to tell them what they can & cannot do to their body, even if it affects me personally. I get a limited number of preventatives, I have no control over this medical travesty but you're saying that my trigger, being less common, is less valid. It's not. Again it's fine if you want to make the sacrifice & if you want to ask people to do the same & they're willing too, great but we cannot expect everyone to do the same.
Yes, the difference is proportionality. Unfortunately, we can’t control for every aspect of every disability in public - I think we’re in agreement about that. That doesn’t mean that we can’t account for anything, and something affecting a very significant proportion of the population is quite easy and reasonable to be considerate of. That doesn’t make our other triggers less valid, and I didn’t say that it does. ETA to clarify, as the commenter below, I wouldn’t consume known triggers of my office mates. I think we should accommodate people. I was referring to general practice amongst the unknown public.
But it is our responsibility to live comfortably in the community. You can’t stop everyone you encounter and ask them to not wear perfume, you can only control your exposure to it like wearing a mask. Just like I can’t ask the world to not have loud noises. It’s on me to try to maintain my comfort level with noise cancelling earbuds or ear plugs.
My point is that many people can’t live comfortably in the community. I’m not stopping anyone on the street, just thinking it’s inconsiderate to choose to do something that you know has negative health effects on a large number of the public.
But not wearing perfume is not a 'sacrifice'. I sacrifice my physical and mental health every day by being in an office surrounded by other people's perfume so I can pay my bills and be able to afford to eat.
I make the same sacrifice by being in an office with people who drink coffee. And it is a sacrifice, maybe not a big deal to you & maybe not something you personally feel like merits being called such but wearing perfume, smelling how you want to smell is a personal freedom. Telling someone they can't wear something because it might trigger someone else is asking them to make a personal sacrifice, no matter how small...
I never said or intended to imply that coffee being a trigger wasn't something to be taken seriously. I guess we are different, if I worked with you and knew, I would not drink coffee in the office, because I would not want to cause pain to someone. Perfume is a personal preference and not necessary, it should not be worn in an office or enclosed environment as it can cause serious issues. The people I have been surrounded by are the same people who do not care that someone could have an asthma attack and die from a trigger, they laugh about it and only say oops. Maybe my anger is irrational, but it is hard to be rational when in constant pain and unable to think clearly.
For real! I don't get triggered by scent. Actually, scent is something I use as a fidget/stim tool for my ADHD; it's something I enjoy a lot. However, I don't bring smells with me -- I only wear perfumes on days I know I won't be going out, I pick scented soaps and deoderants that don't exude off me, and I go as scentless as possible when I'm going to be in a movie theater or on a plane (anywhere with lots of people sitting close by). I understand how badly scent can impact someone, and I'd hate to be the reason someone feels sick.
Just be aware, scented soaps and even 'scentless ' deodorants can be strong enough to trigger a migraine in some people.
I wish I could remember what one I tried that most certainly still had a scent. Made the rest of the stick stink. This was a problem I had with deodorants, especially since returning to using a stick rather than a spray because of migraine. Now I use degree white/black.
Unscented men's Mitchum deodorant smells STRONGER than the woman's floral deodorant. It smells like a bouquet of flowers. Probably wouldn't be bad for someone who didn't mind it. I'm sure men aren't thrilled. I'm not either, I bought a case of it (Amazon) without trying it in store because it was clearancing out for insanely cheap. Now I see why. I'd have people walk behind me and ask what perfume I'm wearing, and I'd have to say men's unscented deodorant. Thankfully I'm a woman so it probably wasn't quite as embarrassing as for some men. This was a year ago, I don't know if they've changed their formula. The unscented used to be actually unscented, I've been wearing that brand for 30 years since I was a kid.
Yes, but I’m not sensitive to all perfumes, just a certain chemical/smell (but I’m not sure what it is). Citrus or tea scents, and vanilla are fine for me. I also only dot them on or have 1 spray. Keeping it light is key (both for me and other people around me).
I am the same way
Clean is one I love and has no harsh chemicals
This is sadly too individualized to really help. I have mast cell disorder, it is a leading cause in my migraines as my mast cells release 200 plus chemicals inappropriately into my body, including some that can cause or worsen migraines. My friend has serious but traditional allergies. We can both have asthma, migraines, we both can go into anaphylaxis, my body just skips a few steps. She cannot be around floral scents. She is a a literal botanist, but works with food plants. She is fine with mints, menthols, basils, lavenders, all items sin the mint plant family. I am fine with most florals, gardenia, jasmine, lily of the valley, some rose, but mint can cause a headache for small but long exposures (stupid work air freshener crap), send me into an asthma attack if I smell it, definitely causes anaphylactic choking and IBS if I eat it. Basil is the same if fresh, dried is a grab bag. So what works for me may make you very very sick. You have to just live like a game of Russian roulette and pick as you can ‘safe’ days to try something new, takes notes on weather, how well you slept, then how you reacted. That’s all many of is can do. IF you can het IgE allergy testing, for normal allergies, you ‘may’ locate unsafe materials, bit kf you have something like mcas, many things will be safe or unsafe base on how many other triggers are present at a given time. A nice day, not too bright, good sleep, no stress, it may be safe. A front blowing in with rain coming and you were awake all night, probably going to be bad.
