Fragrance Sensitivities Are Giving Rise to No-Perfume Zones—Are They Here to Stay?
Is it okay to wear a beast mode oud in enclosed spaces?
I’ve followed the same post-gym ritual for years: After working up a sweat, I douse myself in perfume for a quick refresh before heading home to shower. Sometimes I’ll even sneak a few spritzes before working out to pump myself up. Nothing too crazy. However, on a recent visit to Barre 3 in New York City’s West Village, I was stopped before I could even uncap my bottle. I spotted a sign that read “Please limit the use of scented products while exercising in the studio.”
I live in a bubble of fellow fragrance lovers—my entire career revolves around beauty and perfume. But even though thousands of people adore scent, there are just as many who are sensitive to it. And in some cases, completely despise it.
After seeing that sign at the workout studio, I began wondering whether establishments could really enact fragrance bans, and if they’d become, well, somewhat commonplace. Turns out, there are a variety of locales that already ask patrons to avoid wearing perfume, and it spans much further than fitness centers. For example, it’s standard practice to not wear fragrance in medical settings—especially fertility offices. It’s also frowned upon at high-end omakase restaurants. The Araki in London has a disclaimer on their booking page that says “Please refrain from wearing perfume, eau de cologne, etc. in order to enjoy the aroma of the food to the fullest.”
It’s also common knowledge in the LGBTQ+ community that wearing fragrance is a major no-no at leather bars, like The Eagle in New York. “It’s understood that no personal scent is allowed…or preferred might be a better way to put it,” one of my gay friends, who asked to remain anonymous, told me. Some spaces, like the now defunct bar The Mineshaft, had an iron clad no-fragrance policy. Queerty reported that The Mineshaft “required members not to wear cologne or any scents, as most patrons preferred a natural smell of sweat and musk.”
The real question is, are these bans even enforceable? And do those with fragrance sensitivities actually condone these policies? For the latter, it depends on who you ask. TikTok users have very strong feelings about wearing perfume in public.
“Perfume should be banned in public places, especially public transit,” one person commented on a viral TikTok of mine. A few months ago, I wore an oud perfume on the subway which prompted everyone who sat next to me to immediately get up and move further away (oops). I chronicled my experience and 1.6 million views later, the discourse that followed was…passionate to say the least. “It’s honestly disrespectful to wear perfume in public,” another wrote. Both comments garnered thousands of likes.
People in my life who have fragrance sensitivities hold less stringent sentiments. (And let’s be real, internet commenters tend to blow things way out of proportion.) “I compare fragrance sensitivities loosely to peanut allergies,” says Deb Carpanzano, a public relations executive in New York who struggles with certain scents. “If you think about it, peanuts aren't banned, even though some people can’t eat them. So something like a fragrance ban seems unfair and unlikely to be upheld or enforced.”
As scent layering has become more popular, Carpanzano’s sensitivities have increased. She tends to get nauseous around musky and super sweet fragrances, and sometimes extra strong smells can lead to migraines. “Worst case scenario, I lose my appetite and it takes a few hours until I feel normal again.”
Lauren Balsamo, beauty director at Cosmopolitan, also experiences nausea and light-headedness around strong scents, which makes aspects of her job difficult. “When I’m testing perfume for a story, I spray a blotter far away from my desk because the scent tends to linger,” she says. Enclosed spaces with loud aromas are also triggering for her. “I immediately get car sick if I’m in a ride share and the driver is wearing a strong fragrance. Also, I know it’s trendy for hotels to have their own signature scent, but sometimes it’s so overpowering and I can’t escape it in the room.”
Still, while both Carpanzano and Balsamo struggle with serious scent-induced side effects, they’re not totally on board with full-out bans. “Fragrances allow individuals to express themselves, so I don't think a ban is fair,” says Carpanzano. Instead, they both suggest that perfume-lovers just be more mindful of what and how much they are spraying.
Mindfulness makes sense, in theory, but the current perfume trends are the antithesis of quiet. “We are in a moment where incredibly strong, maximalist perfumes are popular,” says Steven Gontarski, the senior manager of brand and public relations for Luckyscent and Scent Bar. Also known as ‘beast mode perfumes,’ the trend emerged in 2025 with the rise of #PerfumeTok and peoples’ desire for scents that not only project, but also last incredibly long. “They're too strong for me, but it's what people want and there’s serious demand for them.”
Brands are happy to oblige. A variety of perfume houses have launched intense versions of their bestsellers over the last few years, including Gucci Flora Gorgeous Gardenia Intense, Mugler Alien ExtraIntense, Dior J’adore Intense, and YSL Libre Intense, just to name a few.
Like any scent, beast mode perfumes have their time and place—and it’s certainly not in enclosed spaces. I’m a perfume fanatic, and I even get overwhelmed when I’m trapped by someone else’s strong scent, especially when the weather is balmy. As we head into summer, fragrance content creator Esti Routhenstein, who also deals with scent-induced migraines, reminds people to put their heavy scents away (save them for the fall and winter!) and be mindful of how much you’re spritzing if you’re going to be in confined spaces.
“If we place bans on perfume in certain places, those who love fragrance will simply go somewhere else,” Routhenstein says. Sanam Hafeez, Psy.D, a board-certified neuropsychologist agrees. “People have worn fragrance in public forever, and telling adults they can't wear their signature scent to dinner is the kind of rule that's nearly impossible to enforce and easy to resent,” she says. Plus, she adds that some individuals wear scents for cultural or religious purposes, so full-on bans could alienate swaths of people.
“The healthiest version of this is businesses handling [strong perfumes] on a case by case basis rather than broad bans, finding a middle ground that respects everyone without making anyone feel policed,” Dr Hafeez says.
In the case of Barre 3, I asked the front desk what happens if someone does wear perfume to class. The answer? Nothing. “It’s not really enforced,” I was told. However, they said if I was bothered or overwhelmed by anyone’s scent “it would be taken care of.” They didn’t exactly say how, though. (Ominous.)
I’m not sure how any place could fully implement a fragrance ban. Frankly, I hope we never find out. Perfume is one of the purest forms of self expression. People should be able to express themselves—mindfully. I wear perfume everyday, and I’ve become much more conscientious of what I’m spritzing based on where I’ll be. Rest assured you’ll never catch me wearing an oud scent on the subway again. It’s better for everyone that way.
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Meet the Experts
Deb Carpanzano is a New York-based publicist with a background in beauty, wellness, and lifestyle PR. For the past four years, she’s worked across brand storytelling, media relations, and influencer communications for brands including Native, DKNY, florence by mills, and Drowsy. With a degree in Fashion Marketing and a minor in Writing, she brings a creative, trend-aware perspective to modern communications and brand building.
Steven Gontarski is the Senior Manager of Brand and Public Relations for Luckyscent | Scent Bar. He has been with the company for seventeen years and is considered an expert in Niche Perfumery. In addition to his work in fragrance he is an internationally acclaimed visual artist and has sculptures and paintings in permanent collections around the world. Steven chronicles his life weekly on his YouTube channel @Steven-Gontarski where he talks about perfume, music, art and anything else that catches his interest.
Esti Routhenstein is a licensed cosmetologist and perfume content creator on Tiktok and Instagram @Estisniffs.
Lauren Balsamo is the beauty director at Cosmopolitan where she writes, edits, and produces all types of beauty content—from product reviews to personal essays and trend reports. She has covered beauty for more than 13 years at Cosmopolitan. Follow her on Instagram.
