Do some smells or odors make you feel sick? Which fragrance makes you happy?
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
United States
February 16, 2010 12:59pm CST
They say the quickest way to the brain is through the nose. That's not
supposed to be a joke or pun. It has something to do with the way
odors affect the brain.
Supposedly, the smell of something can evoke a powerful
physiological, emotional and physical response in the body.
I'm not sure if that's true, but there is some scientific
evidence to back it up. Some scientists say the smell of certain fruits
or scents can help depression, while others are more calming.
As for me, some smells really make me happy, like citrus while
others make me feel sick.
When I was pregnant, the smell of cooking tomatoes with
Italian spices was revolting.
There are other odors that I find very offensive.
Sometimes, I like the smell of vanilla when cooking food.
But I don't like the smell of vanilla on a product.
Once I had trash bags that were scented with vanilla.
It was weird having my trash smell like fresh baked cookies.
After that, I didn't like the smell of vanilla, so much.
Which types of odors or fragrances do you find attractive
and which ones do you find repulsive.
5 people like this
28 responses
@GardenGerty (160665)
• United States
16 Feb 10
It may be that the fragrance in products is synthetic and that is why it does not smell good to you. In fact, the chemical fragrances in many of our household products are known allergy causers. I like vanilla in candles and cooking and body products. I like orange better than lemon, but I do enjoy all citrus scents. Not so much green apple. My pregnancy tip offs were the fact that the smell of bacon and the smell of coffee made me ill. I love both coffee and bacon, so that was a real tip off. You are right, your sense of smell is closest in your brain to the area where memory is. That is why for some people, like dementia patients, smells can be really soothing. I like to be certain that the smells I have in my house are natural, and not chemical. Certain perfumes really make me ill, and some fabric softeners do as well.
2 people like this
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
• United States
17 Feb 10
I wouldn't doubt it. The modern world
is so synthetic anyway. Real rose oil
is so expensive. The only kind of 'rose'
scent is fake. And, who knows what kind
of products they are using to create
the fake odor for products.
As for the bacon and coffee making you sick,
your body (or your baby) may have been trying
to tell you something.
Most preserved pork, bacon, ham, etc. contains
dangerous levels of nitrates and nitrites
which can cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure
and subsequent reflex tachycardia (rapid heart beat).
At least, that's what I've heard. Not a good health condition
for a pregnant woman.
Thanks for your comments. Always appreciated and helpful.
1 person likes this
@wolfie34 (26771)
• United Kingdom
16 Feb 10
The fragrance of freshly mowed grass makes me happy I love the aroma of cut grass, I also love the smell of fresh bread, bacon frying and coffee when it's just been opened from a packet or jar. The smell I hate the most is ammonia, oh and when someone has bad breath, you know halitosis that makes me retch.
@GardenGerty (160665)
• United States
16 Feb 10
When you use ammonia to clean it causes animals to mark the area more. Use vinegar instead, or baking soda, since you have problems with cats. There is also a product called Simple Green that is good and some orange scented cleaners sure clean up well. Peroxide is good for cat odors and oxiclean cleaners. Never ever ever mix ammonia with chlorine products, you can gas yourself. I find that I have much fewer headaches when I take magnesium supplements. I hope you are having lots of headache free days.
1 person likes this
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
• United States
17 Feb 10
Thanks for those tips, Gerty.
I had not thought about the ammonia/cat connection.
Lucky the stuff irritates my skin or I'd have been
using it more.
I'm going to try the idea about peroxide
as I have that around the house most days.
As for Simple Green, I hear that it's really
good for everything.
Also, thanks for the tip about magnesium supplements.
Will have to add those to my shopping cart,
next time I'm in the vitamin isle.
1 person likes this
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
• United States
16 Feb 10
Ammonia smell is the worst.
I like it for cleaning the house,
but can't use it, cause it's so irritating
when it accidentally gets on the skin.
1 person likes this
@littleone3 (2063)
•
16 Feb 10
I love the smell of freshly baked bread and as someone else has said the smell after rainfall it all smells so new and fresh.
The smell I can not stand is that of fish it makes me feel sick to smell it. I can not even go near the fish counter in the supermarket without feeling ill. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I am vegetarian and don't eat fish.