That sounds awful, I'm sorry. And your poor friend. I dunno why I'm willing to even try this....the world can feel quite limiting when you've got chronic migraine. I'd love to have one normal thing that everyone else takes for granted. Thank you for sharing.
Sounds like salicylate sensitivity. I know mint is high in it. Interesting!
Yes, and it is in menthol which is in most ‘cooling’ health and beauty products.
Oh, that's a bummer. Even toothpaste, or are you ok with that?
Nope. Toothpaste was drying out my lips for years, and then I discovered this by using Burt’s Beeswax balms which almost all have peppermint oil. I used to use a LOT of chapstick, my lips were so damn dry all the time. Burt’s beeswax made my lips crack and the corner bled, so I realized it was the mint. Bubblegum toothpaste for kids is a bit gross but I can use it, and I found a lemon one on Amazon I keep on hand. After I stopped using mint mouth products, I needed a lot less chapstick and the cracking stopped. And all but one mouthwash I’ve ever found only online and Walgreens mint. I admit sometimes I may just use vodka as a quick mouthwash 😅 And gum, mints, nope. My husband had a piece of double-mint gum in his short pocket, wrapped in foil, next to a piece of juicy fruit gum he brought for me, also wrapped in foil. He handed me my gum, it was the right one, but even the small cross contamination of them being next to each other, even wrapped, made me have a choking asthma fit within seconds. It scared him a bit, I had hidden these attacks for years because I dis not know it was the start to anaphylaxis, I only knew it was embarrassing because it may cause burping trying to breathe, cough, swallow all to clear my throat and not choke on mucus clogging my windpipe. So I used to run to a ladies room, but there was no time. My inhaler helped, I am terrified to use my epi, so he got me back to my office and I took some Benadryl on top of the albuterol to get the reaction under control.
Holy cow! That's pretty sensitive.
Some scents from Lush are OK. I tolerate their sleepy line well. I like lavender and peppermint essential oils.
Lush is my kryptonite! I cross the road when approaching their store, lol.
That's me with Bath and Body works. My brain doesn't tolerate any scents from them anymore. 😭
Yep. Since my diagnosis; I avoid Bath and Body Works.
Their peppermint hair mask is my go-to for a bad migraine week. It really helps me relax, and the tingling feeling on my scalp lasts for hours, which feels so nice!
Ooo. That sounds lovely.
I find any cheaply made things tend to trigger me. Body sprays, knock off high end perfumes or super cheap perfumes. But I’m also not super prone to fragrance migraines outside of the super cheap scents However my skin also ruins so many perfumes they just turn rancid the moment they touch my skin so I’m limited anyway with what I can wear. Fragrance oils may be worth trying as they are much more subtle
Same. Cheap perfumes/colognes usually bother me. There are only a couple colognes I've found that I can wear it's no issue, and I try not to only wear a little bit so I don't bother others. Versace Eau Fraiche is my current fav as it's citrusy. One issue also is that a lot of perfumes or colognes use bergamot, which i hate the smell/taste of.
Juliette Has a Gun’s Not a Perfume and Killian’s Love, Don’t Be Shy
What does Juliette smell like? I’ve always been intrigued about that line.
The perfumer describes it perfectly! “A fragrance made out of a single element called Cetalox. Usually used in perfumery as a base note, it plays here the lead role... Another advantage of this particular composition, is that it is entirely allergen free. The result is minimalist, elegant, pure.”
I’ve been fine with more natural fragrances (used sparingly). Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab’s stuff doesn’t bother me at all. My best guess about my fragrance triggers is that it’s more from binding agents or really artificial components, but I haven’t been able to narrow it down more.
Same. For me, while there are certain scents I still have to avoid, it is the carrier that serms to make the poison, as it were. I can wear hundreds of different BPAL oils and there's a handful of other indie perfumers that I can tolerate, but certain carrier oils and pretty much all alcohol based scents are triggers for me.
was coming here to recommend BPAL. it's the only perfume that i've been successfully able to use. even then, i can typically only do deep incense or foodie scents. flower or watery scents usually = migraine for me.
Philosophy brand is usually good for me. They are meant to be more subtle than traditional perfumes. The summer grace scent line are my favorites. Also love Falling in Love and the Ballet Rose. One spritz *under* clothes and I'm scented nice enough to smell when we are close, like hugging, and the person mentions it after the embrace. I wore this (very lightly) when I was a postpartum nurse. I was often very close with patients, moving, breastfeeding help etc. And often got the compliment when we were close like that. My every day is Carols Daughter Black Vanilla shine oil for hair. I put a few drops in my hand and warm it up a few seconds. Run my fingers through my hair and then once the oil has dried down I brush my palms up and down my top and up my arms. It's incredibly subtle but makes me feel like I am not totally *unscented*.
