Life — January 22, 1925 — page 27: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a **full-page advertisement**, not satire or political commentary. It promotes **Coty brand face powders** to women readers of *Life* magazine. The image shows an elegant cylindrical powder box with a decorative lid featuring illustrated faces. The ad emphasizes that Coty offers **nine different powder shades** to match various skin tones and complexions—larger boxes for home use, compact versions for purses. The copy references Shakespeare's *Romeo and Juliet* ("a rose by any other name...") to argue that while many powders smell pleasant, only Coty's formula provides the correct glamorous finish. A new shade called **"Ocre-Rose"** is highlighted for brunettes. The **Personal Service Bureau** at Coty's Fifth Avenue location offered guidance on selecting appropriate powder shades and perfumes to enhance individual beauty—reflecting early 20th-century luxury cosmetics marketing that positioned powder selection as both an art and personal service for women.