# The woman in front of me at the coffee cart had so much perfume on, and I think I'm going to be sick **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 9, 2012, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-in-front-of-me-at-the-coffee-cart-had-so-much-perfume-on-and-i-think-im-going-to-be-sick/615273 "2012-03-09T14:59:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LurkerInNJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ed655f/32.png) [@LurkerInNJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkerInNJ)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-in-front-of-me-at-the-coffee-cart-had-so-much-perfume-on-and-i-think-im-going-to-be-sick/615273/1 "2012-03-09T14:59:33Z")
It’s been over an hour and I can still smell it on my clothes. It feels like the smell has lined my nasal passages. I have a huge headache and feel like I am going to hurl any minute. Two weeks ago I was on the PATH train and a woman entered the car and sat down a couple of seats away. I had to get up and move to the opposite end of the car because of her perfume. She was drenched in it. Every time the doors opened the wind blew the smell down. How do the friends and family of these people live with them? Don’t they love them enough to tell them to tone it down? ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-in-front-of-me-at-the-coffee-cart-had-so-much-perfume-on-and-i-think-im-going-to-be-sick/615273/2 "2012-03-09T15:19:31Z")
Our offices are designated as scent free. Please use only unfragranced lotions and no perfume or cologne. Despite the large signs at every door announcing that and the fact that the policy has been in place for years there is one guy I work with who cannot resist drenching himself in cologne. I’m not really sensitive to smells but it’s thick enough that it makes my head ache. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-in-front-of-me-at-the-coffee-cart-had-so-much-perfume-on-and-i-think-im-going-to-be-sick/615273/3 "2012-03-09T15:22:48Z")
You know it’s bad when you taste it in your food 3 hours later. A former coworker used to drench herself. I think someone finally pointed out what “scent-free zone” meant. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-in-front-of-me-at-the-coffee-cart-had-so-much-perfume-on-and-i-think-im-going-to-be-sick/615273/4 "2012-03-09T16:03:43Z")
You know how sharks can smell in the water, well people can too if it’s strong enough. There’s a woman who runs the pool I swim at, she drenches herself in perfume and then dips her hands in the pool to check the chemicals. For about 15-20 minutes you can taste it. I also hate swimming near boats and such as you can taste the fuel. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-in-front-of-me-at-the-coffee-cart-had-so-much-perfume-on-and-i-think-im-going-to-be-sick/615273/5 "2012-03-09T16:06:37Z")
I was in a training session yesterday with a woman who apparently had just had about 20 cigarettes before she came in and sat down - I’m still on the fence which is worse, though - a smoker who is off-gassing like crazy or someone drenched in cologne. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-in-front-of-me-at-the-coffee-cart-had-so-much-perfume-on-and-i-think-im-going-to-be-sick/615273/6 "2012-03-09T17:42:14Z")
::humming:: “ ~~_Mister Way Too Much Cologne Wearer_…~~ ” ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-in-front-of-me-at-the-coffee-cart-had-so-much-perfume-on-and-i-think-im-going-to-be-sick/615273/7 "2012-03-09T17:49:00Z")
Since we’re on the topic of too much perfume: Perhaps it’s sampling bias on my part but I’ve noticed that the most common overusers of perfume are women in their 40s and 50s. Is anybody else getting that? I remember 20 years ago when I smelled too much perfume, it was a woman in her 40s or 50s and it’s still the same today. Now, I am not saying that most people in that demographic use too much perfume, I am saying that most of those who use too much perfume are in that demographic. If true, why could that be? I get why it would be women mainly since men are a lot less likely to use perfume, except for that Axe stuff male teenagers use before they learn better. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-in-front-of-me-at-the-coffee-cart-had-so-much-perfume-on-and-i-think-im-going-to-be-sick/615273/8 "2012-03-09T18:36:39Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > Now, I am not saying that most people in that demographic use too much perfume, I am saying that most of those who use too much perfume are in that demographic. The common answer to that is that as people age, their sense of smell starts to deteriorate, so women in that age group have to put on more just to be able to smell it themselves. That would suggest that women older than that have stopped wearing scents, or have learned to put on more reasonable amounts. The demographic of men wearing too much cologne seems to be young and ethnic. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-in-front-of-me-at-the-coffee-cart-had-so-much-perfume-on-and-i-think-im-going-to-be-sick/615273/9 "2012-03-09T18:40:54Z")
I have a rule. If it makes my corneas itch from five metres away, it’s too strong. ---
**Author:** ![LurkerInNJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ed655f/32.png) [@LurkerInNJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkerInNJ)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-in-front-of-me-at-the-coffee-cart-had-so-much-perfume-on-and-i-think-im-going-to-be-sick/615273/10 "2012-03-09T19:07:10Z")
It took until lunchtime for my headache to go away. Twice I had to lean over my wastebasket because I was so nauseous. I don’t understand why the family and friends of the grossly overscented don’t tell them. How can they live with it? ---
