Perfume allergy: how to still wear the scent you love

What many people experience

Typical symptoms are stinging, redness, itching or small rashes wherever the perfume was sprayed – often on the neck, wrists or the inside of the elbow. The reaction often doesn't appear immediately, but hours after the perfume has been sitting on the skin.

Well-known fragrance compounds such as linalool and limonene appear on the EU's list of substances that must be labelled precisely because so many people react to them. The alcohol in perfume also dries out the skin and can make the discomfort worse.

If you experience persistent rashes, itching or swelling, you should speak to a doctor or dermatologist. AMBRA is a piece of jewellery, not a treatment.

Why 'hypoallergenic perfume' rarely solves everything

Many people look for a hypoallergenic perfume instead. The trouble is that fragrance needs fragrance compounds in order to smell like anything – a milder formula reduces the amount, but doesn't remove skin contact. And you still have to give up the perfume you actually love.

The alternative: scent in the jewellery instead of on the skin

Fragrance jewellery flips the whole idea: the perfume is sprayed onto a small porous ceramic disc that sits inside the jewellery. The disc holds the scent for 12–24 hours and releases it slowly, warmed by your body heat – without the perfume ever touching your skin or soaking into your clothes.

You get to keep wearing the exact perfume you already own, and switch scent simply by switching discs.

Getting started

Choose a bracelet or a hair tie, spray the disc, let it dry for a minute and click it back in. Refill discs are sold in sets, and the fragrance tray makes spraying mess-free.