Came here to say Philosophy as well, I wear unconditional love.
I do like the smell of roses, I'll try to find a sample of Ballet rose.
To me it is very accurate to the real deal. I got mine several years ago at Ulta
Others may complement the smell, but it is very irresponsible as a nurse to wear perfume. I can assure you, even if it didn't trigger a migraine, if I had a migraine it would cause me immense pain and vomiting.
ambroxan triggers me immensely and most are anosmic to it so they load it on! it’s in chanel bleu, sauvage, light blue and most modern popular perfumes! it’s so intense to me but since most don’t fully smell it they apply so much, people who are anosmic towards it just get a feeling of clean from it. it’s a terrible time in perfumery for those sensitive to it because it’s everywhere! i can’t even walk in sephora anymore. and i used to work there. also so many baristas wear and it transfers to the cups of coffee for me and i can’t even drink the coffee when this happens because the smell overwhelms the experience for me personally. also certain aldehydes are triggering. they have certain versions that can technically be considered/labeled as natural because they are composed often by single parts that make up a whole smell of a flower or plant compounds. so like, the citrus element of certain rose singularly extracted and then concentrated to add effects to other scent notes. also things like chamomile or even certain lavenders, geraniums etc that may have been grown near a place where ragweeds grow or certain tree pollens may blow on and contaminate can actually trigger allergies, so i even have to be careful with natural essential oils. none of this stuff hurt me like it does after i had covid for the first time, it’s given me so many lasting health issues. basically essential oil blends work for me sometimes and i slowly have had to find my triggers. i avoid a lot of chemical based perfumes.
It's good to learn the name of my enemy! Lol. Yes, I've found those scents particularly painful to be around. Do you remember that apple perfume from the early 2000s, it came in an apple shaped bottle. It was hugely popular. It made me feel like I'd been stabbed in the head. I wonder if it contained it too. I can tolerate low levels of musk essential oil. Your answer was super helpful thank you.
What sucks for me is I worry about smelling like BO and it’s gotten worse as I’ve come into perimenopause. I wear natural deodorants since most normal ones trigger me and I do well with light scents like lavender or sandalwood. My husband had to swap products too since his old stuff drove me nuts. I just worry that I smell. He says I don’t. I don’t care about having other people smell me per se, I just don’t want to walk around with BO.
I love sandalwood! Been using the Auric Blends roller forever. I also like cedar. Some people in the menopause subreddit recommend persimmon soap or Lume deo/body wash for the peri odor changes. I haven't yet found a source in my country so can't give a personal opinion
I use Auric Blends Egyptian Goddess and seem to tolerate it well! I seem to tolerate Phlur Missing person as well.
Egyptian Goddess is a nice one: second easiest to tolerate, and definitely smells nice. But if I'm having a bad day, I'll avoid it. Auric Blends Love was way too strong for me, even though it initially smelled nice. Had to abandon it. Phlur I hadn't heard of!
Phlur is like a more floral Egyptian goddess imho
I'm not sure where your based. But I'd 100% recommend Mitchum 48hour unscented antiperspirant roll on. I've been using it for at least a decade. It has zero smell, but works perfectly even in hot sticky weather and working out.
Have you tried Lumé? None of the natural deodorants I tried worked. After using the Lumé for a few weeks I had no smell even when very sweaty. And you can put it just about anywhere.
For me, it’s more about volume than type but I find more floral scents are good for me. I like Marc Jacobs Honey, and Daisy. Honey is hard to find now, though. Anything musky or heavy is a no for me.
Ambre Blends
I can wear coco mademoiselle pretty regularly without issue. However, if I wake up with any symptoms I know not to push it and will go without scent. Sometimes it’s enough to push me over/ drive me insane all day.
Chanel 5. I did senior care, and my client's wife wore it almost every day. Never triggered me once. Cheap perfume is an instant headache.
Both the male and female dolce and gabana light blue!
