ACHHOOO!!

Been home sick the past couple of days.  I went out to this place I go fairly regularly, never had any problem, but for some odd reason, that Monday night, everyone decided to see who could wear the most perfume/cologne.  So, I started having an allergic reaction to the girl one seat down from me, tried changing seats, but she had clearly never been informed that perfume is supposed to be a PERSONAL scent, as in something someone only really smells when they're in your personal space.  And, of course, as the place got to be standing room only, a couple filed in behind my new seat who were also competing to see which could outdo the other; and then trying to escape to the bar, some guy there wanted to make sure everyone at the bar knew exactly what brand of cologne he was wearing.  (I admit, men, in general, tend to be much more likely to put on way too much than women.  Don't they know that AXE commercials are a lie?  You're more likely to send the women running away if they can smell you from the other side of the bar.)

Needless to say, by morning, I had a terrible sinus infection and had to call out from work.  By midday, I had a fever over 100 that wouldn't go down until sometime in the middle of last night.  Yesterday I did nothing but take pills, nap, drink hot spicy ginger tea, watch hulu, and suffer.  Today, I'm feeling much better, but still trying to take it easy as I have to go back to work tomorrow.  Cost me too much having to take 2 days off.

SO THE LESSON IS: If you like perfume (and I love my Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab - all natural by the way, and perfume oils, so less likely to set someone into an allergic fit who's more than 3 feet away) and you're going to be in PUBLIC - ANYWHERE IN PUBLIC - go *easy* on the scent.  It shouldn't be shouting to the mountains, it should be a quiet note as someone leans in to whisper in your ear.  You can really hurt someone by pouring it on; so be considerate!! Thankfully I don't  have asthma.  Asthma is really common and a similar situation could land someone with asthma in the ambulance, not just in bed for a couple of days!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I've blogged about BPAL before, but there are a lot of smaller shops on etsy who sell their own all natural blends of perfume oils.  A perfume oil is undiluted with alcohol and chemicals, so you dab a little oil onto your wrists and neck, and that's it.  It stays close to you.  It doesn't spread out over several feet and beat people over the head.  (Even the people I were with, who have no allergies, said that the people were way over the top, and almost enough to give even a no-allergies person a headache.)

 Blooddrop is another big favorite among my bpal-friends.  I got a bottle as a gift from a friend of mine, and it was exceedingly nice!  There is a lot going on at their etsy shop besides just perfume oils, though!  Bath salts, creams, powders, and even corsets help fill out the shop with a great amount of diversity.  I really like the sound of the Summer Limited Edition scent, Agua Fresca.  A blend of watermelon, strawberries, cucumber and mint!  Lovely!

So many other options and products, and there are lots of other companies out there making hand-blended perfume oils.

But remember, if you've gotta spritz, spritz LIGHTLY before you go to a crowded public place.