Perfume sensitivity
December 9, 2009 5:13 PM Subscribe
What is in Women's Colognes
Co-workers' fragrances cause me teary eyes and blistering headaches, but men's cologne doesn't bother me. Is there a specific ingredient in women's perfumes not in men's? I've given up asking women at work to refrain and wonder if there is something I can do to dissipate the specific chemical causing the problems.
Co-workers' fragrances cause me teary eyes and blistering headaches, but men's cologne doesn't bother me. Is there a specific ingredient in women's perfumes not in men's? I've given up asking women at work to refrain and wonder if there is something I can do to dissipate the specific chemical causing the problems.
There is no difference between men and women's colognes than there is between one man's cologne and another's or vice versa - which is to say, the differences are not gender-aligned. Perfume doesn't know its a gender, it's marketers that take care of that.
I would suggest the difference is that some women put on a shitload more perfume than the relatively few men who wear cologne, thus there is simply more perfume around some women, than most men.
posted by smoke at 5:20 PM on December 9, 2009
I would suggest the difference is that some women put on a shitload more perfume than the relatively few men who wear cologne, thus there is simply more perfume around some women, than most men.
posted by smoke at 5:20 PM on December 9, 2009
No difference is going a bit far. There are musky-fruity fragrances that are unisex, capitalized by CKOne and some others, but when it comes to flowery stuff, it's pretty much all a woman's world.
(In other words, as a man in a suit I might be able to get away with a little vanilla and orange, but I will get some pretty odd looks if I turn up at work wearing Chanel No. 5 or Poison. Or at least some leading questions about how I spent my evening.)
So perhaps reread the question as "what ingredients are more likely to be in women's fragrances if necessary?
posted by rokusan at 5:48 PM on December 9, 2009
(In other words, as a man in a suit I might be able to get away with a little vanilla and orange, but I will get some pretty odd looks if I turn up at work wearing Chanel No. 5 or Poison. Or at least some leading questions about how I spent my evening.)
So perhaps reread the question as "what ingredients are more likely to be in women's fragrances if necessary?
posted by rokusan at 5:48 PM on December 9, 2009
Best answer: I've noticed the same thing as the OP. I have asthma, and almost all good brands of women's perfume sets me off. Yet very few men's cologne's do, and I can also wear many kinds of essential oils without issue. I have often wondered if there is some ingredient that is used in most women's fragrance that is not generally used in men's. Hope someone has an answer.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 5:55 PM on December 9, 2009
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 5:55 PM on December 9, 2009
I am a person who is sensitive to certain chemicals and unable to wear or be around spray perfumes and colognes, both women's and men's. I am neither a perfumer not a doctor (IANAPOAD!), but I think it has less to do with a botanical fragrance and more to do with one or more chemical additive(s). Many perfumes trigger migraines for me, so I'm familiar with the blistering headaches you speak of.
I can't speak to whether it's a chemical that is predominately used in women's fragrances, but for me, the issue is that these fragrances contain synthetic compounds derived from petroleum, which I and many other chemically-sensitive people have strong reactions to.
(Sorry, that article doesn't really cite evidence; I'm still looking for a better source or two.)
posted by teamparka at 7:23 PM on December 9, 2009
I can't speak to whether it's a chemical that is predominately used in women's fragrances, but for me, the issue is that these fragrances contain synthetic compounds derived from petroleum, which I and many other chemically-sensitive people have strong reactions to.
(Sorry, that article doesn't really cite evidence; I'm still looking for a better source or two.)
posted by teamparka at 7:23 PM on December 9, 2009
It has to do with the specific ingredients in the fragrance. While I don't think preservatives vary greatly between women's and men's colognes, the actual notes which create the fragrance do. My guess is you are reacting to a common theme in women's perfumes, such as florals, which you are less likely to find in spicier men's colognes. I agree that you need to find out specifically which fragrances you are reacting to, and go from there. My guess is that you will discover something like perfumes with floral notes versus citrus or spicy notes are an irritant.
posted by katemcd at 7:25 PM on December 9, 2009
posted by katemcd at 7:25 PM on December 9, 2009
I'm not sure that it's gender specific, but I've noticed the same - women's perfumes make my eyes water, give me a headache, and make it hard to breathe, whereas men's scents rarely do. I have the same allergic reaction to formaldehyde/formalin, which I'm told is an ingredient in most scents. Perhaps men's scents contain less? Just a wild guess.
posted by chez shoes at 7:47 PM on December 9, 2009
posted by chez shoes at 7:47 PM on December 9, 2009
Response by poster: Yes, it seems to be the florals and not the musks, like chez shoes says.
posted by PJSibling at 8:02 PM on December 9, 2009
posted by PJSibling at 8:02 PM on December 9, 2009
Somewhat related: I can spend hours in a smoke filled room with few problems, and i enjoy women perfume as well as cologne, but ambipur (some sort of "ambient perfume", www.ambipur.com) will give me an instant throatache. who do I sue?
posted by 3mendo at 9:21 PM on December 9, 2009
posted by 3mendo at 9:21 PM on December 9, 2009
Response by poster: Good news! Apparently Bonnie Hunt has extreme sensitivity too and talks about it on her show. So my co-worker was very understanding, and I'm not viewed as crazy or difficult.
The only thing more we could ask for, I guess, would be for Oprah to do a show on it, LOL!
posted by PJSibling at 9:46 AM on December 10, 2009
The only thing more we could ask for, I guess, would be for Oprah to do a show on it, LOL!
posted by PJSibling at 9:46 AM on December 10, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
Start asking women what that perfume is.... without making it sound like a complaint. Then keep a list of which ones bother you and which do not. In a couple of weeks, you'll have enough data to be able to cross-reference and find out which ingredient is your own personal kryptonite.
posted by rokusan at 5:19 PM on December 9, 2009