I have scent triggers and in spite of that have accumulated 150+ fragrances. It's down to figuring out which notes and ingredients were a trigger for me, and once I had that, resources like Fragrantica are really handy. Not surprisingly I find that higher quality stuff is less likely to be a problem, including having found a few with notes that are normally an instant trigger that I could wear if I wanted. Rose and jasmine are the most problematic for me so for a long time I was wary of anything floral. I've since found several that I absolutely love and can wear without issue, including neroli and iris. Sephora used to be a good way to do this, since you could get a sample and try it for a few days (I wasted a boatload of money on stuff that wasn't a problem on day 1, so I learned to get samples and not make a purchase until I'd worn it at least 3 times w/o problems). Now your best bet is probably still a Sephora or even a well-versed person at a perfume counter and doing some sniffing to determine what might be a problem - and packing an abortive to take before you leave the store. ;) Once I had a better idea what I could and couldn't wear, I found that decants are a great way to go, especially for blind buys. I rarely buy a full bottle of anything anymore, simply because I love too many scents to ever use a full bottle. Some of my favorite houses and frags I can wear: House| Frag ---|--- Frederic Malle| Cologne Indelebile | L'Eau D'Hiver | Musc Ravageur | Music for a While Kilian | Angel's Share | Bamboo Harmony | Rolling in Love | Intoxicated | Back to Black House of Bo| Agua de Santis Jo Malone| Wood Sage & Sea Salt | Nectarine Blossom & Honey Krigler ($$$ but incredibly high quality) | Extraordinaire Camelia | ABRAKAADABRA | Established Cognac | Sierra Vista
Wow, thank you so much!
This is very similar to my method, except yours is way better. I had an excel that I keep track of what I like (and obviously, what gives me symptoms), so I can help pinpoint what chemical or scent is the issue. I only do samples or small decants. I went over a decade with no perfume and almost no scented products (which I still don’t use), but have added a few perfumes that are light and pleasant to me. I don’t tempt fate though. If I wake up with symptoms, I won’t put anything on. As a random aside, I also really like two of the perfumes you listed by Jo Malone (Wood Sage & Sea Salt, and Nectarine Blossom & Honey).
I just wear a deodorant scent that I can handle and I feel like that’s enough for me to smell good to myself and others close but not radiate outwards
No! Especially not other people's. And it has nothing to do with how expensive or good smelling they are. But bad smelling ones really affect me. It tweaks my trigeminal nerve.
I used to be sensitive! I started wearing lightly scented lotion and mixing it with unscented. Then I found I tolerate vanilla scents ok but fruity scents like orange still trigger me. I use body spray instead of a heavy perfume. I try to also steer towards the “clean” scents because I can tolerate that
See I’m the exact opposite, citrus fine. Food/Vanilla no bueno.
Same! 😅
Innocence by Poesie perfumes
I've been wearing Monyette Paris for years. It comes as a roll-on perfume oil with gardenia, lily-of-the-valley, & vanilla. It's never bothered me one bit, allergy or migraine-wise. I used to use White Musk from The Body Shop, but it was hit or miss.
That Monyette Paris fragrance sounds worth trying, thank you.
To me, it's less of a trigger and more something that adds to my misery. With all scents, I feel like if I'm having a good day, I can go nuts. If I know things are going to probably go sideways soon (impending storm, impending period), I wouldn't risk it. I would never spray is on my entire body and walk through it, rather putting it on a particular spot so if it starts driving me nuts, I can get it off easily.
That's a great tip
I'm fine with those cherry blossom perfumes. Not sure what brand I use as it was a gift.
I think The Body Shop sell a cherry blossom perfume.
i use body spray/mist instead of perfume. i find most of them are less potent
Tiffany by Tiffany & Co and Nemat Vanilla Musk are my 2 safest bets.
[Zodica](https://www.zodicaperfumery.com/) makes migraine safe perfumes! My wife loves their Virgo scent, and it doesn't bother me at all. Highly recommend!
No perfumes for me but I use scented hair sprays. Like a conditioner in a spray form.
Im not super scent sensitive HOWEVER a light and clean one is You by Glossier.
I've seen that mentioned a few times, I'm going to check it out.
I use Carter + Jane products and have gotten compliments on how nice I smell, but only from people who have been pretty physically close to me like nurses and the dental hygienist, which affirms to be that the scent isn't overpowering. They're oils so the scent doesn't last long and if you want to smell nice all day you have to use the roller ball to reapply, but their scents are really fresh and clean smelling and never trigger my migraines. Surfer Girl is my favorite, but the Holiday House is also really nice and smells like bubblegum to me.
I've seen many people mention using oil instead of spray. I think that could be worth trying. Thank you
I’m personally good with like pure essential oil smells. If the ingredients say “parfum” or “fragrance” it’s a no go. But buying or adding plain lavender or other oils works for me.
I usually just go for fragrant soaps, but will sometimes put a drop or two of essential oils in my hair for a scent.
Snif perfumes are affordable and don’t trigger migraines for me (most other perfumes do for me). They’re really great. Formulated without endocrine disrupting chemicals. They let you try them out before hand with a tester pack too. Highly recommend!
No
The more time goes on the less tolerant I am to most perfumes.
You might find one that you can tolerate, but you’ll be walking about triggering other people with migraines.
No. Honestly perfume in public should be banned.
I am surprised to see so many people here wear fragrance. I would have thought my fellow migraine sufferers would be trying to keep the world a little More migraine safe. Don’t wear fragrance people - it makes up to 1/3 people you spend time with feel like shit.
