Donald Trump cologne on clearance at TJMaxx -- the end of an era originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 26 Nov 2007 15:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I actually have a bottle of Brut, made by Helen of Troy Corp. (NASDAQ: HELE), in my closet, but I think I might go ahead and throw it away now.

An 81-year old Milwaukee man has sued the makers of Brut after it ignited and burned his hands, chest, and neck. He suffered burns on 30% of his body, and had to undergo three skin grafts. According to the Associated Press, "He washed and shaved in a bathhouse on the camp grounds and applied Brut lotion to his face, neck and chest with his hands. He also used the aerosol deodorant. He then went to a fire pit to cook breakfast."

While he was starting the fire, his body ignited, allegedly because of the products' flammable properties.

A few weeks ago on BloggingStocks, I wrote about high schools that are moving to ban students from wearing cologne because it can be irritating to other students and teachers. The piece brought out passions on both sides of the debate, generating 550 comments.

But the danger of igniting may be a more compelling reason for teens to be careful with these products than, for example, concern for the comfort of their teachers.

Brut (HELE) sued over burning accident originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 13 Sep 2007 16:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

When I think back to high school, and all the odors that bothered me, perfumes and cologne are pretty low on the list. The kid who had trouble paying attention in English class after lunch, and had that thick herbal smell? That was annoying. The disheveled Latin teacher whose breath was so bad I had to turn away when he talked? Or how about the kid who only smelled decent the day of his monthly shower?

No, according to The Wall Street Journal (subscription required), some people insist that the real culprit is perfume. I'm serious. As designers roll-out new scents with colorful packaging to attract the back-to-school crowd, some schools are fighting back. They charge that excessive-cologne/perfume is an "air-quality issue." One principal interviewed feels, "Kids don't shower the way they used to." He complains that students are spraying Axe, a potent bodyspray, in lieu of showering after gym. But isn't that better than the alternative of spraying nothing?

The article also points out that a lot of teens are shelling out $50 for a bottle of designer stuff, in an effort to gain some affectation of a brand they can't really afford -- Marc Jacobs perfume instead of a Marc Jacobs bag. That's just silly. I have several bottles of knock-off designer cologne that I got at the Dollar Tree (NASDAQ: DLTR) -- 66% off, for 33 cents per bottle. I get compliments on it constantly.

Time to ban perfumes from high school? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 25 Aug 2007 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.