Struggling… everywhere stinks! Toxic scent - is it just me?

[Strawbaler]

Is it just me or has the toxic fug of perfumed scents in everyday life reached unbearable levels?

I am fortunate to live in the countryside and work from home, but when I go into urban/busy places it can be headache inducing…

Toilets with chemical fresheners (especially the ones that squirt perfume periodically) make me feel ill

The smell from the washing powder aisle in the supermarket is so strong I rush through it as fast as I can

I feel that in the last ten years or so, the technology to make powerful, long-lasting scents has spread to everything.

I know there are links between chemical scents & phthalates etc and cancers, so I personally go out of my way to find unscented products, but it’s hard to avoid them in everyday life

I can smell my neighbours washing line from 75 meters away, that can’t be right?!

Is it just me?

I’ve recently (within the past year) developed a dislike for artificial smells. I really, really love expensive perfume though. I have my small collection of signature scents and I spray a small amount. They are fresh and I don’t find them too heavy - lean more green, clean and light. I don’t want my washing powders or body lotions to interfere with that one smell. Luckily, I live in a country that has an amazing offering for unscented household and personal products. I was thinking about how much I’d struggle if we moved back to the U.K., everything is so heavily scented!

I used to be one of those people who did scented body wash, shampoo, lotion, deodorant and body sprays, wash my clothes in heavily scented detergent and always have a plug in on in my house. Now I prefer mostly unscented (or lightly ‘clean’ scented) and open windows.

I cannot bare the smell of all the pumpkin spice candles which seem to be out now, either. I never have enjoyed the artificial cookie, cakes and spiced smells but even more so now, it quite literally makes me heave!

I do think people become nose blind to artificial smells but perhaps you are also a super smeller! Dr Michael Moseley had an episode on super smellers as part of his super agers series. It means you could live long and healthy life!

Omg me too. Anything meant to smell like a baked anything gives me true rage

Also, I now use an air purifier in my home and it really helps with house smells!

I cannot bare the smell of all the pumpkin spice candles which seem to be out now, either. I never have enjoyed the artificial cookie, cakes and spiced smells but even more so now, it quite literally makes me heave!

I dislike those smells as well.

It is awful. I don’t know how people sit with those smells for hours at a time in their homes without getting a week long migraine!

I used to work with someone who had worked in a place that produces artificial scents. She would smell what we'd consider a juicy cherry scent and wince, it was just chemical abc123 to her. I often thought of her when Tom Ford's Lost Cherry was the next big thing. I know everything is chemicals but it's interesting how things can be dressed up to change our perceptions, in both directions.

I’m wondering if it’s a perimenopause thing but I’m definitely noticing more strong scents recently…..perfume or aftershave on the bus this morning was making me need to sneeze, whatever air freshener they use in the office reception is hitting me more, washing powder and even sanitary towels in the supermarket stink, and don’t get me started on vapes!!

I think there is definitely a belief that if something/someone doesn’t smell of fragrance, it/they can’t be clean.

Life limiting? You're going to die prematurely from it?

I hear this a lot on Mumsnet, for sure. People seem to really hate strong or ‘artificial’ scents.

I am very sensitive to smell, and there are some strong ‘cleaning’ smells I dislike (bleach, most air fresheners) but I love perfume and scented laundry products.

The stench of unwashed clothes, unwashed hair and BO on packed bus journeys during the tube strike this week has been far, far worse. It would seem more people are soap and laundry dodgers than drenched in artificial fragrances!

I completely agree with you! I hate the fake chemical fragrances everywhere. The one that gets me the most is the perfume in dishwasher tablets which I can then taste when eating food, especially if it’s been stored in Tupperware type containers.
Also really hate those plug in diffuser things , feel sorry for any pets in houses with those as the chemicals are known to be toxic.
I also completely agree with you about the increase in cancers and other medical conditions, which I do believe are linked to the amount of chemicals in our homes and our food (UPFs).
On the other hand, I love any natural scents , natural aromatherapy oil, dried flowers and herbs and so on. I tend to use products like that wherever I can.

I can only smell dope. EVERYWHERE

Thank you for the recommendations, I'll check them out. X

Totally agree OP. I can’t bear artificial fragrances and can’t understand why people want to breathe in all those chemicals. Spray air fresheners give me the ick. Really dislike perfume and aftershave too, some people really overdo it. I don’t mind the laundry aisle in the supermarket but definitely have to dash through the perfume section in department stores 🤢.

I don't know anyone men who wear aftershave/cologne.

None of my friends used room sprays or room fragrances either. We just open the windows.

And airports that force you through the perfume section of duty free!! 😷😷

Exactly. Would rather smell perfume!

I’m pretty sure this is what happened to me. Started finding some washing liquids to have a strong chemical smell. Walking through duty free at an airport almost chokes me - all the perfumes being tested. I believe that COVID made me over sensitive to certain chemicals used for scent. I wish I knew which ingredient it is.

Completely agree, OP. I absolutely hate it as I'm very sensitive to chemicals/smells. Everything seems to be coated in perfume/chemicals now more than ever.

You are right. People go nose blind when they are surrounded by scent and a lot of people who use perfume don't realise how much they stink of it because they can no longer smell it in the same way as others can. Often a person will walk past me in the street and I can even taste their perfume, it's that cloying. Awful!

Is there somewhere I can get unscented or lightly scented washing powder that isn't a fortune? I usually just get a mega box of whatever bio is on offer. I've tried doing things the Nancy Birtwhistle way but my clothes ended up stinking, they weren't getting properly clean. I know how to clean the machine, not over-dose with detergent, rinse properly etc.

I’ve suffer migraines and many of those scents make me feel ill. I run a mile of anyone try’s to squirt a new perfume on me amd will heave walking past lush,
there a new Dubai perfume shop and that’s absolutely vile pumping into shopping mall. Don’t know how the staff work there.
I do like some mild smellls though fresh linen zoflora and scented candles

I’m in my 60’s and my sense of smell and taste has always been acute, but now, scented washing powders, candles,conditioners, antibacterial sprays (sadly at work!) and some perfumes make me retch and at times ill. Oh and many supermarkets use I assume scents through their stores!
I hate how we are accosted everywhere.

I’m incredibly sensitive to smell. I’m Autistic.