Life — October 28, 1920 — page 37: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is an **advertisement** for Odorono's depilatory product, not political satire. The page promotes hair removal for women's underarms—then a novel beauty concern. The illustration shows a glamorous woman examining her underarm, styled in 1920s fashion with elaborate hair and makeup. The accompanying text uses period-appropriate language emphasizing "delicacy" and femininity, positioning hair removal as essential for proper womanhood. Key context for modern readers: **underarm hair removal was not standard practice until the early 20th century.** This ad helped normalize the practice by framing natural body hair as "impertinent" and unfeminine. The emphasis on the product being "pleasant" and leaving only "faint fragrance of almonds" addresses women's likely hesitation about chemical depilatories. The $1.00 price and mail-order option indicate this was a premium product for affluent consumers. This represents early **consumer advertising targeting female insecurity**—a marketing strategy that became dominant throughout the 20th century.