Question from Linda
Help — a new hair stylist “forgot” my just-stated request for ‘no styling products’ and slathered my hair with a perfume-containing lotion. Thirteen hours and seven washes later I am still ill from the odor and moreso from the taste left in my mouth. Anyone have ideas on how to get this tenacious fragrance out of my hair — without hurting my hair or scalp any more than seven shampoos (with fragrance-free products of course).
My salon reeks of fragrance and I only can go about twice a year because I am sick for 3 days after from the smell. But this is what I do: Debra is correct, first wash your own hair before you go. Tell your stylist you are allergic to fragrance and not to wash your hair (much easier than bringing your own shampoo, which I used to do). Tell him or her not to use any product. Then bring your own glass spray bottle with spring water or distilled water in it and have your stylist use that to wet your hair. Buy a cheap gown on amazon and bring it with you. The ones in the salon are loaded with fragrance. Then add two white bath towels so you can sit on them and not get fragrance from the chair on your clothes. You can bring a smaller hand towel to put around your neck. Bring your own comb. Put it all in a tote bag. Your hair and body and clothing will not smell of fragrance, except what is picked up from the air in the salon, which should come out with a hot shower, a hard scrub with a loofah and several shampoos .
Another thing I thought of is that there may be someone in your community who makes home visits for haircuts. Maybe they visit rest homes or seniors. Or maybe a student from a beauty school would come cut your hair.
Yesterday I went to get my hair cut at a new-to-me salon. Maybe it’s because I live in a small town, but there was actually no odor in this salon of any kind. No hairspray. Nothing.
The hairdresser just cut my hair. No shampoo. He didn’t put anything on my hair.
So I think you could arrive with your hair shampooed and ask them to not put anything on your hair.
When my husband goes to get his hair cut, he always comes back with fragrance fumes in his hair. He gets rid of the fragrance by first washing his hair with fragrance free shampoo. Next, he applies olive oil and let’s it sit for a while and then washes again. After that he coats his hair with coconut oil, lets it sit for a few minutes and then washes again. Usually, this will remove most of the fragrance. If he needs further work on his hair, he mixes powdered wheatgrass juice, he makes it thick and coat his hair with this. Then he shampoos again. I know this sounds like a lot of work. But I have major chemical sensitivities. And, this is what he has to do so that we could stay in the same house together on the day he gets his hair cut! Otherwise, he goes outside to do yard work, or I leave the house.
Linda, This happened to you almost ten years ago…I am just reading it today in 2018! But I had the same experience yesterday. I am still having it! I spent the entire day from 10am to 11pm trying to get the perfume out of my hair. It has been over 24 hour hours now and I must wear a wool cap to keep the smell to a minimum. I have tried tomato juice, vinegar, orange juice to name just a few substances. No luck. I am miserable. Wondering if the smell is “stained” into my hair and will need to be cut off? Uhg!
See more at Q&A: How Can I Get This Perfume Out of My Hair.