Asides - Cruel and unusual punishment for as low as 50 cents

One of the interesting aspects of collecting film magazines of the twenties and thirties, aside from the pictures, articles, and film reviews of the day, are the ads. While several companies and products like Maybelline, Lifebuoy (who by the way coined the term "B.O." in an ad campaign) and Listerine, still exist, there were dozens if not hundreds of other products designed to provide the woman of the day the hope of enhancing her allure. While many of the products and ads could be described as quaint, a number of them seem downright dangerous. What follows is a head to toe look at some of the products available to the reader of the day who was looking to emulate their favorite screen star. Click on the images for a larger view.

Masion Jeunesse offered Waveen for only $.50 a bottle.

Screen Play Secrets magazine, April 1930

Imagine your significant other rolling over and getting a gander at that contraption.

Screen Play Secrets magazine, April 1930

And if Anita's product didn't do it for you,
try Dr. Josephs Nose Corrector.

Screen Play Secrets magazine, April 1930
(only one page away from the Anita ad)

Science comes to the rescue with Kolor-Bak.
Photoplay magazine, October 1930

Antimole - who knows what was in this stuff from
the beauty capital, Lincoln, Nebraska
Photoplay magazine, October 1930

Chin up, you too can have that perfect profile.
There is a Dorothy Gray product available today and users swear by it. Looks like she had her own building!
Photoplay magazine, October 1930

Photoplay magazine, October 1930

These products seem to enter the danger zone - just bleach your face to beauty.
Movie Classic magazine, June 1933

Too big - write Doris Kent.

Hollywood magazine, April 1933

Too small, write Marie Dunne.
Hollywood magazine, April 1933

Forget panty hose - use gum rubber hose, great on a summer day.
Photoplay magazine, October 1930

Marchand's Golden Hair Wash - leg and arm hair that is.
Again, just bleach it!
Movie Classic magazine, June 1933

Never mind, forget the bleach you Airedale. This stuff destroys
body hair without that blue look!
Movie Classic magazine, June 1933

And finally, I don't really know what to say about this product, except that Irene Delray finds it a pleasure to use. Manufactured by the Connecticut Telephone and Electric corporation and available in several colors, I wonder how many different uses Ms. Delray found.
Photoplay magazine, October 1930