Perfumes Give Me Headaches, But I Want to Smell Good. Help!

I can’t imagine going through life without perfume, so I commend your persistence. And it turns out your trial-and-error method is actually the most reliable way to determine your (or anyone else’s) response to a perfume. “There are no science-based approaches to classifying fragrances based on their molecular characteristics to predict sensory experiences,” says Nikaeta Sadekar, Ph.D., a senior scientist at the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials.

One reason it’s so hard to determine which perfumes will cause headaches is that scent perception is subjective — influenced by our experiences, memories, and culture. Some people with fragrance sensitivities may have a learned aversion to particular notes or ingredients. “While I am not discounting the ability of a fragrance to directly elicit an irritating sensation, many responses are based on prior experience,” says Pamela Dalton, Ph.D., a psychologist at Monell Chemical Senses Center. If your first whiff of a scent was accompanied by something unpleasant, like the start of an illness or a stressful experience, smelling a similar aroma later in life could trigger a physical reaction. If you’re someone who gets a headache or feels nauseous after smelling perfume, it may be hard to believe that sensation has a psychological root, but, Dalton says, “many of these conditioned associations occur without conscious awareness — we have a negative response to the fragrance without remembering when or why it initially occurred.”

In addition, some people are more sensitive to smells in general — not just the smell of perfume. And a “heightened sensitivity to fragrances may trigger headaches,” explains Clifford Bassett, M.D., an allergist at Schweiger Dermatology Group. There’s also evidence that people who get migraines are more likely to be sensitive to fragrance. But people who don’t have allergies or migraines can have fragrance sensitivities too. “There appear to be other factors, such as personality characteristics, that render people more likely to be less tolerant of any odor — in much the same way some individuals are less tolerant of environmental noise,” Dalton says.

Since it’s impossible to predict how others will react to your perfume or know in advance which types of perfumes will cause headaches, your question becomes one of etiquette. Here are my guidelines for choosing and wearing fragrances that won’t bother people with sensitivities:

Pick a low-sillage scent

Sillage is a perfumery term for the trail a fragrance leaves behind. If you get into an empty elevator and still smell someone’s perfume, it probably has a big sillage. Determining the strength of a perfume’s sillage is somewhat subjective, but the predictions on Fragrantica are pretty accurate. The site’s database compiles fragrance reviews and allows users to vote on different characteristics of those scents, including the sillage (intimate, moderate, strong, or enormous). For example, I consider Glossier You a good example of a perfume with minimal sillage, and Fragrantica users generally agree (the majority voted its sillage to be intimate or moderate). A few other low-sillage options that are hard not to like: Musti Eau de Soin, Jo Malone Wild Bluebell, and Clean Classic Skin.

Consider citrus perfumes

In one study of odors that were likely to induce migraines, researchers found perfumes were the biggest headache trigger (no surprise). But they also noted that scents with floral fragrances and rose were common triggers, along with laundry detergents, coffee, tobacco, and even mint. Not on the list? Citrus. I’m not saying this proves that citrus scents won’t cause headaches! And plenty of citrusy perfumes contain floral notes. But, in general, I’ve found that light citrus scents are more agreeable to most people than big florals or ambers. Some of my favorite easy-to-wear (low-sillage!) fragrances in this family are: Annick Goutal Eau d’Hadrien, Hermès Eau d’Orange Verte, and L’Occitane en Provence Citrus Verbena.

Wear less perfume

This one may seem obvious, but go easy on the spritzing. If you wear perfume for a while, you may become desensitized to its scent and spray on more to get the same effect. Don’t do that. Start with two sprays and then ask a few people you trust if they can smell it when they’re standing two or three feet away. You can add another spritz or two if they can’t detect it. But if your goal is not to offend, then four sprays is the most I’d suggest.

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