Life, 1910-01-20 · page 6 of 36
Life — January 20, 1910 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satire**—it's a straightforward **product advertisement** for Ivory Soap from the early 20th century. The image shows a man washing his face at a sink, demonstrating proper hygiene practices. The accompanying text provides instructions on using Ivory Soap for bathing and toilet washing, emphasizing its purity ("99 44/100 Per Cent. Pure"). The advertisement appeals to health-conscious consumers by positioning soap as essential preparation for "the day's work." It includes detailed washing instructions—rubbing vigorously, rinsing multiple times, and alternating warm and cold water—reflecting contemporary beliefs about proper hygiene. This represents typical early 1900s advertising that educated consumers while promoting the product's key selling point: exceptional purity.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
This is as sensible a way to prepare for the day’s work as can be imagined : On arising, bathe with Ivory Soap—it floats. Then don a suit of underwear which has been washed with Ivory Soap —there is no ‘‘free”’ alkali in lvory Soap. Wash with Ivory Soap—it is pure. Everybody—unfortunately—does not know how to use Ivory Soap for the toilet. The way is this: Wet both hands. Hold the soap in the palms of the hands. Rub vigorously for, say, 15 sec- onds—longer, if the water is cold or very hard. Wet one hand and “work up” the lather. Wash the hands and arms. Rinse. Repeat the opera- Ivory Soap ... » 994240 Per Cent. Pure. tion, applying the lather to the face and neck. Rinse. Repeat again—twice, thrice or even four times. Rub dry. It is a good idea to use warm (or lukewarm) water, to begin with, finishing with cold water. Warm water opens the pores of the skin. Cold water closes them. comicbooks.com