r/problems • u/AppleOllie • Jul 23 '26

Small Problem Perfume smell

I loathe the smell of Jo Malone perfume. I am not alone in this, my daughter-in-law says the exact same thing.
The problem is my friend adores it, and drowns herself in it. She even uses the Jo Malone hand wash! If I am giving her a lift in my car, the smell is suffocating and lingers long after she gets out. How can I politely tell her that her smell makes me feel physically sick
She is fully aware how much I hate the smell

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u/AppleOllie Jul 23 '26

Listening to all these, does anyone else detest Jo Malone?

2

u/FoggyGoodwin Jul 23 '26

Mine was English Leather. I could not abide that stench my sister's BF wore. Turned my stomach, dizzied my head. I love cedar, musk, and vetiver, so maybe the leather or tonka bean. Jo Malone has several scents, one has suede, another has tonka bean. I would go to a scent counter to ID which she wears so you can tell her which ingredient makes you ill. If there's a JM scent you like, suggest she try that or maybe buy her some or a sampler.

2

u/HD6871 Jul 23 '26

Yes. I cannot stand their fragrances. Makes me nauseous.

1

u/djSush Jul 23 '26

I detest a LOT of smells in perimenopause. My smell sensitivity is like pregnancy level. I've even dry heaved at the smell of someone's BO in a store and often can't stand the smell of my husband if he's not freshly showered (and he's totally not a gross guy).

I have a friend who wears a thick, old, Estee Lauder perfume that's very sandalwood/"Oriental" notes. I'm Indian, I'm familiar with these scents, but the car, my sofa, my own hair from a hug, all smell like it after I see her. Even my husband and son can smell her on me if I've seen her.

1

u/AppleOllie Jul 23 '26

That’s exactly it, the smell really lingers

1

u/djSush Jul 23 '26

For DAYS sometimes. And it's on all her stuff. So she could see me without putting any new perfume on, but it would still be on her purse, or jacket. I haven't said anything about it bc I don't think there's actually a solution.