They say beauty is pain, but what about when your eyeshadow triggers a migraine?
Over the past month, a number of people have complained to the Better Business Bureau (BBB) that Kylie Jenner's new Royal Peach Palette gave off a strong chemical odor; and one person said the smell caused a "horrible headache."
On Twitter, Kylie Cosmetics customers have compared the odor to paint, bleach, and Sharpies—and wondered if there are any risks in putting the eyeshadow on their skin.
According to the BBB, Kylie Cosmetics says the odor is from the palette's packaging, and not the product itself: "The company states that the odor is due to an adhesive in the packaging and the product itself is perfectly safe to use," reads a statement on the BBB site.
RELATED: 11 Surprising Headache Triggers
It's not surprising that a strong smell could cause a reaction in some people. Research has linked chemical odors to headaches, especially in people who are prone to migraines.
One 2011 Brazilian study on 98 migraine-prone men found that strong odors—especially from cleaning products, cigarette smoke, and perfume—were the second most frequent trigger of the miserable head-pounders. (The number one cause was stressful situations.) The researchers also reported that 33% of the participants said odors worsened their migraines.
Other reasons a person might react to a smell include a fragrance allergy (a heightened sensitivity to fragrances), or nonallergenic rhinitis. This condition, which typically involves hay fever-like symptoms, affects up to 25% of people and can in some cases be triggered by fragrances.
Potential health problems following exposure to chemical odors depend on a handful of factors, such as how concentrated the chemical is, and how long exposure lasts. Intense smells can also trigger dizziness, coughing, or wheezing in some people.
The good news? Symptoms caused by strong odors tend to be temporary, and they go away once you're no longer sniffing the smell.