Perfume for Migraine Sufferer

[Slavetominidictator]

Before I had kids (now almost 3 and 6), I loved perfume. Ever since, I'm too sensitive and everything is too strong. I can literally trigger a migraine just by sniffing a tester in a shop. Also, if friends or family wear anything at all strong, I immediately feel nauseous and have to get away from it.

Does anyone else have this trouble? And does anyone know of a perfume that doesn't do this? I'm pretty sure some perfumes are worse than others but I can't risk trying any, in case they set off a migraine (I'm effectively a single parent so cannot be out of action). Obviously, it isn't crucial that I wear perfume but it would be very morale boosting to get some of my old self back as we move out of the baby/toddler stage. Many thanks indeed.

Have a look at 4160Tuesday's Invisible Ben, or perhaps their Our Modern Lives range? If you email them they are great at getting back with advice/suggestions.

I have two only I can use -

www.theperfumeshop.com/Issey-Miyake/L%27Eau-d%27Issey/Eau-de-Toilette-for-her/p/24000EDTJU

www.theperfumeshop.com/Stella-Mccartney/STELLA/Eau-de-Parfum-for-her/p/33950EDPJU

I also wear them quite sparingly and generally on my arms rather than near my face...

The reaction sounds very personal to you.

Trial and error really.

Try on some testers in a shop.

Aldehydes usually set it up for me.

Also Angel and its ilk.

What you don't want to do is buy something you can't wear.

Maybe get some tester cards to take home with a few choices and sniff each one.

I'm the same since having kids. Jean Paul gaultier was always one of my favourites but I can't wear it now.

I'm okay with CKone, Ultraviolet, Hugo Deep Red and Britney spears fantasy .

I find I can get away with it by avoiding EDP and only using EDT, one very light spray well away from my face (low down cleavage, sprayed from several inches away). I also avoid florals and sweet fruity fragrances, sticking to crisp, citrus etc types.

I have the same problem. I don’t wear perfume at all. If, on the odd occasion I do, I wear Verbena by L’Occitaine. It doesn’t give me a migraine but I think as others have said it’s probably trial and error for you. You have my sympathy, it’s rubbish.

Musk used to do this to my mum. Have you tried something like l'occitane, they do some lovely florals that don't smell too perfumy. If you see what I mean, I love their cherry blossom

I can use all the Guerlains.

Chanel is a no go area because of the aldehydes. Aldehydes are so much part of their signature style but they are a big migraine trigger.

Unfortunately it probably is a matter of trial and error and any list will be very personal to you. I love perfume and I found getting decants from The Perfumed Court and keeping notes on Fragrantica was the way forward to keeping a record.

However at the moment I'm just steering clear - just walking into a room where someone is wearing fragrance can set me off with a migraine so prob not a good look to turn up blazing in Samsara myself

Since having a baby, the only scents I enjoy are light EDT or cologne. I love Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet - it's the only scent that didn't make me nauseous during pregnancy.

Hope you find something that works for you xx

I meant to add that I have a migraine every month (thanks hormones) so you have my sympathy, it's rubbish x

I rather like Neal's Yard Frankincense and it never gives me a headache or makes me feel sick. I wear other scents but no longer in my cleavage, only wrist, elbow, behind ears, back of neck, hair etc and applied sparingly. Also find scented bath products, body lotion etc better than perfume for not making me feel ill (but I still would avoid the areas under my nose, like cleavage).

Anything from the Mugle stable (Angel) and anything vanilla or gourmand makes me positively murderous. We went to a virtually empty restaurant where I could smell a sickly vanilla perfume as soon as the door opened. The hostess stank of it and by the time I left I could taste it.

Just the mention of Angel brings one on for me.
I may be doing it a miservice but I got a very bad migraine after spraying it in Boots.
Or it may be I needed caffeine.

Weirdly I'm ok with Angel, never actually bought it but tried it in shops occasionally.

Gah, 'Mugler' of course, not Mugle.

Get your daith pierced. Never had a migraine since.

I've got both ears done

I have the same reaction only when i have a migraine starting so its more a symptom/red flag to take meds. I find i cant wear perfume if im hving this symptom but lightly frangranced body sprits is ok. Maybe try some of those, Superdrug sell the Victorias Secret ones or you can get FCUK ones from boots, hollister ones are nice too.

Thanks so much for all the suggestions. Angel is definitely one of the worst for me. My mother wears Amarige and my sister Daisy, both of which are pretty heavy and have a dire effect on me.
Completely agree that increased sensitivity is a sign a migraine is coming anyway (and a sign to take medication), but this is more than that - the sensitivity is there all the time.
Will try the various suggestions - oils seem a good idea.
I used to wear Clinique Happy when much younger and I thought that would be ok as so citrusy but no. I used to absolutely love Samsara but thought it'd be too heavy - will try it. Thanks ever so much.

O De Lancome is a light citrus perfume. It’s not strong at all & you could just try spraying on your wrists.

OP I could have written your post! It’s exactly the same for me, I used to love perfume until I had my DD. Now I find I’m so sensitive to it and I’ve had a number of migraines in the past year that have been directly triggered by it (straight after spraying it on or sniffing it)
I find Chanel is the worst for me, my DH wears the men’s Chanel for work and even at the nd of the day I have to ask him to wash it off.
I find that I can handle some of the lighter Jo Malone ones, like Lime Basil and Mandarin.
Or spraying my usual perfumes on the back of my hair in the hope that I smell of it but not so much that it’s in my face!