**Author:** ![legalsnugs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/45deac/32.png) [@legalsnugs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/legalsnugs)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-in-front-of-me-at-the-coffee-cart-had-so-much-perfume-on-and-i-think-im-going-to-be-sick/615273/11 "2012-03-09T19:20:30Z")
I don’t know who said it, but a woman’s scent should be discovered, not announced. Words to live by. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-in-front-of-me-at-the-coffee-cart-had-so-much-perfume-on-and-i-think-im-going-to-be-sick/615273/12 "2012-03-09T19:39:40Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > I was in a training session yesterday with a woman who apparently had just had about 20 cigarettes before she came in and sat down - I’m still on the fence which is worse, though - a smoker who is off-gassing like crazy or someone drenched in cologne. It’s a smoker who thinks that s/he can cover up the reek of the smoke with enough perfume or cologne. As for the age of the offender, my daughter used to wear entirely too much scent. I had to tell her, repeatedly, that she should only use ONE spritz, because I could still smell the perfume several minutes after she’d left the house. My advice finally sank in, but I think that her boss also told her to ease off on the scent. It’s Pleasures Intense, and while I love the smell of it, even the best perfume shouldn’t be over-applied. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-in-front-of-me-at-the-coffee-cart-had-so-much-perfume-on-and-i-think-im-going-to-be-sick/615273/13 "2012-03-09T21:20:45Z")
I’ve always liked Miss Manners’ rule that your scent should not occupy any room that you yourself do not currently occupy. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-in-front-of-me-at-the-coffee-cart-had-so-much-perfume-on-and-i-think-im-going-to-be-sick/615273/14 "2012-03-09T21:28:04Z")
> [@legalsnugs](#): > > I don’t know who said it, but a woman’s scent should be discovered, not announced. Words to live by. Yes, exactly. Ideally you should only be able to smell perfume/cologne if you’ve hugged the person wearing it (and then during the hug, not as a scent clinging to your clothing afterwards) or are otherwise in very, very close proximity. I had a patient whose overdone cologne scent actually stuck to my **hand** after shaking hands with him! :eek: Eeeew! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-in-front-of-me-at-the-coffee-cart-had-so-much-perfume-on-and-i-think-im-going-to-be-sick/615273/15 "2012-03-09T21:30:00Z")
> [@legalsnugs](#): > > I don’t know who said it, but a woman’s scent should be discovered, not announced. Words to live by. Outstanding, Sir, outstanding! I can tell when the worst offender is in a building, and once even smelled her as she drove by on the parking lot. ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-in-front-of-me-at-the-coffee-cart-had-so-much-perfume-on-and-i-think-im-going-to-be-sick/615273/16 "2012-03-09T21:31:22Z")
The pool I swim at has changing cubicles around the sides. There used to be a real problem with people using aerosol deodorants in the cubicles and laying a fug of smell over the pool. If you are really swimming hard and gasp in a lungful of something that makes you choke, it could be actually dangerous. They now have a no aerosols policy prominently displayed in all the cubicles, and swimming is much better. Si ---
**Author:** ![Kansas\_Beekeeper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@Kansas\_Beekeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kansas_Beekeeper)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-in-front-of-me-at-the-coffee-cart-had-so-much-perfume-on-and-i-think-im-going-to-be-sick/615273/17 "2012-03-09T21:57:04Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > The common answer to that is that as people age, their sense of smell starts to deteriorate, so women in that age group have to put on more just to be able to smell it themselves. That would suggest that women older than that have stopped wearing scents, or have learned to put on more reasonable amounts. > > The demographic of men wearing too much cologne seems to be young and ethnic. At the gym I used to go to, the problem was old (white) men drenching themselves in Old Spice after they showered. The locker room used to reek of it. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-in-front-of-me-at-the-coffee-cart-had-so-much-perfume-on-and-i-think-im-going-to-be-sick/615273/18 "2012-03-09T21:58:59Z")
> [@Kansas\_Beekeeper](#): > > At the gym I used to go to, the problem was old (white) men drenching themselves in Old Spice after they showered. The locker room used to reek of it. Ah yeah, my gym sometimes had that. ---
**Author:** ![dzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@dzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzero)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-in-front-of-me-at-the-coffee-cart-had-so-much-perfume-on-and-i-think-im-going-to-be-sick/615273/19 "2012-03-09T23:43:43Z")
Makes me wonder why the rule about cruel and unusual punishment only covers inmates. ---
**Author:** ![legalsnugs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/45deac/32.png) [@legalsnugs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/legalsnugs)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2012, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-in-front-of-me-at-the-coffee-cart-had-so-much-perfume-on-and-i-think-im-going-to-be-sick/615273/20 "2012-03-10T18:01:42Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Outstanding, Sir, outstanding! Not a “sir,” but thanks for the support. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-in-front-of-me-at-the-coffee-cart-had-so-much-perfume-on-and-i-think-im-going-to-be-sick/615273.md?page=2)