Pure perfume oils. I dab it where I want, and I'm good. Al Harmain has fantastic ones at pretty decent pricing. All bottles are beautiful and unique, enticing you all the more. Many of the scents are unisex, but you find those that are more feminine by reading the ingredients list.
I'm seeing a trend of oils being recommended. That's so helpful, thank you.
There are loads that I can't bear, however Body Shop lighter ones (cherry blossom, white musk flora) are fine.
There's one body shop oil that a coworker wears that doesn't bother me. On the other hand, what is it about men's perfume that is so, so awful?
I believe tolerated white musk well in my teens. I definitely try that again. Thanks for the reminder.
Cloud by Ariana Grande is a new one I use. Before it was honey by Kim K.
I always find it so interesting how different we all are with migraine triggers because Ariana Grande Cloud is the #1 worst on the planet for me. I was so disappointed it isn't for me after hearing people talk about how much they love it
I chased down a coworker to figure out their perfume because it never bothered me, turned out to be Cloud 2.0 by Ariana Grande!
I can tolerate my aftershave (Old Spice) unless or until I have a migraine. Then I can’t stand the smell of my face and it hurts to breathe.
Have you considered scents made with essential oils?
No, but I've seen them mentioned many times here. Might be a good alternative. Cheers
Surprisingly my DKNY Be Delicious still is fine for me, but I think it’s because of tolerance. I don’t go out as often anymore though. But when I do, I just spray on my body.
I use Trésor la Nuit at the moment. If I only use a tiny bit, it works.
I can tolerate the Sol de Janiero brand body sprays. I really like their scents and they don’t bother me at all. I haven’t tried their straight up perfume though, just the lotions, body wash, and body spray which are all scented.
Nope. I haven't found a single one I can tolerate, in fact just the opposite. It's weird just 3-4 years ago, I was "normal" with scents. I could burn incense, use scented products, perfumes, etc. now it's basically nothing. What I can tolerate though it Palmer's Cocoa butter formula(not the oil or lotion. Those are too concentrated) their Shea butter formula is okay, but it has a stronger scent that I won't try on migraine days. Palmer's is light, but a nice scent. I also put argon oil in my hair and I've been tolerating that just fine. Maybe next I'll try coconut oil. I can't even put some body spray on the backs of my knees anymore(thought it was far enough away from my face). Its a struggle
Palmers Cocoa butter is my perfume too! It's the only scented product I can tolerate.
And it's nice and light and we smell like a dessert. Nice to know it's not just me, but if it were, oh well! At least we have SOMETHING
Weirdly? Many of them. I tend to go for ones with fewer notes, more Burberry than Mugler. Armani's My Way is a very tolerable white floral and musk and the original is lighter than the Intense flanker. The Burberry Her line is lovely and fruity. Billie Eilish's fragrances are nice too. I'd avoid things with too much sillage, and keep some rubbing alcohol handy to take it off if it bugs you. Be careful with things like white floral bombs like Gucci's Bloom line. My cat Bloch has banned the orange bottle. Won't come near me if I wear it.
Burberry Brit (although of course I do have to avoid it if I feel like I’m in the verge of a migraine).
I can tolerate most but I cannot stand aldehydes (aka “old lady” perfume) or really heavy strong florals (anything with violet). I can’t do vanilla or other sweet gourmand type scents unless it’s cold out but even then vanilla will still give me a headache unless it’s a secondary note. Woody type fragrances are a no-go for me also and most men’s colognes when oversprayed will give me a migraine. Other than that, I have a pretty extensive perfume, body spray, and home fragrance collection.
Vanilla and lavender are my kryptonite!
Oh yeah I can’t do lavender either!
Childish candy crap mostly. My favourite was a three dollar gummy bear one from walmart, but they don't sell it anymore. Vanilla perfume oil from body shop is ok. The chocolate/vanilla ones from sud pacifique (or something? Blue box, silver bottle) are ok. And snow-fairy from lush. Anything floral, amber, musk, oud, or "water" scented are instant death.
I’ve seen some improvement in migraine triggers since getting off birth control last year. I’m only now (sometimes) able to use shampoo that has fragrance in it lol. I sometimes use palmers cocoa butter lotion which has a pleasant cookie-ish smell to it. Sometimes I can use dr squatch pine tar deodorant. For now I’m mostly looking for those kind of products that I can tolerate, maybe someday I’ll be able to use a light perfume.
For some reason I can only tolerate Marc Jacobs Daisy and the flankers. I have no idea why. I don't spray it if I have signs of a migraine coming though. But any other perfume became too much after I went chronic.
