-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
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 wB9JimaajITVVnGVyJbAqQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001260864-08-000001.txt : 20080821
<SEC-HEADER>0001260864-08-000001.hdr.sgml : 20080821
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20080821132328
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001260864-08-000001
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20080819
FILED AS OF DATE:		20080821
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20080821

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			HELEN OF TROY LTD
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000916789
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	ELECTRIC HOUSEWARES & FANS [3634]
		IRS NUMBER:				742692550
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0228

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		CLARENDON HOUSE
		STREET 2:		CHURCH STREET
		CITY:			HAMILTON BERMUDA
		STATE:			D0
		ZIP:			-
		BUSINESS PHONE:		915-225-8000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ONE HELEN OF TROY PLAZA
		CITY:			EL PASO
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			79912

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			BENSON THOMAS J
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001260864

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-14669
		FILM NUMBER:		081031819

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		BUSINESS PHONE:		9152258000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1 HELEN OF TROY PLAZA
		CITY:			EL PASO
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			79912
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-08-19</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000916789</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>HELEN OF TROY LTD</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>HELE</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001260864</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BENSON THOMAS J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1 HELEN OF TROY PLAZA</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>EL PASO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>79912</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Senior Vice President and CFO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>5389</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>22.46</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-08-19</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>22.46</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2018-08-19</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>5000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>76883</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Due to an inadvertent error, this reporting person's ownership of non-derivative securities purchased through an employee stock purchase plan was previously not reported.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The options vest over five years in increments of 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% and 30%.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Thomas J. Benson as Attorney-In-Fact for Thomas J. Benson</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-08-21</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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