I have been sensitive to the world around me since I was an infant. I know this because my mother used to talk about having to take me to the doctor because of all the rashes I had on my body. They didn’t give her too much guidance, but did manage to steer her in the direction of using a less-astringent soap, something to the tune of Ivory. There weren’t too many options, or much knowledge, back then!

Coming into my teens, I wanted desperately to try all the neat products out there! I distinctly remember a sleepover with friends in 6th grade where we were trying out Noxzema for the first time. Flash forward to a few hours later— I had developed a raccoon-like rash over both of my eyes that lasted through the next day in class! It was so embarrassing! Then a few years later I bought my first complete set of makeup, and wound up in the ER, face swollen, red, almost looked as if it had been burned! They sent me home with Zyrtec and Benadryl that cleared it up after a few days, but I still remember how alienated it felt to be so different that others. Oh, and how painful it was physically!

Somehow, I was able to tolerate some perfumes until I had my first child, but after that, all perfumes and fragrances were off limits. Immediate headache, itchy face, muscle aches….all the stuff…… So, I stayed away from perfumes, and then, about 5 years ago, my allergies generalized to ALL things fragrant, including diffusers, Glade plug-ins, candles, laundry detergents, shampoos, you name it! These days, I can walk into a friend’s home or place in the community, and immediately feel ill if their Plug In is up too high!

One thing I am most sad about is how it has affected my family, two children in grade school and one in high school. Our home is fragrance-free, and they are not happy about not being able to wear perfume and cologne or use the wonderfully smelling shampoos and hair products. I take some solace in knowing that there is so little regulation on what is put into these products, that maybe I am saving them from some future health issues.

What I hope for this site is to bring people together so they don’t feel so estranged, and to create a safe space to exchange ideas and solutions to help us feel more comfortable in our skin.