@MrKennedy (1978)
•
16 Feb 10
One of my most favourite smells is the aroma of freshly mown grass on a summer's day
Another one of my favourite smells is that soft, fragrant odor you get when somebody walks past and along with them drifts a subtle hint of perfume or something
One smell I cannot stand? Well apart from the obvious ones that we all share, I have never been able to handle the smell you get when you walk into a hospital. That clinical, sterile smell is just horrible
Another one of my favourite smells is that soft, fragrant odor you get when somebody walks past and along with them drifts a subtle hint of perfume or something
One smell I cannot stand? Well apart from the obvious ones that we all share, I have never been able to handle the smell you get when you walk into a hospital. That clinical, sterile smell is just horrible1 person likes this
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
16 Feb 10
I like freshly mown grass too, it's a lovely smell. Luckily, I don't suffer from hayfever lol. I love the "ozone" smell after a thunderstorm which doesn't happen very often as we don't have many long spells of hot, hazy sun anymore! As far as scents go, I've "discovered" a new one called "Sun, Moon & Stars" from Karl Lagerfeld. It's very subtle and I paid only a tenner for it on Cheap Smells! One of the worsed perfumes for making me feel sick and dizzy is Miracle by Lancome and Eden by Cacherel. An instant headache ensues if I come into contact with either one of those fragrances. I love the smell of Aero chocolate too!
1 person likes this
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
• United States
16 Feb 10
Thanks for the heads up on those perfumes.
I'll be sure to avoid.
@olisaur (1922)
• United States
16 Feb 10
I do think that smell is the quickest way to the brain and has a powerful connection with memory; the sense of smell has such a strong connection with taste, and I think it often gets underestimated.
There is this certain type of plastic or sythetic hair (like the kind on Barbie dolls) that has a really weird smell- that is one I would consider "repulsive." w
1 person likes this
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
• United States
16 Feb 10
I've always wondered what they put into that
Barbie vinyl (and hair) to give it that smell.
With all the news of defective toys being
distributed in America, I'm very wary of where
I buy ANY toys.
I've heard that Toys 'r Us hasn't had the same
recalls on toys as Walmart. So that seems a
fairly safe place to shop for childrens toys.
Thanks for your comment.
Always nice to hear a fresh opinion
on the subject.
1 person likes this
@MimiRemo (418)
• Philippines
17 Feb 10
I love the smell of coffee no matter what time of the day it is, freshly baked bread, vanilla, mint, and scents like vanilla butter, strawberry, and many more. Some scents have aphrodisiac effects, it depends on the person. But I know I hate the smell of varnished wood, paint, and those car perfumes. They make me sick!
1 person likes this
@ScarletAlston (2693)
• United States
17 Feb 10
I can't stand the smell of sweaty feet and body odor..I know people who even make it worse by adding cologne and body spray when they really need to take a bleach shower...the only smells that I really love right now are the scents of fresh fruit and things like chocolate..
1 person likes this
@SHAMRACK (8576)
• India
17 Feb 10
Dear friend,
I hardly use these kinds of body odors and the only one which I use is after shave oil and perfumers. Some smells really make me irritating mostly strong type of smells. I would like to prefer smell of flowers mostly. That natural smells which gives me a smoothness in the air while inhaling that smell.
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
16 Feb 10
I guess I have never really given it much thought. I know one thing I hate the smell of is any fake floral smell whether it be air freshener, lotion, or perfume. I can't stand that smell. That is the only one I can really think of that I hate.
I like vanilla as long as it is not an overpowering scent.
1 person likes this
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
• United States
16 Feb 10
In my house, almost all deodorizing scents have to be
strong just to over power the smell of my cats.
I have two boy cats and they really stink up the place fast.
My girl cats are no prize picks in that regard, either.
@GreenMoo (11834)
•
17 Feb 10
The smell of petrol and diesel makes me feel headachey, so spending any time in a filling station is horrible. I also hate to travel in the back of our van, as that´s where we carry tanks of fuel for the generator etc.
The other smell I hate is fish, particularly sardines. One of the local specialities is grilled sardines, cooked outdoors on a barbeque. The smell makes me feel physically ill, and it lingers for hours.
1 person likes this
@apples99 (6556)
• United States
16 Feb 10
YES certain odors do make me feel sick on my stomach, I cant stand stinky ordes especially old spoiled food or trash EW! I sometimes feel nauseous when I small unpleasant oders like that, thats why I try to keep a clean fresh sent through out my place. I love the smell of certain detergents and candles and sprays such as febreze I love febreze it smells soooo good.
