I'm not "chemically sensitive" or particularly fussy about things in general, but today I was on a train for 6 hours and at one point a woman boarded the train (business class on a west coast amtrak train) and she REEKED of cheap perfume... I swear it smelled like insecticide and it was everything I could do not to change seats. Fortunately, she was only there for an hour or so but I was seriously ready move. If I had, I figured I'd do so without comment, but part of me wanted to point out that her "aroma" was sickening.

I am so with you on this topic! Unfortunately, I fear people like that don't read Fodor's... alas.

I share the sentiments.

Even EXPENSIVE perfume can be offensive when applied liberally. I've been in a few places where I would have loved to have given someone a washcloth to wipe off the perfume.

I don't think anyone should LIBERALLY apply perfume at any time. When I sit in the theater and am overcome by someone's perfume, I feel that is "air pollution".
It really bothers me when I am in a restaurant trying to enjoy my dinner and can barely taste it because of the strong smell of perfume.

To my observation, many of the offenders are older woman (my mother included) - I attribute it to loss of sense of smell with aging - although at any age it is difficult to accurately assess how good or bad you yourself smells.

Don't wear it to church either! It seems to be just my luck that the woman that sits in back of me ALWAYS, no matter who she may be, wears a heavy musky scent. By the time church is over, I'm sick to my stomach.

It's funny, but when most people smoked, everyone seemed to be used to that smell and the perfume odors were lost. Now that our noses are not assaulted by cigarette smoke so much, we may just be a little more sensitive to perfumes and after shave lotions.

Perfume (cologne, EdT, etc.) is a HUGE business with an incredible profit margin so unlikely to go away anytime soon. French mastery in perfume making evolved in the time before the canals were constructed when Paris would routinely go through extended droughts; bathing was impossible so scents were created to mask biologic odors.
The marketing is fierce - when was the last time you opened a magazine and did not find at least one scented ad? - though it is a luxury and not a necessity. Come to think of it, it's not unlike the diamond industry - no one really needs diamond jewelry but look at the size of the market!

I AM chemically sensitive and I have had some horriffic experiences. The headaches are horrible. This country has done such a good job fighting smoking (another high volume industry) and I'd love us to begin fighting THIS cause now!

Although too much of it annoys almost everyone, I don't think that's going to happen sallyjane, and doubt many people would be in favor of it. It's one thing to draft laws on carcinogens, another on something that is more annoyance than anything else. I'm not allergic to the smell, (although enough of it on someone and it really can make you feel sick) but I am actually physically allergic to most perfumes. A dab on either side of my neck results in something that looks like a hickey and itches intensely for days. Lovely.

As SuzeTrue said, it's expensive perfumes too, in fact I think they may be more at fault in the "overwhelming" department than the cheapies. After reading a long discussion, here I believe, on Creed, I had to go smell for myself. Ewwwwwwwwwww!!!!! All of them!

The worst places where people apply perfume are small closed places like airplanes. This is abetted by airlines putting perfume dispensers in the bathrooms. Strange how they are somtimes empty after my wife leaves the bathroom.

You're probably right, OO, but I'm old enough to remember a time when anyone would have been shocked to think tobaco companies would be sued by people who voluntarily bought their products.

Jed, I don't think we are flying on the same airlines. Perfume dispensers??? Southwest hasn't got those.

Although tight spaces are bad...have you ever smelled it in aerobics classes? As bodies heat up, perfume odors intensify and everyone nearby is breathing harder with exertion anyway. Talk about overwhelming!! Why would anyone put on perfume before an aerobics class anyway??

I am a member of a wine organization and we always remind our attendees to minimize the perfume or cologne when attending one of our wine dinners or tastings. The smell of any kind of perfume or cologne can ruin the experience for someone trying to taste and evaluate wine. I know that many better restaurants tell the wait staff to minimize or eliminate the use of perfumes for just this reason.

Just remembered, my Doctor's office asks that patients refrain from wearing perfume to an appointment. Not sure if staff member has problem or just trying to help others who might.

I share the scent-ament also, LOL. Less is more and some didn't get that memo. ;-)

I agree, some perfumes are so overwhelming. The less expensive perfumes may be assulting at first but do not have the staying power. I have a collection of Creed perfumes that I cannot wear...they give me a headache, and would never ever wear them on a plane...they are very very strong and some are like a previous poster stated... EWWWWWW, which pretty much sums it up. I do wear what I call travel scents, which are light....Bulgari Green, Aqua deParma and smell clean. I also spray some into some kleenex tissues due to some people smelling like they did not wash or enjoy farting on long flights. It gives me a breath of fresh air when there isn't any.

Some very expensive perfumes do smell like insecticide - my husband bought me a limited edition bottle of Creed which, for me is unwearable. I tried it once or twice and now it sits on my dresser - just looking at it gives me a headache.

The worst offenders on my last two trips were the flight attendants. I wrote both carriers to request they implement some grooming standards on the issue.

OO - Jed, I don't think we are flying on the same airlines. Perfume dispensers??? Southwest hasn't got those.

We haven't flown SW.

Anyone else noted perfume dispensers in plane bathrooms?

I was teasing Jed. Though we do fly SW often, I haven't seen the dispensers on AA or Delta either. Could it be lotion she's using? I do recall that in some airline bathrooms.