Tag Archives: beauty

That’s hot.

Print ad for Coty Paris found in the December 1946 issue of Art News magazine.
Print ad for Coty Paris found in the December 1946 issue of Art News magazine.

Introduced in 1923 by François Coty.

The history of Coty.

What the heck is dusting powder?

Of curious note is that they show the range of prices from high to low instead of low to high like many of us these days are more used to. Perhaps to help seal the deal it was high-end stuff.

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Stiff Competition

What a lovely and fashionable girl.

What do you suppose the 1913 ad she was featured in was selling?

Go ahead, take a guess.

An upscale department store?

No.

The season’s latest fur styles?

No.

A vacation to exotic Canada?

No.

Embalming fluid?

What are you, some kind of wise guy!?

Oh, wait…

You’re right!

It’s an ad for embalming fluid.

Magazine ad for the Clarke Fluid Company found in the December 1913 issue of The Sunnyside by Charles Addams back in the 1950s.
Magazine ad for the Clarke Fluid Company found in the December 1913 issue of The Sunnyside by Charles Addams back in the 1950s.

D-uh. It’s so obvious now!

Bone Shards:

Ripley’s has a lovely handful of weird embalming stories just waiting for you.

The next time you’re in Houston, don’t forget to stop at the National Museum of Funeral History. Slogan: “Any day above ground is a good one.”

I know! I’m sad I missed out on this auction too.

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You might feel a little prick.

1948 magazine ad for Elizabeth Arden
1948 magazine ad for Elizabeth Arden

Sometimes a cactus is just a cactus.

Elizabeth Arden was born Florence Nightingale Graham.

The history of lipstick? Well, if you insist.

Did you know drinking cactus water might not be such a good idea?

A $1.25 lipstick in 1948 would cost $13.72 today.

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This is Sean. Don’t cramp Sean’s style.

1974 magazine ad for Midol.
1974 magazine ad for Midol. 

Fun facts: Midol was originally advertised as a headache, neuralgia and toothache remedy, then later as a cure for hiccups. After that, it headed south.

An anti-spasmodic (antispasmodic these days) drug suppress muscle spasms. Hello, IBS!

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The Snow Job

Ad for Thin Gillettes (I forgot to mark the date.)
Ad for Thin Gillettes (I forgot to mark the date.)

The railroad version of a rotary plow is pretty badass. Imagine shaving with that puppy.
See one in action on Donner Pass.
Yep, that Donner.

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You’ve got style! You’ve got flair! Something phallic for your hair!

1974 magazine ad for Vitalis Dry 3

Vitalis Dry 3 is sold in a can that looks like a robot’s penis, but leaves you softer and not as stiff. I’m getting mixed messages here. Continue reading

For when simply lame just won’t do.

la mer