Life — December 6, 1906 — page 2: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This is **not satire or political commentary** — it's a straightforward advertisement for Williams' Shaving Stick, published in *Life* magazine. The page shows a man applying shaving lather with a brush, smiling broadly. The ad targets "college men, athletes and...every man who is much 'out of doors,'" emphasizing that Williams' product prevents skin irritation from sun and wind exposure. The copy stresses the lather's soothing, protective qualities for "tender" skin. The tagline — "The only kind that won't smart or dry on the face" — highlights a practical product benefit (not drying out skin after shaving). This represents typical early-to-mid 20th century men's grooming advertising, positioning the product as essential for active, outdoorsy masculinity.