1 person likes this
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
• United States
16 Feb 10
Trash smell is the worst!
Trash gets so rancid smelling so quick.
@Ingkingderders (3832)
• Philippines
17 Feb 10
I love the smell of a new book, the smell of rain, the smell of rice grains, and the smell of a freshly baked cookies and cake. Hmmm. This is making me hungry. 
I don't like the smell of air fresheners, specially those in the cars. It just makes me feel dizzy and sick.. I can't think of anything else that I don't like. hehehe. so I guess that's it for now.
I don't like the smell of air fresheners, specially those in the cars. It just makes me feel dizzy and sick.. I can't think of anything else that I don't like. hehehe. so I guess that's it for now. 
@jaiho2009 (39141)
• Philippines
17 Feb 10
hello beauty,
First,i hate body odor.
When i am riding public vehicle and i can smell other people,having bad body odor,or smells sweat,it makes me sick really,i want to puke(oppps)
I like the smell of morning dew in my hometown.
The fresh smell of morning,the pine trees...and the mists of early morning.
I also like the smell of baby's breath...fresh after having milk.
@jewels49 (1776)
• United States
17 Feb 10
I love scents, but my absolute favorite is fresh eucalyptus, It's the one thing I make regular trips to the flower shop for. I'm not crazy about the amell of sage. Sweet Pea is another favorite and fresh hyacinths..I forced a bouquet of hyacinths to bloom after the hoildays and my kitchen smells so good with them in the window, I almost don't see the 10 foot pile of snow on the other side of it.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (72131)
• United States
16 Apr 12
There really arent any perfumes or things like that which make me sick but other things like vomit and poop the smell is enough to make me gag. Last night when my boyfriend was over I started smelling a stink worm. The living room smells so strong of it today still its making me sick to my stomach. After drinking too much last night and having an upset stomach for it this is not fun lol.
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
17 Feb 10
Hi there beautyqueen,
hmmm lets see....I don't like most perfumes but I do like the oils. I like scented candles and incense but not the cheap walmart stuff. Patchouli is one oil that I have to say that I don't like because those that wear it ALWAYS seem to overdo it. If it is a faint scent then it's awesome. I love the patchouli incense. My favorite incense is Nagchampa. Pinea is good too but It's hard to find. I like the smell of vanilla too but only if it is real vanilla. That fake vanilla scent that you find in trash bags and air freshners is just nasty. People who don't shower regularly have a really nasty body odor that seems to bother everyone but them.
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
• United States
17 Feb 10
Real vanilla is always so expensive!
But totally worth it.
Here a local store sells the cheap vanilla
for just about a dollar and the real vanilla
for well over seven dollars. Of course, that's
for baking.
You can taste the results in your
food when you use real vanilla and it makes the house
smell so good!
1 person likes this
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
• United States
17 Feb 10
They're heinous! Thanks for pointing that out.
Like the vanilla scented trash bags.
Honestly, what lame brain dingbat thought
that one up. Hey! I know what housewives
everywhere will want, cookie scented trash.
By George! It's gonna be a hit.
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
17 Feb 10
Actually the imitation vanilla that is sold in the cooking ingredients isn't half bad. I've put it in my little oil burner and it does smell good and not much different than real vanilla. the facke vanilla that really makes me sick is the air freshners and perfumes etc. now those are gross!
@marguicha (223010)
• Chile
17 Apr 13
I specially like some kitchen smells such as some cookie smells and the smell of rice frying with oil and crushed garlic. I like some garden smells, but not the ones that are too pungent. I loathe some perfumes that are too sweet. I love to cook and I use my nose to see if the dish has enough salt more that a spoon to taste it.
@midnightbliss (541)
• Philippines
17 Feb 10
i never liked raisins so its smell. when i was younger the taste and smell of fresh pineapple make me sick. but as i get older i learned to like pineapple. while i like the smell of unripened mangoes
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
• United States
16 Feb 10
Sweaty, yuck! This is why I prefer
working out at home. No unfamiliar smells
in the house.
Well, there's that and
it's cheaper to get on the trampoline at home
and bounce off the pounds.
Boing, Boing, Boing! And, away I go!
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
• United States
17 Feb 10
I get that dizzy feeling where my head
stops up suddenly when I walk in my kitchen.
Had not considered that it could be related
to a fragrance or odor.
Thanks for the tip.
Seems to me your blood pressure goes up/down when you get into the kitchen because it reminds you that you need to cook or clean it 