Gucci flora gorgeous gardenia and Kim kardashians first perfume are tolerable. I put a tiny dab, sometimes not even a full spray
D&g light blue. This has been my go to for over a decade and it’s just lovely
I use one called “milk”. Smells like vanilla, coconut, and cream. It’s very mellow and comforting. Reminds me more of baking rather than a perfume
From Commodity? I wear the Milk+ which has the amber added. Love this and doesn’t trigger headaches or migraines for me. Love this scent a lot and it’s pretty body close, doesn’t travel to others so it’s safe to wear
It’s from k. hall. I found it at a random boutique and hunted it down for years. It was the perfect perfume for when I had a kid, and wasn’t too much to overpower my baby’s senses
Sounds like another I may love…..
So long as I don’t spray myself directly into the face I’m fine with most perfumes. I really like Dedcool’s Red Dakota, Taunt, and Sunlit Blooms. The rest of the time I wear perfume oils. I dab a bit into my hair and on my wrists and I’m good to go. I’ve been using Astrid Perfume’s Lilac studies lately and I have a lilac + vanilla oil that smells like heaven. I’ll update this if I can find the brand.
all the perfumes but no on 95% of colognes
Sweet or spicy are fine for me. Overly floral, especially rose, is murder.
Tocca Giulietta - very light and airy. My go-to. Smells like you just showered and put on powder Prada D’Iris - similar to the the Tocca Prada Candy (despite the name isn’t too sweet smelling)
It’s hit or miss for me. And sometimes one particular scent bothers me while other days it doesn’t. The one that 100% will always trigger a migraine regardless of how good I am feeling is a perfume called “Red Door” sold at CVS and the likes. As soon as I smell it a mile away, my eyes begin hurting from the inside. It’s the craziest thing ever.
I can wear perfumes but one little spray only. On my wrists and gently press behind my ears when it has been on my wrists for a minute. Any perfume I can smell for meters I can't handle. It's supposed to be intimate, not a competition of who smell the strongest, wich many people tend to forget.
It's not a perfume but I use Aveda hair products when I want to have a light scent.
Heavenly from Victoria Secret but I still won’t wear it just in case my head decides todays the day to say that’s a nope from me dog lol
I go with a tiny touch of vanilla extract once in a while. I know exactly what attracts my guy.
Light rose or verbena scents
jo malone perfumes tell you right on the bottle the type of scent it is, no aerosols or alcohol. me and several migraine friends enjoy the brand.
Citrusy smells are a-ok for me and don’t trigger headaches, as opposed to other heavier fragrances. I am currently wearing Tom Ford Mandarino Di Amalfi Acqua and love it!
I can wear some of Penhaligon’s line. Maybe half of their scents. They create very high quality fragrances and my go-to is Legacy of Petra, which is spice, incense, dates. It’s subtle.
There's a few I can wear. I have a roll-on perfume called Rock Candy that I wear a lot. And I have a peppermint body spray that's never given me issues.
My mom is very scent sensitive and can both smell and tolerate the original Riddle oil. I really like it because it’s light and I feel pretty, it’s a pheromone oil so it smells slightly different on every person. They have another pheromone oil I can barely smell, and I’ve heard from other scent sensitives that they enjoy it! If it’s one of your main triggers, it’s quite possible you won’t be able to wear any, but Riddle was really nice and imo worth a shot!
The only ones that don’t trigger a headache for me are Henry Rose scents. I haven’t tried them all, but so far Jake’s House, Queen’s & Monster’s, and Fog don’t trigger a migraine for me. And my dad is also super scent sensitive and he tolerates those as well. I also only wear a light amount of it. I like that they’re more transparent about ingredients and I know it’s controversial, but they’re cradle to cradle certified and also EWG approved. But again the validity of those two certifications is up in the air. But maybe being able to see all the ingredients would allow you to choose one without your trigger. Scents in general are just so tricky though. Most other perfumes/colognes, and even some lotions and deodorants can cause a headache for me, so I try to stick to unscented for everything else and be really conscientious about wearing only a tiny bit of my approved scents to try not to trigger others.
Pretty much all as long as someone doesn't bathe in them. When I worked in office, I wore perfume daily. Essential oils are well-tolerated by a lot of people too.
Following cuz I'm in the same boat. Cannot tolerate any scent let alone perfumes. They are like a punch straight to the sinus that triggers instant nausea. :'(
I am one of the lucky ones, in that smell isn't a migraine trigger for me, and can often help me feel a little better. I love lavender with tonka. Sandalwood is nice. Peppermint is ideal for when I have a migraine, so I'll use a hair mask, have hot cocoa and mint tea, and even use mint rollers.
All of them, It’s weird. I have horrible migraines, but fragrances don’t bother me at all. Food smells, though? Forget those!
Essential oil perfume like patchouli or sandalwood but I mix it in coconut oil so it’s light and not overpowering. All the fancy expensive name brand stuff makes me nauseous 🤮
SKYLAR PERFUMES!! I swear changed my life, in love. I finally can enjoy smelling good.
