August 5, 2009

A possible reason why certain name brand products end up at the dollar store



When I was at the dollar store earlier this week, I spotted several bottles of name brand spray sunscreen. Since this stuff typically runs upwards of $9 per bottle, I swiped the whole lot into my shopping cart.

As I was applying the bargain sunscreen to myself and to my children later that afternoon, I noticed that the substance had a distinct odor which I couldn't quite place...until one of my pool friends sniffed the air around me and asked, "Do you smell ant poison?"

33 comments

Lindy said...

Hey, at least you don't have to worry about bugs!

Possible sunburns, maybe, but not bugs.

Rosemary said...

Oh dear... I've also heard that some of those dollar store bargains in spray cans or squeeze bottles are only half full. Some bargain?!
Nancy

TheQueen@TerrorsInTiaras said...

Oh dear....well, I guess you can skip the mosquito repellent application the rest of the summer. That, or not hire an exterminator this winter and let the kids go to town spraying it in all the doorways and windows.

Jennifer said...

Oh my goodness!

~ Jennifer
http://thetoyboxyears.blogspot.com

Kiki said...

Yuck! Due to all the reports on items sold at dollar stores, I won't buy the products they sell, especially toothpaste, detergents, and anything that goes on the body. Well, at least you have some spray to use around your home now. Have a wonderful day and take care.
-Kiki

Karen said...

I love my dollar store but I wouldn't buy those products there.

Tricia said...

I just laughed out loud...sitting at my desk at work with no one else around. :) Seriously? That's crazy. I've never heard the dollar store reports. I may need to do some research today.

Lin said...

Yuck! I hope the smell washed off. I hate it when you get something on you & as much as you scrub, that damn smell just won't go away.

Mom said...

Hey, the kids are still alive, right? Who cares if they smell bad. LOL

Life...EXAGGERATED

WILLIAM said...

Raid-now with SPF 50.

Nonna2trips said...

Oh, lovely! Eau de Ant fragrance. You are certainly in vogue this summer. LOL!

Nonna2trips

Vi said...

So you got to items for the price of one. LOL Bug spray and sunscreen.

Meagan and John said...

I'm sure it was outdated and that is why it stunk...

on the other hand as long as you remember to check dates and ingredients, shopping at the dollar stores can get you some pretty good bargains

Kimberly Ginsberg said...

You should stick your own label on it and get Anthony Sullivan to market it on TV! "Now you don't need to worry about those pesky bugs sticking to you while you're trying to enjoy your day at the beach! AND don't worry either about the harmful effects of the sun either! Try this new bug repellent AND sunscreen!"
Hey, if Avon can sell a body lotion that happens to also be a bug repellent - why can't a sunscreen do the same thing!
In my opinion - as long as no one's skin burned off from either the sun, or the spray - then you got yourself a bargain!!!

Jo's girl said...

sweet I've been looking for a cheap ant poison! ;)

Nick and Tiffany said...

Good Grief!!! Well at least no ant bites this year, lol. Hope the smell came off.

The Four Week Vegan said...

Sunscreen and bug spray all in one - what more could you want?

Foursons said...

Oh my gosh. Are you kidding me?

Brossettelewis said...

So, there shouldn't be any long term effects right? Nice.

Unknown said...

Well does it keep the ants away? I would rather have sun anyday rather than ants! Maybe you could market ant spray???

babs said...

so funny! the comments nearly had me under my desk laughing so hard. thanks for the heads up and I will steer clear. the last bottle i paid full price for lasted less than a day, i think it was only a quarter full, wish i had only paid a dollar.

Shannon (CA) said...

Be careful with the sunscreen! I bought the spray on Coppertone sport last year....for the longest time I couldn't figure out why my skin was turning orange....thought maybe the sun was for some reason tanning me funny. But then one day I realized my clothes were stained and my HAIR was red too! It says on the bottle *MAY STAIN CLOTHING* Yeah...what about my hair! Ugh, never again!

Kandis said...

one word...>AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Sarah Bonn said...

I hadn't really given any thought to it but after we had kids and I started shopping at the dollar store for little things, my husband said "I don't want you to buy anything that goes in or on our bodies from there"
But hopefully it's just a bad smell and not anything else.

Diane J. said...

(Wince)

Angela said...

LMAO!

Sounds like something I would buy, cause I am cheap like that.

Anonymous said...

just happened upon your site for the first time... may I say that I'm cracking up right now? Thanks for the laugh!

Anonymous said...

Insanity! Hopefully no one licks it off their skin or something!!!

Michelle said...

Please don't say that! I actually bought 18 (yes, 18) cans of this stuff on Monday. Oh, no!! lol.

The Mother said...

Now you're making me worry. I sent my kids to camp with sunscreen I bought from the dollar store.

twinzmama said...

Did you check the expiration date? We went to the beach with my in-laws and I used some of the sunscreen she bought at the dollar store and ended up burnt to a crisp the first day out because it was way outdated. I spent the rest of week watching out the window at everybody playing on the beach!!

Anonymous said...

IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY AT THE BACK OF THE CANS, UNDER THE TOP PARAGRAPH THAT DESCRIBES HOW TO USE THE PRODUCT AND WHAT'S SO GREAT ABOUT IT...DOES IT SAY THE WORD, "JUNK"??? BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE ON EVERY SINGLE CAN! ESPECIALLY THE LAST ONE IN THE PIC, FAR RIGHT...WHAT'S UP WITH THAT!? MAYBE THAT'S WHY IT SMELLS LIKE JUNK!?

Starnes fam said...

Yeah...I made that same mistake and bought some of the same spray lotion. My kids even complain about the reek!