Life, 1927-01-27 · page 2 of 35
Life — January 27, 1927 — page 2: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **Listerine advertisement**, not political satire. The page promotes Listerine antiseptic as an inexpensive facial astringent for women. The image shows a woman at a mirror examining her face, with text emphasizing Listerine's low cost compared to other astringents. The ad claims it tightens pores, firms skin, and produces a "youthful" appearance. A small insert mentions Listerine's original use: helping dentists market toothpaste by creating the concept of "halitosis" (bad breath) as a social problem requiring their product. This reflects early 20th-century advertising targeting female insecurities about appearance and social acceptability—a common marketing strategy of that era that modern readers would recognize as manipulative.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
WOMEN WILL THANK US FOR THIS THEY STICK TO IT! The way we get new users for Lis terine Tooth Paste is to get people to try it just once. After that they iteh, An astringent— delightful and so inexpensive So many women have written us con- cerning their faith in Listerine as an astringent that we feel we ought to pass the good word along. The nice thing about Listerine used this way is that the cost compared to most astringents amounts to almost noth- ing. The saving is really remarkable. Yet in effectiveness you'd look a long time before finding its equal. Gently but firmly it closes the pores, tightens sagging tissues and lazy muscles. Your rin seems fresh and firm—even youth- ul. There's no question of the importance of an astringent in the care of the skin, and we'll wager that once you try Lis- terine you'll like it above all others. Simply douse it on your face full strength. Results will delight you. Why not begin today?—Lambert Pharmacal Company, St. Louis, U.S. A. LISTERINE —the safe antiseptic comicbooks.com