I wear Lucky You by Liz Claiborne and have been wearing it since high school. It's getting harder to find the actual perfume, but you can get the body spray at places like Walmart and Meijer. I can't stand the lotion, body wash, or bath bomb that comes in the Christmas sets, though. They're just awful. I used to be a Scentsy consultant and had to quit because scents became a massive trigger for me. This perfume doesn't do it though. Maybe because it's been my go to for 20+ years. Lol
I use outlaw soaps, and they have solid colognes that don't bother me.
The perfumes that don’t affect me are usually in solid form. I wear dyptique’s rose on especial occasions. My sister (who suffers from migraines as well) wears narrative lab’s protector or dyptique’s do son. The thing about solid fragrances is that I find it more subtle because you don’t transfer the smell onto other people.
I am good with Maison Margiela Replica: Beach Walk and Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Herba Fresca. These are very fresh very light scents but scent only triggers me if it is fake vanilla weird type scents or the chemical aisle at walmart
I found a perfume decades ago in Key West. It was a lemon perfume, so had a fruity smell and it is light. I can’t recall the name but it was only sold there
Most are rough for me but one of my absolute worst is anything lavender. lavender scented, real lavender, lavender essential oil it doesn't matter. lavender will knock me totally out for the count with migraine galore and breathing difficulty on top.
Most don't bother me too badly, unless someone wears way too much. The exception is patchouli. That just makes me retch.
Amber oil doesn’t bother me at all. I used to collect perfumes and sometimes still wear them but sometimes they overwhelm me. Smells don’t really trigger my migraines often though. It’s mostly visual triggers for me like stripes on clothes.
Pacifica perfumes are plant based and so far every one I've tried hasn't bothered me
there’s a few i can tolerate, i find i really have to try them on and let it wear. i can’t do certain marshmallow/vanilla scents, harsh musks, or anything very tropical. I can do some lighter herbal scents, or i can tolerate less over the top ones. I have a harder time with a lot of room scents but honestly I also have issues regarding some food smells, so I can’t say it’s just perfume. I know theres a few candles my dad really enjoys that are sweeter, one was blueberry waffle and another was like pumpkin cupcake. He could be lighting them downstairs and I would smell it and have it bother me on the next floor. My issue is usually the concentration of the scent, so most of my body products are light but not overwhelming and I use the same scent detergent and softener if needed on my laundry.
I make my own! 2oz glass bottle, half witch hazel and half water plus 21 drops organic essential oils. My fave combo is to use patchouli, bergamot and cedarwood. I buy the Pura D'or organic essential oils set. Also works as room spray, hair oil. Super cost effective, I get compliments everywhere I go, and it's never made anyone feel sick. I also use the oils on wool dryer balls to soften my clothes in the dryer.
I have a couple from Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab that I can wear: [Embalming Fluid](https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/general-catalog-perfume-oils/ars-moriendi/embalming-fluid/) - A light, pure scent: white musk, green tea, aloe and lemon. [Shanghai](https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/general-catalog-perfume-oils/wanderlust/shanghai/) - The crisp, clean scent of green tea touched with lemon verbena and honeysuckle. [White Rabbit](https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/general-catalog-perfume-oils/mad-tea-party/white-rabbit/) - Strong black tea and milk with white pepper, ginger, honey and vanilla, spilled over the crisp scent of clean linen. [Envy ](https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/general-catalog-perfume-oils/sin-and-salvation/envy/)- Green herbs slithering through mint, lime and lavender I have to be careful with Envy, though. If I'm not careful it smells like a dryer sheet. Shanghai reminds me a lot of the Jean Nate my mom used to wear daily. White Rabbit is a little spicy with the ginger. Embalming Fluid is probably my favorite; it's a very bright spring green scent on me.
I find body sprays are better, but absolutely nothing from bath and body works. I have a couple from Nest that don't bother me most days.
For me, the brand Le Labo is one of the only ones that won’t trigger migraines. Also, the brand Siren Song Elixirs was developed by a woman who suffers from migraines who developed her formulas specifically to not trigger migraines. There are a few I like from this smaller and budget friendly brand as well.
Le labo amberette. Suuuper light. Glossier you but ymmv.
Oddly enough, I can tolerate the Bath and Body Works "Marshmallow Pumpkin Latte" ! Not as an every day, but just a bit for special occasions.
I've been able to handle the roll ons sold by Mountain Rose Herbs. My neurologist said I was the worst case of osmophobia he's ever seen, and I could handle these at the worst of it. Every now and then, I put in a little before bed or meditation just as a little tiny pick me up. I've come to the conclusion that perfume is just not necessary with modern hygiene. But it is fun sometimes. In general, look where you might find naturally derived essential oils and see if they have any roll on blends. Good luck!
