The blowback is something I learned the hard way. My wife had a small mace canister she carried in her purse which had expired. We got her a new one and we decided to spray it in the backyard to get some experience with it. I stayed upwind when she tried it. I didn't realize she had stepped down wind after she handed it to me. To make a long story short she got a snoot full of the blowback. The stuff is powerful and I felt really bad. I can see where you will probably get a little yourself in a real life situation.