Life, 1927-02-17 · page 4 of 34
Life — February 17, 1927 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **Listerine advertisement**, not political satire. The image shows a man showering after shaving, with the headline "Amazing Exhilaration—Like a cold shower!" The ad promotes Listerine as a post-shave product, claiming it: - Provides an invigorating sensation similar to cold water - Closes pores and tones muscles - Makes users "look younger" and "feel younger" - Protects against infection The copy uses exaggerated health claims typical of early 20th-century patent medicine marketing. It's not satirizing anything—rather, it's a straightforward (if hyperbolic) product pitch leveraging masculine associations with vigor and rejuvenation. The "safe antiseptic" tagline reflects period anxieties about infection and cleanliness.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Life AFTER SHAVING Sp Amazing Exhilaration— Like a cold shower! The men are all talking about what a delight Listerine is after shaving. It is impossible to describe its effect on you. All the thrill of a cold shower is there, with none of the trouble, and with a fraction of the time. It starts you off with a bang and the whole world looks brighter. Just try it and see, and find for yourself why we are not taking a chance —the safe in risking our money to tell you. Douse it on, full strength, after the hot water. It closes the pores and draws up the muscles. You look younger—even feel young- er. And you are left with a nice feeling of safety—because Listerine insures you against possible infection. — Lambert Pharmacal Co, St Louis, U.S.A. antiseptic tree mir chet ther off | Ss fatl hate I sigh E cher you eal swe “Bu ing witl drin in | toc just drec abo the muc S: the comicbooks.com