(no subject)

Once again, I find myself looking for ways to neutralize strong scents. Primo Levi wrote, "a chemist without a nose is dead," but I often wish I didn't have such a sensitive nose. I have a number of olfactory migraine triggers, including several common perfumes, and some of the chemicals used in hair dyes, hair curling/straightening goops, hairspray, and nail enamel. (For years, I avoided femmes altogether, though I eventually learned that hippie femmes were safe. Or other femmes could be safe if we were outdoors.) Most of the chemicals I need to use in the laboratory at work are relatively safe, but a few are problematic for me, even when the lab is ventilated well enough that everyone else is fine. With my current lifestyle, it's not a big deal for me to avoid beauty parlors for years at a stretch.

Now I'm concerned about my brother's wedding, and the duties of a bridesmaid. ( Read more... )

Does stuff like Febreeze work if you spray it on hair? Does it neutralize, or just add more perfume? I've considered brushing baking soda through my hair before starting the first procedure, but I'm afraid it would react with the goop in unpleasant ways (or just cause them to need even more goop to get the appropriate effects.)