Life, 1905-08-17 · page 26 of 26
Life — August 17, 1905 — page 26: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **product advertisement**, not political satire. It promotes Mennen's Borated Talcum Toilet Powder, a hygiene product from the early 1900s. The ad uses imagery of a smiling child atop a rope circle, with three women below—likely representing the product's appeal across age groups and genders. The "cooling sea breeze" tagline emphasizes relief from summer skin problems (prickly heat, chafing, sunburn). The left side shows Mennen's company seal/logo on every box. The right displays the product tin. The message stresses the powder's soothing properties and national reputation, while noting it costs 25 cents and is available by mail. By modern standards, the casual use of young children in beauty/hygiene advertising appears unusual, reflecting early 20th-century marketing norms before stricter regulations.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
BORATED TOILET Like a Cooling Sea Breeze touch of MEENNEN'S « n. For Prickly Heat, Chafing, Sunburn and all other skin WA] MENNEN’S is sold everywhere or by mail 25 cents. Sample Free. ‘Try MENNEN'S VIOLET TALCUM. f GERHARD MENNEN CO., 36 Orange St., Newark, N. J.