go to " Lakelands " website and order a nonion which is a soap bar shaped piece of metal that you wash your hands with and the smell goes away. it works with chillies too !!
You could always pop the whole onion skin and all for about a min and then you will be able to peel off the skin and layer right down to the good stuff in one movement. Drawback here is that it doesnt make for good salads.