Ok, so I know that I have a freakishly sensitive nose. And I realize that that's my problem and not anyone else's. So I put up with all the perfume and cologne that people wear.
But do you know where I shouldn't have to put up with it? The gym. Twice in two weeks I've had to leave a machine because a woman got on the one next to mine who was bathed in perfume. I'm sure that both of them thought that it was helping, that instead of smelling like gym socks they smelled like a delicate mystery. But do you know what happens when you try to mask your body odor with perfume? You smell like body odor and perfume. It doesn't hide anything. But do you know what it does do? It makes my face burn and my throat close up and my eyes water and my ears itch and my tongue go numb. It's hard enough to breathe when I'm galumphing on the treadmill. It's nearly impossible when I'm sucking in the air from a hovering perfume fog. What's so wrong with putting on some deodorant and smelling like you've worked out, just like every other person at the gym? We're supposed to stink. If we don't stink then we haven't been working hard enough.
So, folks who wear perfume or cologne (I'm not saying you wear it to the gym, I'm just saying in general): what would be an appropriate way to handle this? Would you be totally offended if someone mentioned to you that, for the sake of others, you toned down the smell? Today, for example, I was only 10 minutes into my workout and there was no other machine available so I had to fight the gym rats to use the weights until one opened up on the opposite end. I really wanted to say something but what do you say? Or is it just me and I should just get over it. Feel free to tell me that as well. I can handle it. (Except that I really don't want to get over it. I want everyone to stop wearing perfume.)
Dear Wealthy Benefactor: I would like an in-house gym please. Love, Rachel
4 comments:
Amen! I've always had issues with scent and ever since I started making an effort to keep them out of my home (because I am a hippie deep down and also because everyone else I live with has some sort of skin issue) I am even MORE sensitive. Bath and Body works stay away! We had a no perfume RULE in Women's Chorus in college. Singing is bad enough, so I can't imagine trying to workout at the gym with that stuff (no really I can't. I haven't been to the gym since I was about 15).
What's your view on fruity lotions? I have always worried about this, because I'm always worried about smelling bad, and I always have dry hands, so I use fruity lotions. But I also know that not everyone wants to smell fake scents. I'm always knocked over by perfume at church. When you're packed into a room like that, it's just not cool to be drenched in cologne or perfume. Grody. I don't know what I'd do about the gym. Tim would say loudly, "Wow, it's a good thing someone wore all that perfume. Otherwise it would really STINK in here!"
Sitting through choir practice after church is hard with 4 different Cologne s and 23 perfumes, yikes
I can't see why you're concerned with offending these people. Start dry heaving at them. They'll leave.
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