Portland ECD Ball

A Fragrance-Free Event

A Healthy Environment for All

To provide a safe, healthy and pleasurable evening of dance for all, we ask you not to wear scented products to any of the dance events during the weekend. If you are chemically sensitive, please understand that we strive to facilitate a fragrance-free event.

Why Fragrance-Free?

Chemical sensitivity is a health issue for some members of the dance community, not a personal preference. Some people simply cannot tolerate even small amounts of chemicals in perfumes, after shave lotion, fabric softeners, hand lotions, dry cleaning fluids and many other personal products such as dandruff shampoo, hair spray, and other products containing fragrances or various petrochemical products. These chemicals can act as respiratory irritants, as cardiac stimulants (skyrocketing blood pressure, palpitations), and as neurotoxins (blurred vision, loss of equilibrium). The effects can be cumulative and each exposure can lower the sensitivity threshold so that people react to more substances at lower doses and with more severe symptoms. Exposure to even small amounts can cause these symptoms and it can be especially dangerous while dancing if dancers collapse or become unconscious.

How to be Fragrance-Free?

The ball provides a special challenge as many of us are used to “sprucing up” with colognes, perfumes, hair spray, and after shave. Fancy clothes come out of storage smelling of mothballs or perfume. Ball costumes are sent to the dry cleaners. Please be aware of the issue and check your products for fragrance. Please do your best to be Fragrance-Free. If you suffer from chemical sensitivity, please come prepared to protect yourself against exposure.

For the ball weekend, please:

  • Save perfumes, colognes and aftershave for another occasion
  • Forego using dandruff shampoo or hair spray - even unscented varieties
  • Plan ahead so that you can thoroughly air any clothing that has been stored in mothballs, that has recently returned from the dry cleaners, or that has been worn previously with perfume

A list of fragrance-free personal products

Please consider bringing other fragrance-free personal products to use for the weekend. This will really make a difference. They can easily be found at any natural food store or specialty stores like Trader Joe’s or New Seasons, as well as local stores like Fred Meyer.

Here are some sample brands and products we’ve used:

  • Deodorant:Tom’s of Maine Unscented, The Crystal, Le Stick, Liken, Almay Fragrance-Free, Arm & Hammer Unscented
  • Shampoo and Conditioner: Pure Essentials, Organic Essence, KMS Fragrance-Free
  • Hair Gel: KMS, Aloe Vera 80
  • Shaving Cream: Noxzema Fragrance-Free, Kiss My Face, English Leather Fragrance-Free
  • Bar Soap: Pure & Natural Unscented Glycerin Soap
  • Laundry Soap:Arm & Hammer Fragrance-Free, All Free & Clear, Country Save, Ecover
  • Lip Balm: Look for beeswax-based (non-petroleum), unscented varieties
  • Body Powder: Use baking soda &/or cornstarch
  • Insect Repellent: Look for DEET-free products, such as Shoo! or Bite Blocker

Thanks for your continuing efforts to make our Portland ball weekend safe, healthy and great fun for all.