Having very hard time in public spaces due to perfume, lotions, cologne, cigs, etc.

I get so nauseous from strong and especially chemical smells. To the point of wanting to throw up...
It's difficult to make them understand.
Maybe you could remind them of how they felt when they were pregnant when smelling things so well it made them nauseous? This will obviously only work for women that have been pregnant and have been experiencing that phenomenon it narrows down the percentage of possible understanding, but it could make some people understand what you are going through...

That's why I use so many natural products. Without perfume or just the natural sent of a light essential oil.
I like Weleda products for my skin (I choose soft smells, I love the Buckthorn body lotion), natural soap (like Aleppo soap). Clay to deep clean my skin when necessary. Pure unrefined sheabutter or argan oil for dry skin.
Shampoo is more difficult, but I choose a soft smelling brand.

And a natural soap for cleaning my house, combined with soda Crystals. A soft eco friendly dish washing soap.

M

I hear you!! I have the same problem and it's driving me crazy! Yesterday I drove my son and another girl that lives on my street to school. This young girl was doused in perfume. I thought I was going to choke. I couldn't roll down the windows because it is too cold where I live. I sat there and suffered. Later that morning I started getting more and more dizzy, nauseous, and then my head started to hurt. I had had a few pretty good days and at first I couldn't attribute feeling worse to anything and then I remembered the "perfume girl" in the morning. Really? That's all it took to ruin my day?!!

It is very difficult living in this "scented world". Even when you go somewhere and use the washroom - the soap is usually scented. What's the alternative - not wash your hands? I don't think so. I guess I could carry my own unscented soap!

I have told my closest friends that I can't tolerate scents and some of them respect that and don't wear any when we get together. I am so grateful for that. I actually tell some people I won't hug them if they are wearing perfume. My uncle is the worst - he must take a bath in the stuff. I don't think he understands at all. I can hardly be in the same room with him.

My husband gets it (sort of). He has stopped using cologne and after shave but his shaving cream is still scented. Does anyone know if they make unscented shaving cream?

I don't get it either. You would think with all the signs saying not to wear scented products the world would have caught on by now. I guess people think if it doesn't bother them it shouldn't bother anyone else. And then they think it's just the smell that bothers me - it's not just the smell - sometimes the smell is nice - it's the chemicals and terrible effects they have on us. Arrgghhh!! Well, that was a good vent. Thanks Margaret.

Margaret, have you tried learning to breathe through your mouth? I too had the problem and it was very bad. I started to walk around with my mouth slightly open to minimize the air that was inhaled through my nose. It did help dissipate some of the "milder" aromas and made the more offensive odors more bearable.

i have been sensitive to so many kinds of scents for years, i avoided the makeup, perfume counter section at malls for over a decade , as much as i could

malls, with so many synthetic smells, overload

yes, people can take things so personally, cigarette smoke,etc


this disease is isolating enough, and makes it more challenging...

i had to leave hotel cause they used febreeze,

i have to have someone get me dishwash soap, cause it is an aisle that also has other cleaning products and my compromised immune system can not handle all those scents, i cough so bad, and get headaches...