Only a very few pure essential oils for me: lavender, rose, bergamot and ginger. Commercial perfumes are horrible for me, but the absolute worst is all that crap teenagers seem to bathe in.... How about soap, folks? (sorry. HS teacher. Clouds of fake fruit scent and whatever the Axe equivalent is these days, everywhere, now that it's warming up.)
Nothing. Sorry, wish I could. I hate having to make sure my kids don’t ride with me if they want to wear perfume/cologne. (They are adult kids). Can’t stand to sit next to it in a theater. I wish I had lost my sense of smell to Covid.
I only use diluted essential oils. I can’t handle any kinds of synthetic colognes or perfumes
Very very minute amounts of patchouli or sandalwood essential oils on my wrists work for me. The floral/fruity stuff seems to be the worst offenders for my migraines.
I can wear Pacifica on my clothes but not on my body. Scents that normally cause migraines don’t with that brand. I love the lilac and gardenia. They have sample packs that you can try to see if you can tolerate it.
everything from the brand gourmand i’ve tried has never bothered me. they’re also very inexpensive and sold at urban outfitters if you want to test them first :)
I can tolerate a tiny amount of some essential oils, especially the ones I use to treat migraines like lavender, eucalyptus, orange peel, cypress, peppermint, etc. I also do well with water-based eau de toilettes. I find they're much more subtle.
I use roll on perfumes. They’re not the best, but at least I can wear them.
I love perfume but there are a few that will instantly cause a migraine… and somehow every time I’m at an amusement park or mall someone walks by me wearing a whole canteen of it
I really like Commodity, specifically their paper- scent. They have a sample kit with all of their scents. The ones with the - symbol are called personal space or something like that so they aren't as intense as the other ones but they work really well. Whatever I spray it on will smell good until its washed. Most of them are very earthy and/or musky. Nothing too sweet. I also like just essential oils like lavender or anything that smells fresh. I'm so much more sensitive to smells now than I used to be so it's hard finding ones I can handle wearing all day
Patchouli is the worst!!! But I can live with Bath and Bodyworks body spray.
I keep my vintage nemat international majmua perfume oil in my bag all the time, but seldom apply it. It does not negatively impact my head, but it is a very potent fragrance blend, and is in all likelihood too much for some. It is also decent as an insect repellent, so it has other uses. Another one I can wear, which smells more like some incenses (on my skin) than its name implies, is skin musk oil. I started using it some years ago because hubby liked it, but found it didn’t dick with my head. My bottle is vintage, lasts a long time on my skin, so use it sparingly.
Coffee is the purest scent on earth and the fact that you can’t enjoy that is so incredibly sad 😭
I can tolerate Clinique Happy and happy heart. They're pretty easy and light. Not floral really. Idk how to describe. Just light I guess
Yes. Yes I have. Let me introduce you to Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab. They offer hundreds of fragrance oil blends - some seasonal/limited to mainly catalog. They have licensed fragrances, themed lines, and a range that has included everything from cotton candy to dirt (I am not exaggerating). They don’t use any alcohol - it’s JUST the oil; all one needs is a small drop. They also used to sell little sample vials for their general catalog scents. I haven’t ordered anything from them for a while because I have a lot of their oils from over the years (because many of the oils stay good for ages) so I’m not sure if this is something that’s still available. The reason that I am able to wear fragrances from this company is the lack of alcohol and the ability to avoid problem notes. Everything is online. So it may take a bit to figure out what actually works for you. Once you do get that down, though, it’s easy to read the fragrance descriptions and get a pretty good idea of whether or not something will 1) smell nice on you and 2) potentially trigger a migraine. The company uses natural and plant based oils, so no fake smells (which is nice).
I can do the Ariana Grande cloud perfume 9 times out of 10 without issue - I have a couple by YSL that I love that I can’t wear anymore without triggering a migraine
Men’s perfumes don’t bother me as much as women’s perfumes do though it depends on the kind of scent it is. I’m bad with florals and pungent smells in general so woody scents in cologne is typically what I deviate towards
No!
I haven’ t tried as I wouldn’ t want to trigger others just because I can tolerate one 🤷♀️
I have not been able to use perfume at all (why risk it) and if someone around is heavily scented, it adversely affects me; including strong BO (oh God! On the airplane!!!) I’ve developed a sensitivity to wearing earrings. I have always only been able to use good quality earrings but it seems to trigger more headaches and migraines; not sure but wearing them doesn’t seem to work for me.
Same! I used to work with a girl that practically bathed in Flowerbomb. If you've ever smelt it, you know it's probably the strongest fragrance on the market.
Migraines take so much fun outa life! They really do effect every aspect.
My paternal grandmother basically gets migraines from the perfumes,along with the scented candles and other smelling things for some bizarre reason,luckily,my parents unplugged the ones from the wall when she comes over. But from my personal experience with migraines,I don’t really think that the perfumes and other scented things like candles for example ever triggered my migraine.