How-to: know if your fragrance is too strong

Chronic perfume overuse is a serious illness. Thankfully though, there is treatment available. Read on to find out if you may be affected…

Signs & symptoms of perfume over-use:
•    You spray your perfume a minimum of 10 times at each use.
•    People on the street often cough when you pass them.
•    Friends have been known to use clothes-pegs on their noses in your presence.
•    People usually sit a minimum of three feet away from you when in enclosed spaces.
•    People generally say ‘what’s that smell?’ when you hop into an elevator.
•    Even after washing your clothes, you can usually still smell the strong odour of perfume on them.
•    You go through a minimum of ten bottles of perfume a year.

If you can identify with three or more of the above mentioned symptoms then you may be a perfume over-user. The first step to treating your addiction is admitting you have a problem. The second step is slowly cutting back to avoid that strong smell – try following these tips:

Curbing your perfume over-use:
•    Only use your perfume once a day; avoid reapplying within a twelve-hour period.
•    Stick to one to two sprays per use.
•    Opt for the ‘walk-through’ technique: spray a single pump of your perfume directly in front of you then walk through the mist. The scent will be all-over, however it will be very subtle.
•    Avoid doubling or even tripling up on perfumed products: if you use a perfume daily, you don’t also need to use a perfumed deodorant and a perfumed body wash – one scented product is enough.
•    Ask your closest friend to politely inform you when you’ve gone OTT with the perfume pump so you can identify when you’re most strong smelling.
•    Swap to a solid perfume and just dab on wrists and behind ears for a much lighter scent.