What Is Fragrance Sensitivity?
I’ve talked a lot about the reason I started Sonnet Candles. That because I have a sensitivity to fragrance and couldn’t enjoy candles in my home from big box stores, I started making them for myself. But what exactly does Fragrance Sensitivity mean? How many people really experience this? Is this just a way to politely tell someone that you don’t like their cologne or perfume? Well having a sensitivity to fragrance is actually a thing. For me I am sensitive to pretty much anything that has a fragrance. I avoid the perfume section in department stores and there’s a couple stores I can’t go near without having a immediate reaction.
It’s crazy, I know.
Because of this, I normally buy unscented products but when I can’t get it unscented, I will search for a scent that doesn’t cause a reaction. Yes, that means popping the tops off products to sniff them. If I can’t do that I just won’t buy the product. While this reaction to fragrance is what drives me to create candles everyone can enjoy, I also wanted to share an overview of fragrance sensitivity and answer those questions in the first paragraph. So what does it mean to have a Fragrance sensitivity? Let’s Break it down.
Who experiences this type of sensitivity?
Anyone can experience a sensitivity to fragrance. It’s not uncommon for someone with allergies or asthma to be a little more susceptible to reacting to fragrance.
What is a fragrance sensitivity?
It’s a reaction that happens when someone comes in contact with an organic or chemical fragrance.
When and Where can this sensitivity happen?
It can happen anywhere. Areas with a lot of fragrances like the perfume section of a department store but it can also be with any product that someone encounters that has a fragrance.
So, yes if someone is wearing a strong perfume or cologne, and a person let’s them know this, that person is having a reaction.
Why does a fragrance sensitivity happen?
Like any allergy the ingredients in the fragrance (artificial or organic) can irritate your respiratory system especially nasal airways.
Are there Any Symptoms?
While anyone can experience a sensitivity to fragrance, unless you have some serious symptoms you may not realize that you’re even having a reaction. Here are a few symptoms that may appear the moment you encounter a fragrance that you are sensitive to:
- Headaches (very common symptom)
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Congestion
- Watery eyes
- Sneezing
- Coughing
- Burning in nasal passage
- Nausea
How do I stop reacting to a fragrance?
The best way is to remove yourself from wherever the fragrance is and after some time has passed you will notice you’re feeling back to normal. Buy or use unscented products. When it comes to candles, we offer a sampler to allow you to test our scents before committing to a larger candle. That is one way to ensure that you don’t have a reaction. If you’ve purchased a candle or another scented item that causes you to react give it to a friend or family member to enjoy so it doesn’t feel like it’s been wasted.
I’ve experienced all of these symptoms, (yes even as I selected scents for the signature collection), and this is why I take great care in the fragrances that I select for the candles I create. This sensitivity can also create a challenge because fragrance can be free of chemicals that can trigger a reaction but could be too strong in how its formulated that it still cannot be used.
Because of my sensitivities, I’ve also made sure to share the fragrance strength and notes for each scent on the product pages so if you also have a sensitivity or allergies, you will know everything about the fragrance to make a decision on which scents you want buy.
I hope I provided all the information on fragrance sensitivity. If you have any questions about Fragrance Sensitivity, leave me a comment or send a message through the contact page. I’m happy to answer.