Fragrance Sensitivity

[kyra_ojosverdes]

Anyone out there have it? I'd like to burn candles in the front office at work, but one woman (that I know of) is sensitive to many fragrances.

Does anyone know if natural scents (ya know, from natural oils as opposed to synthetic chemical stuff) make a difference for fragrance sensitivity?

Does anyone know of a source for candles made with natural ingredients? I'd love to find some soy-wax candles which are scented with natural oils.

(In other 'natural oil' news, I used some calendula baby oil to clean off the mascara that I'd applied last night. Now my eyes are all puffy and a little irritated. I Googled calendula, and it's used widely to *reduce* eye puffiness and irritation, so maybe I have a specific sensitivity to the stuff.)

Comments

[canyonwren.livejournal.com]

Well, I know an ex of mine is allergic to a clove fragrance. Which was the scent of a little satchel I got him, funnily enough. I think it'd be in everyone's interest to ask people if a) they're allergic and b) if they mind. Personally, there are few fragrances I like, and I often beat a hasty retreat from stores that are scented by candles, incense or perfumes. Some of them set me to sneezing and others I feel like I can't breathe around because it just smells horrible to me. On the other hand, I burn a brown sugar scented candle at home that I love. And a buttercream candle. Mmm. Sweet tooth much?

I was miserable often when I danced, because the backstage areas completely stank with perfume and hairspray. I would often feel like I couldn't breathe and ended up putting my foot down about the hairspray (NOT in a small enclosed area, thank you!), which ruffled some feathers.

Anyway, I'm always a little concerned about doing things in an environment that other people are affected by, or can't get away from. Scents and music, or other noise, are on top of the list.

[roguespirit.livejournal.com]

Sensitive as in allergic or sensitive as in her sense of smell is really keen? If it's an allergy, you may want to ask what she can deal with and figure out from there what you like. If it's a keen sense of smell... well, my experience with that particular type of person (my mother) hasn't been terribly pleasant and I don't think anything I would say would be very nice.

[canyonwren.livejournal.com]

I think this is kind of what I was referring to. A keen sense of smell (or someone over-sensitive in other areas, like I am with noise) can definitely be seen as intolerant. However, if it's a working environment, even us intolerant folks need to be able to concentrate. My current officemate and I have an agreement that he can play NPR, which doesn't distract me, but Van Halen is right out. And personally, I would love to have the scent of a vanilla candle around me as I work, but I think people who are allergic or intolerant need to be in consensus that this would be a good thing. Again, personally, someone burning patchouli around me would be on my hit list. For some reason, heavy patchouli makes me nauseous. Even a small amount does. It has to be a very dainty droplet of that scent, mixed in with lots of other things, for me to stomach it.

[kyra-ojosverdes.livejournal.com]

I hear you on both the scent and music fronts. When I play music at my desk, it's at a low enough volume that you have to be *right* next to my desk to make out what's playing. At a distance of three feet, you can hear that music is playing, but it's very soft.

As I told Tori, my reason for wanting candles is to freshen the air in here. It gets really stale sometimes. A sachet seems like it would have too limited an effect... other ideas? I don't necessarily want to *add* a scent to the air, if there's another way to just make it nice and fresh and good. :-)

[canyonwren.livejournal.com]

I think you're being very courteous, if I wasn't clear on that before. You might try the air filter idea, but I honestly can't remember what I paid for my little one and don't know if you want to part with the money. And a good air filter is just heaven--like getting fresh mountain air. I bought my parents a big one for their house (mainly so I could go there without dying, being allergic to cats and dust). One reason my allergies are so bad is growing up in a house with cats, tons of dust, no vacuum (but a carpet in my room), and a woodburning stove.

[roguespirit.livejournal.com]

Oust air sanitizer, maybe? Or one of those not really scented, odor eater candles (not odor eater as in charcoal shoe inserts).

[kyra-ojosverdes.livejournal.com]

Sensitive as in allergic. She sneezes and gets stuffy.

I personally have a keen sense of smell, but I don't complain about others' candles, though I do try to keep my distance from highly scented candles, women wearing strong perfume, etc.

