POC Created Resources
Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha - Femme of Colour Realness. Great post with lists of products.
Adrienne Maree Brown sci-fi scholar on the shift to becoming more fragrance free.
Other Resources
Great info and list of products from the folks at East Bay Meditation Center.
More excellent and in-depth info on MCS and fragrances/chemicals.
Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep has info on specific products and their ingredients.
Fragrance Free & Smoke Free
We need everyone’s help to be Fragrance Free and smoke free.
COVID affects the upper respiratory system. As part of our protections, we want to reduce the amount of chemicals and particulates in the air as much as possible, including fragrance and smoking. It’s why we use HEPA air purifiers that are mechanical and do NOT produce ozone.
Please check your scent use and use these tips to stay Fragrance Free BEFORE and DURING the Film Festival.
For people with environmental injuries and chemical sensitivity, we offer Fragrance Free seating where there is lower risk of chemical exposure.
Check Your Scent Use
Do you wear, bathe with, use on your body or hair, use air freshener, or wash your clothes with products that have “fragrance”, “perfume”, “parfum”, or “scent” listed on the ingredient list on the label, including essential oils or “natural” scents?
NO, I do not use and am not exposed to products with “fragrance” on the ingredient label. Therefore, I do not need to change my practices in preparation for the Film Festival.
YES, I use or am exposed to products with “fragrance” on the ingredient label. Therefore, I will need to transition 3-5 days before the Film Festival to co-create a safe and accessible environment for people who are sensitive to chemicals and fragrance.
Fragrance Free Body
USE soap, lotion, shampoo, lip balm, hair gel, hair oil, pomades, make up/cosmetics, and other body products marked "fragrance free." Check the label for ingredients and avoid “fragrance.” Products like unprocessed coconut oil, shea butter, and olive oil are good alternatives for many hair and skin needs.
REFRAIN from wearing colognes, perfumes, essential oils, or products containing these (even if they are natural, they are still scented). Also refrain from wearing insect repellants. If you are around smoke from sage, copal, sweet grass, or other sacred herbs used for smudging, please air out or change your clothing.
Fragrance Free Clothes
USE laundry detergent without fragrance, and/or soak & wash your clothes with water & baking soda. Wash the clothes that you plan to wear at least 48 hours before you arrive, with fragrance free detergent or baking soda, and set clothes to air out.
REFRAIN from using fabric softeners; the scent is especially difficult to remove and may need several washings to remove it. If you really need that extra softness, use vinegar in the final rinse of washing clothes.
IF YOU USE dry cleaners, air fresheners, or incense, those will get into your clothes as well.
IF YOU SMOKE, please wear fresh clothes that you haven’t worn while smoking. Please smoke at least 200 feet away from the Presidio Theatre entrance and portico and COVID testing station. After you smoke, stand outside for 15 minutes to air out your clothes, and then wash your hands and mouth when you enter the theater to reduce the impact on chemically injured people.
SAFETY ADVISORY: when entering the Presidio there is a shift in law, from those of the City of San Francisco and the State of California, to those of the U.S. government.
The venue is located inside the National Park and is governed by federal law. Therefore, it prohibits the possession AND consumption of marijuana/cannabis, including vape pens. Federal penalties are harsh. Please consume safely.
BE MINDFUL that fragrances and scents transfer very easily. If you are near someone who is wearing perfume, or clothes washed with scented detergent, or who is a smoker, it will get on your clothes too. Please be mindful to avoid exposure en route to and at the Film Festival.