Life, 1911-04-06 · page 47 of 76
Life — April 6, 1911 — page 47: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily a **Pompeian Massage Cream advertisement** disguised as satirical content. The "joke" depicts a husband and wife quarreling over a shared face cream jar—he threatens a "family jar" (marital conflict) unless she buys her own Pompeian brand. The satire targets **early 20th-century gender roles and consumerism**: the moral suggests that a "wise family" requires *both* husband and wife to use separate Pompeian products, not shared "cold creams." This cleverly positions the product as essential to household harmony while implying that modern couples—particularly women concerned with beauty—should be independent consumers. The advertisement emphasizes Pompeian's superiority through pseudo-scientific claims about pore-cleansing and complexion, contrasting it with inferior competing creams. A "$100 Prize Contest" adds engagement, inviting readers to submit their own versions of this scenario. The page exploits humor to normalize product dependency as a solution to domestic and personal anxieties.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
(NOTE: This joke in various forms has been sent to the makers of Pompeian Massage Cream by several hundred people. Hence the following must be pretty true to lifed He: Please hand me my Pompeian, dearest. She: Your Pompeian! Why, this is a family jar. He: If you don’t buy your own Pompeian pretty quick there WILL be a FAMILY JAR in this house! Moral. It isa wise family where both husband and wife not only appreciate the merits and benefits of Pompcian Massage Cream, but also realize that Pompeian Massage Cream differs entirely from“ cold” or “disappearing creams" in purpose, use and results. Since nearly every family uses some face cream, you should know the difference be- tween Pompeian and ‘‘ cold’ creams in order to get the best results. Pompcian is a cleansing massage cream. It rubs into the pores and then rolls out, bringing the infecting dirt particles with it. Cold creams mercly stayin. It is this rubbing in and rubbing out process that makes for a “clean-cut” man or a ‘‘deliciously clean’’ womay, “Don't envy a good.complexion; use Pompeian and tave one” Below are the winners of the Valentine Contest. Read the prize sentences which the judges (not the Pompelan Mfg. Co.) selected. , We $100.00 Prize Contest eerie tei itecsand unsaccessul contestants, sed though we fegret that all could Zot ten, geil we Meow that all good Armericana” ure “good losers” in a fair contest. $50.00 Prize—Miss H, Gaylord, 24 West 9ith Street, New York, N.Y, “Use Pompeian and go through life undated, : Nore ~Haven't you often heard this? “She says she is thicty, but she is forty if she's a day.” Thus are women dated —unless they k Keep poune looking. Moral: Use Pompelan Hiss Prize—G. Hotel Lenox, Boston, Mass. “Women using Prize—E. C. Gibson, 2624 Cottage Grove Avenue, Chicago, Ill, “Do I its Prise! E: Marin; BO. Bor Fs, Vallejn ‘Gilifomas POMPEIAN 1, Will your face cream get into the pores 2. and, after a few moments of massaging, roll out, laden with dust and other infecting it matter, which causes so many complexion Will Your Face Cream Bring These Results? ills? Pompeian will. 4. Will your face cream work without clogging the pores or leaving any greasy, sticky or shiny after-effect ? 3. Will it remove the dried skin tissues, which cause’so many of the dull, sallow, life- less complexions? Pompeian will. will, mpelan never worry how they loo ks, Tused Pompelan after shaving this morning.” Clear skin and youthful glow use Pompelan, both you'll knows Massage Cream Will your face cream bring a natural, healthy glow to the face? Pompeian will— so scientifically made that a sligh vigorating friction induces the rosy circulation through your checks. 5. Briefly, will your face cream transform an unattractive skin into one that indicates Pompeian the ‘clean-cut man or the ‘‘deliciously clean" woman? Pompeian surely will. “Don’t envy a good complexion—use Pompeian and have one.”’ Use “cold,” “ grease,” or | “disappearing creams’ completely cleansing massage cream—get Pompeian. Trial Jar and Art Picture, both sent for 10c. (stamps or ” for cold cream uses. It has no substitutes “‘ But when you want an invigorating, just as good.” Cut along this line, fil in and mail today. ‘The Pompelan Mfg. Co., 25 Prospect St., Cleveland, 0. AAA AAAY coin), for postage and packing. For years you have heard of Pompeian's merits and benefits. To get you to act now, we will send a ‘‘ Pompeian Beauty” Art Picture, in exquisite colors, with each trial jar, This is a rare offer. This “ Pompeian Beauty ” is very expensive and immensely popular. Clip coupon now. Gentlemen —Faclosed find 19. (stamps or cole, for post pecking), for which please sead me a tral Jar of Pommpeta a3 ¢ rompelan Beauty" Art Picture. pnttcas 10%, UBRARY SUS or pace comicbooks.com