I'm wanting to burn the candles mostly as an air-freshening device... it gets really stale and stuffy-smelling in here sometimes. Any ideas on other ways to accomplish that?

[canyonwren.livejournal.com]

You get a small air filter pretty cheaply at WalMart. I had one at my last job, because I'm very allergic to the insides of most buildings, usually because of stale air. I'm probably going to bring one in here soon, too. They put out a little bit of white noise, but I actually find it nice, because it blocks other noises.

[canyonwren.livejournal.com]

Arg. Insert a "can" between the "you" and the "get." I wasn't telling you do to it, just suggesting. :)

[kyra-ojosverdes.livejournal.com]

I didn't figure you were getting all bossy on me. ;-)

I'll bet that air filter would also help with the damn dust that gets everywhere too, huh? The sunshine comes streaming (beautifully, radiantly) through the window right next to my desk... and illuminates the dust which settles on my phone setup, which makes things hard to see. Not to mention just being annoying in its existence.

[canyonwren.livejournal.com]

Yes, they help with dust and mold spores. When I put a new filter in, I get a blast of fresh air from the fan, and when the blast seems to be getting thinner (every three months or so), I take the filter out. Lo and behold, there's all kinds of grime in there! It looks like a vacuum cleaner bag. They really do help.

Which reminds me, I need to get new filters for the ones I have at home. I can barely feel the breeze from my main one.

Wish I could remember how much the small ones cost. I don't want to get you all excited over something too expensive. Go check them out at WalMart. The big ones are very expensive, but there are desktop sizes and small room sizes that might be affordable. I think I may have gotten my small one on sale, but I can't remember for how much.

[redrita.livejournal.com]

Dean is very sensitive to smell. Laurana is allergic to anything floral. The best bet around here is light vanilla, cinnamon apple, or the fresh apple air freshener. Candles are about the same thing. Vanilla seems to be pretty safe, unless it's overwhelming.

[samvimes.livejournal.com]

Sensitive as in allergic. She sneezes and gets stuffy.

Just as another data point, senssuzy has multiple chemical sensitivity, which gives her the allergic reaction and (as a result) the super-acute olfactory sense. In that situation, candles are one of the first things to go. The only candles she can be around are pure beeswax candles. No scented anything. (No perfumes, no scented detergents or cleaners...)

So, I second canyonwren's comment: Ask around, see what everyone says they're OK with. An air filter sounds like a great idea.

[cpthorfe.livejournal.com]

Rest assured, *someone* is allergic to just about anything on God's Green Earth (tm).

[peachestavern.livejournal.com]

I'm thinkin' you're allergic to it sweetheart. Just a guess tho. LOL

[weedblossom.livejournal.com]

Well, I HAD a really good site bookmarked that was all about natural candle scents and oils - but I can't find it. I'm sorry.

I do think, though, that every person is different. My roommate suffers from migraines from just about every smell-trigger you can imagine. I can handle pretty much anything but vinegar (though I don't think that comes in a candle . . .).

[tigermorph.livejournal.com]

I am incredibly sensitive to scents. But, what I have learned, is that I am sensitive to CHEAP scents, as in; those watered down with alchohol.

Pure oils, no problem. Add alcohol to increase volume, I'll get a migraine.
Parfum, no problem, but Eau de Cologne (parfum with alcohol) will kill me dead in my tracks. I can actually feel it flip the migraine trigger in my head.

Some laundry detergent will do me in.

Suffice it to say - this is painful and scary enough that I don't often buy candles and I have NO Airwick type anything in my house.

[hopeevey.livejournal.com]

burning an un-scented candle often helps with stale air, without adding any smells.

It can't hurt to give it a try.

[canyonwren.livejournal.com]

You know, I forgot about that. I used to burn an unscented candle near the catbox to help with any residual odor, and it does work.

[gryphonwing.livejournal.com]

All by itself beeswax has a lovely light odor--nothing actually fragrant, very subtle, and I've never known anyone to react badly to it.