Gotta question,

Whenever I "get-on" the throttle, I sometimes get what smells like a chemical smell, almost like the stuff they use to perm somebodys hair.

Any input?

 

You didn't say what year your car is, but my guess as to what you are smelling is catalitic converter about to bite the dust.
Bob.

 

Before "counting out the days" on your converter, try a different brand of gas (use the recommended octane rating though); some fuels as refined, have the required intrinsic low sulfur content required by statute, but then the oil companies have some latitude in what they use as their proprietary "secret ingredient" anti-knock additive, and you got it, the freakin' additive that some use contains sulfur!
That "home perm" smell is hydrogen sulfide, a substance incredibly detectable to the human nose.

 

My baby is a 08 3, 2.3HB s, ~28,000.

I doubt it is the CC due to the fact it's been doing this since it was new.
But then again, power steering failure at 26k ain't normal either.

 

Mazdas aren't known for early cat. converter failures, so try the brand name change for your gas; it will take a week or so of driving to purge any sulfur you've collected.

 

The only problem is living here in a small town I only have two choices, Hucks or Caseys, and I've never been fond of either one of them.

 

I have a Mazda 3 ('05) and I had been wondering, for years, what that odor was. Your car may be an '08 but I'm sure the same information applies. If you still have questions, I'd bring this info to the dealership and see what they have to say about it, too. Here's the official bulletin on the sulfur odor:

http://www.miata.net/garage/tsb/01-043-06-1678.pdf