Perfume headaches

[lottieleo]

Every perfume I buy seems to give me a headache.
Any recommendations if you have a similar situation

All I can say is the ones that cause me headaches are types like alien, tom Ford black orchid. Maybe try searching the fragrances that give you a headache on frantica I think it's called it's a review site which tells you the notes in the perfume.

I find fruity scents don't cause me headaches

I have this problem. It's a trial and error caper, really. I avoid Chanel completely, ghastly stuff, especially the ubiquitous old lady No. 5. It's the compounds in it (ethers), which are used by lots of perfume manufacturers. I also go through phases where I can wear a perfume every day and then suddenly it makes me nauseous. I find fresh scents are easier, but I can wear a Tom Ford Private Blend too. As a general rule the cheap high street stuff (I include Dior etc in that, anything you can buy in Boots) will likely result in an olfactory migraine. Good luck in your quest!

Fragrantica is the website the previous poster refers to. It's a good reference for all perfumes, there might be a headache thread on one of the forums.

I can't wear perfumes and increasingly look for fragrance free in all products. This has unfortunately got worse over the years - I'm not sure if it's because products are more highly fragranced or because we use more products?

Where a product is fragranced, I look for very light natural fragrances or those without phthlates but even natural fragrances can be an issue for some people. You may have a fragrance sensitivity, OP.

Oh gosh this reminds me of my ex- husband who always bought oud-based fragrance when we lived in the Middle East and if I had to go in the car with him soon after he'd applied it, I'd get a spinning headache and terrible nausea. Anything with similar heavy notes makes me ill.

I get that.

Chanel and anything aldehydes is murder, also f whatever it is they use in everything now.

I move if there is someone stinking in my vicinity and I don't care if they are offended.

Stop wearing perfume?

I get headaches and nausea with most strong fragrances (washing powders included).

It's amazing how desensitised lots of people seem to be to it

Try Shay and Blue. They have some very light fragrances, blueberry one and dandelion & fig. You can get samples so you could try first. I suffer with scent induced migraines and am fine with these

Most heavily fragranced perfumes and body lotions, particularly floral, give me headaches so I steer well clear of those.

I can tolerate L’occitane Verveine Argrumes (citrus verbena I think) & Weleda Sea Buckthorn Range. Light Citrus fragrance seems to work for me.

I find most Chanel perfumes except No5 set off a migraine and some overly sweet ones like Alien or citrus/green scents, I tend to stick to one or two that don't set me off, I always have Clinique Aromatics in Black on the go and I've just started wearing Shay and Blue Atropa Belladonna

Almost all perfumes trigger nausea, a headache or ,worst case scenario, a debilitating migraine.

It’s not often I wear one but when I do I spray it on my lower back.

I wear this a lot which is a sort of skin scent

https://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Clean/Skin-35244.html

Might be worth looking at these (the alpha and beta ones)

https://www.4160tuesdays.com/4160tuesdaysscentshop/cat_1434251-Our-Modern-Lives.html

My brain isn't working but I will try and think of a few more! It might be worth getting a couple of samples of different types of scent like sweet, clean, floral and seeing if you can work out which notes affect you most. Some affect me if they're a bit.. screechy so aldehydes mostly

Been sniffing and
I'm back!

Ariana grande cloud is sweet but very soft, easy to sample somewhere roi
Philosophy fresh cream if you can find it is clean but not screechy clean, like the smell of whipped cream but I had to buy it from America
Replica beach walk maybe.. could be too strong
Hawaiian tropic golden paradise is a coconut, body spray type that's nice

Right I am done now

Baby cologne might be another option?
Tends to be a lot of Spanish and french ones if you just search baby cologne and the bonus is they're cheap
Nenuco is the most popular Spanish one

https://m.feelunique.com/p/Mustela-Musti-Eau-de-Soin-Delicate-Fragrance-50ml?curr=GBP&gclid=CjwKCAiA24SPBhB0EiwAjBgkhhAVaV-wDgBQYa5AEBBL0obpluhlXFSI4EzrLTtYwUSojRWWrdR2RoCgdEQAvDBwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

(Good website here, I get stuff from here a lot)

https://www.cocooncenter.co.uk/klorane-baby-petit-brin-scented-water-for-baby-50ml/37858.html?kard=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA24SPBhB0EiwAjBgkhh5m7ydWIzMCH4UUOaRnoG9RLXqufb1ja8tG-ELIxjcEZsuvW5WRpxoC-P4QAvD_BwE

I mean you get a cuddly koala with this, what's not to like?!

https://www.cocooncenter.co.uk/alphanova-baby-scented-water-organic-50ml-holly-the-koala-plush/70915.html

I get these headaches and they leave me feeling physically sick- horrible . I keep meaning to identify what particular scents trigger it but can't face going through the pain!

Anyway, I wear La Vie est Belle which is absolutely fine on me and isn't overpowering. These are it's notes according to the internet:
Top notes - Blackcurrant, Pear
Heart notes - Iris, Orange Blossoms, Jasmine
Base notes - Tonka Bean, Praline, Patchouli, Vanilla

I sympathise!
When I was younger I generally avoided perfumes, as they all seem to trigger awful headaches. I wore lighter body spray type fragrances and was always fine with those.

Now I'm 50 (and menopausal!) I cant tolerate any fragrances, so I basically smell of nothing these days
Apparently I smell of 'clean washing' so that's something!

It's trial and error. Probably anything with aldehydes will be a no - this does mean all the Chanels and quite a lot of everything else.

I'm sensitive to a lot of random other things but there are whole brands I am fine with, thank-you Guerlain, and then just trial and error.

Buying decants is the way forward so you haven't wasted all your money, and cross-referencing on Fragrantica as you soon start to build a picture of 1) what you like and 2) what doesn't like you.

I do have a fragrance free home and only use perfume as a treat now.

Thanks everyone will get looking

I seem to be able to wear O de Lancome which is citrusy, summery without getting a headache. I've never been able to tolerate heavily scented washing powder/liquid, plug in air fresheners and especially older perfumed like opium - headache in a bottle! All these things go straight up my nose and into my sinuses. Except the o de lancome.

I have avoided perfume for years but have started trying samples of hypoallergenic fragrances, none of which have given me headaches or the sneezes. I’ve tried Skylar and an Australian brand called Recreation Bondi, some beautiful scents!! They don’t last as long on me as other perfumes but are ‘clean’ so I’m happy to reapply during the day, small price to pay!!

I have this. Clinique Happy is one of the few I'm OK with - but only the original Happy, the variations give me the usual headache.