Has the whole "scent free" thing in workplaces and public space gone too far?

[Christoph]

There is a building that I go to fairly often and they are constantly pushing the scent free thing. They go as far as to talk about individual products like "strong aftershaves" "perfume". I think they once even mentioned deodorant.

Many hospitals and schools want to be 100% scent free.

I am writing this because a couple of weeks ago I splashed on some aftershave (no cologne) and the conference organizers reiterated their scent free directive. I sat there thinking it must be about me.

I just wonder if we go too far with this thing. I mean, no one should wear too much scent. That is always bad. But the reality is that nearly everything in this world smells like something. And I don't think that the wearing of light scents harms people. Its the heavy use that might cause issues.

 

[Andy77]

I spend a lot of time in hospitals and outpatient clinics (for work) and I can say that the reason isn’t political correctness run amuck or anything like that. For a certain subset of asthmatics, overly strong synthetics used for AS, cologne and perfume can send them to the emergency room. It’s an easy thing to prevent, and if it saves one person being intubated it’s entirely worth it.

All said, I still use aftershave when I have appointments in hospitals. I do avoid ones with staying power, and wouldn’t wear cologne. But Speick, 4711, and most Barrister and Mann aftershave scents are mostly gone by the time I get to work. I’ve never had a problem.

 

[Rhody]

Ive never heard if scent free workplace (i wish they had when i used to work wuth a guy with b bo) and thought its like the(mythical) war on Christmas but what @Andy77 says seems reasonable!

 

[MisterGrain]

It's most likely to prevent allergic reactions to evernia prunastri (oakmoss) and treemoss (furfuracea)extract.

Although the IFRA has capped the amount fragrances are allowed to have, there are of some of us wearing vintage fragrances, domestically produced fragrances, and Middle Eastern fragrances. None of which tend to follow IFRA restrictions and are still loaded with oakmoss and other allergens.

 

[AngryIrish]

I do think totally scent free is a little unrealistic, but as an asthmatic, I'm thankful for places like hospitals and places where you're close to others try to limit the smells.

 

[Merle]

Another interesting point, especially those seeking to diagnose someone who is presenting before them in a triage manor, there are many tell-tale scents which describe the physical condition and the problems a person can be experiencing. You may not recognize your mind doing it, but that information joins the gestalt and can lead to quick diagnosis. Think GI problems, diabetic sweetness, certain medications, shocky sweats.

That said, there are times to be thankful for Vicks or cherry chapstick & a mask, and after, a spray bottle of dilute rose water to clear your nose.

 

[Black Adder]

I think it's a little over the top; on the other hand, I do understand the allergy thing and certainly can respect it.

I don't know.... humans seem to be very "fragile" in this day and age. I don't recall these things being such a problem in the "good 'ole days."

Don

 

[Merle]

Heh, I missed the whole thing about raising kids this lifetime, too busy being selfish and when not that too many hours at work dreaming the dream. But, looking in from the outside there were the beginnings of the helicopter parents showing up in the sixties where I lived. The Zodiac killer really freaked my Mom out. Up until about then my sister and I were free spirits around the salt flats and grasslands around a river which was ours to roam in an old HEAVY wood row boat. Gawds, kids today would have GPS chips in their arm, phone, and on the watercraft too. Oh, and they couldn't go without Mom or Dad along!

 

[EL Alamein]

I am not for a completely scent free environment but I'll recount this: I used to ride the train to work for my last employer. At a certain stop an older woman, a very nice and gracious lady, would get on and you could smell her a mile away. She always sat in my car (I always rode in the first car). An no matter where she sat in that car you knew she was there.

She frequently chose to sit next to me and whatever she was wearing was absolutely suffocating. I am not an asthmatic nor do I dislike scent but when I'd get off that train I almost always had a headache and was coughing and wheezing because of her scent. Whatever it was I can smell it from very far even in a parking lot (as was the case a few weeks ago with someone wearing the same scent).

I think some modern stuff (and this stuff definitely smelled modern) has gone beyond the pale. It's just too much for some folks to handle and becomes the distraction or irritation that ruins it.

I don't know what the solution is.

I myself have stopped wearing scent most of the time and never to the office anymore (for years now). After my shave I splash on some Bay Rum and that's it. No one can smell Bay Rum unless they're about to kiss you. Maybe that's the standard we should strive for.

Chris

 

[Bhugo]

I’m not so sure about limiting scent to Bay Rum aftershave, but I do believe it should only linger in your personal space and not leave a trail when you move, especially at work. Not wearing scents in hospitals and such is reasonable and polite, but if you get in my personal space elsewhere you will probably smell my choice of the day. If you don’t like it, don’t stay in my personal space..... Close talkers annoy me anyhow.

