Aftershaves, Balms & Blinding Headaches - Need Recommendations

[flutewhistler]

Gents:

For most of my life I have experienced sharp headaches from most scented aftershaves and balms. Recently, I bought some Nivea Sensitive Shave Balm and did not experience any headaches. The scent is nice, and doesn't linger. I don't have this problem with scented shaving soaps, so perhaps it is the chemicals used in many of the AS and ASB products.

I'd like to stretch out into cologne, but I'm afraid any of the standard commercial ones will take me down. I like sandalwood, clove, and bay rum - anything spicy. Anyone have similar problems, and do you have any recommendations?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Graybeard57]

Try sampling one at a time in a department store. Go in, put some on, and if you get no headache within an hour, you're probably OK. Best of luck!

 

[Renato1]

My cousin in Italy has a similar problem as yours and she found the only scents that didn't give her headaches were the "Colonia" type ones, and quite a few were available to her in Italy. Thus the Aqua Di Parma scents didn't bother her. Figuring it was the same style, I bought her a men's bottle of the Annick Goutal's Eau D'Hadrian, and that didn't affect her either (the content of the men's and women's bottles are exactly the same).

I suggest starting with them first, and if they give you headaches, you may have to give up on the idea.

Otherwise continue with the lighter scents in the first instance - Eau de Rochas Homme, L'Eau par Kenzo, Fujiyama Homme - and if still okay progress towards heavier scents. If not okay, you may have to start looking at the offerings of the supposedly more natural niche houses, like L'Artisan and Etro - whose range of EDCs and EDTs often are lighter in nature than their equivalent designer scents.
Regards,
Renato

 

[flutewhistler]

My cousin in Italy has a similar problem as yours and she found the only scents that didn't give her headaches were the "Colonia" type ones, and quite a few were available to her in Italy. Thus the Aqua Di Parma scents didn't bother her. Figuring it was the same style, I bought her a men's bottle of the Annick Goutal's Eau D'Hadrian, and that didn't affect her either (the content of the men's and women's bottles are exactly the same).

I suggest starting with them first, and if they give you headaches, you may have to give up on the idea.

Otherwise continue with the lighter scents in the first instance - Eau de Rochas Homme, L'Eau par Kenzo, Fujiyama Homme - and if still okay progress towards heavier scents. If not okay, you may have to start looking at the offerings of the supposedly more natural niche houses, like L'Artisan and Etro - whose range of EDCs and EDTs often are lighter in nature than their equivalent designer scents.
Regards,
Renato

Thank you, Renato, this is very helpful!
Best to you,
Dave