 

[MisterGrain]

If you don’t like it, don’t stay in my personal space..... Close talkers annoy me anyhow.

Damn right.

 

[Christoph]

No, its not fake like the War On Christmas. The scent free thing is very real. Some places push it, some do not. The point about asthmatics (and I have some degree of that myself) is a good one and should be considered.

I think the problem I have is the actual expectation that you ought to have zero scent. But then, I guess they are simply hoping that by pushing it enough people will simply have little scent, which would certainly suffice. I know they have scent free deodorant but I highly doubt it sells well compared to scented products.

When the comment was made and I suspected it was about me, I was wearing English Leather aftershave. Its pretty strong and it does last. Had I used my all time favorite, Aqua Velva, there would have been no problem because as nice as AV is, its gone in no time.

 

[Christoph]

I am not for a completely scent free environment but I'll recount this: I used to ride the train to work for my last employer. At a certain stop an older woman, a very nice and gracious lady, would get on and you could smell her a mile away. She always sat in my car (I always rode in the first car). An no matter where she sat in that car you knew she was there.

She frequently chose to sit next to me and whatever she was wearing was absolutely suffocating. I am not an asthmatic nor do I dislike scent but when I'd get off that train I almost always had a headache and was coughing and wheezing because of her scent. Whatever it was I can smell it from very far even in a parking lot (as was the case a few weeks ago with someone wearing the same scent).

I think some modern stuff (and this stuff definitely smelled modern) has gone beyond the pale. It's just too much for some folks to handle and becomes the distraction or irritation that ruins it.

I don't know what the solution is.

I myself have stopped wearing scent most of the time and never to the office anymore (for years now). After my shave I splash on some Bay Rum and that's it. No one can smell Bay Rum unless they're about to kiss you. Maybe that's the standard we should strive for.

Chris

I managed a woman who you could smell, quite literally, about 30 feet away. I was getting ready to say something to her but I think someone beat me to it.

 

[Christoph]

I’m not so sure about limiting scent to Bay Rum aftershave, but I do believe it should only linger in your personal space and not leave a trail when you move, especially at work. Not wearing scents in hospitals and such is reasonable and polite, but if you get in my personal space elsewhere you will probably smell my choice of the day. If you don’t like it, don’t stay in my personal space..... Close talkers annoy me anyhow.

This is sound reasoning. I say, wear no scent in a hospital or in the situation where people do not have a choice about whether or not they are close to you. For example, if you are a dentist, cab driver, aesthetician, personal trainer, or waiter, you do need to be physically close to people. But at Church, or at a ball game, people cam avoid you if they choose.

 

[MisterGrain]

As an asthmatic and an employee at a cheap hotel, the only fragrance that's made me gag lately has been overapplied Acqua di Gio.

Well, it was either AdG, Perry Ellis 360 Red, or a cheap (body spray) clone.

 

[Rusty Blade]

I understand the need for unscented workplaces, especially hospitals and clinics. Generally, however, aftershaves and perfumes are meant to be applied sparingly not poured on. One person's heavenly fragrance is another person's poison. If you walk into a room and are hit by the scent then that person has applied too much. If you are standing next to someone and you catch a faint whiff then that is just about right.

 

[ajkel64]

I can understand like others the need for a low scent environment such as hospitals. I work in a supermarket and being stuck on a cash register putting through a persons groceries that reeks of body odor is not a fun thing.

 

[Gamma]

Every hospital I've ever vistied or been admitted to reeked of industrial strength cleaners, and a ton of other 'less than great' smells that, quite literally, can be detected in the parking lot whenever the front door opens.

I have never picked up on anyone's perfume in a hospital but I, for sure, have had my stomach turn more than once because of 'other' fragrances' that were not 'perfume' that were wafting about the building.

Sure, someone going full-on with their 80s powerhouse cologne needs a reality check. We had a woman in our bulding that wore so much vanilla something, straight fragrance oil I think, that my eyes would tear. That - is freaking ridiculous. She was ridiculous. Thankfully, her vanilla-ness left the room when she did, and it did not linger. Her use of fragrance was not only in bad taste, and I would endorse a policy that puts an end to that level of fragrance abuse.

However - IMO - any institution that is demanding fragrance-free from people when the entire building and everything in it stinks like a fermenting hodgepodge of degrading plastics mixed with DOW cleanser with a dusting of poop (yes, that's what I think most medical institutions smell like) is a freaking joke.

 

[dundak]

I work in these environments and actually prefer it. I wear scents all the time and have never been reprimanded. They are in place for those that drench themselves in it. It’s quite nice not having to spend all day next to someone wafting of cologne or perfume you can smell for 5 minutes after they leave the room.


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[August West]

I was operated on at Studio54 with no ill effects.