…and then gives us special permission to break them so we feel like their product is the most liberating thing ever.
I was watching TV the other night when I happened across an ad for Shick Quattro, a razor for women (you can tell it apart from Shick’s razors for men because it’s pink, obviously). It’s a fairly unremarkable ad until you get to the tagline at the end:
“Such long-lasting smooth skin, you could skip a day or two.”
I can? Gee, thanks Shick Quattro!
I’ll admit it, it’s shorts season - I shave my legs if they’re going to be out in public. But I have never ever shaved more frequently than every three days, not for vacations or second dates or any of those things we’re not supposed to do without flawlessly smooth legs.
Now, everyone’s hair grows at different speeds, and if there are women out there shaving every day then who am I to find fault with that? But the assumption that all of us are just doing this every morning as part of our regular shower routine blows my mind.
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four comments
Thanks for posting this, Cate!
I'm proud to say that I never shave my legs. It's just seems so pointless-under armpits I can understand, because if you don't shave they smell. But when I tried shaving my legs once it took ages, and they got all scratched. I think they look beautiful, hair and all.
Apparently women never shaved their legs until WW2, when razor companies started losing sales as all the men went overseas and either bought european razors, or just let their hair grow. so, they started advertising that obviously hairless legs were essential to femininity, ect, ect...
If other women think that their legs look more beautiful hairless, more power to them. But I agree that it's really annoying to have advertisers pressuring so much.
Posted by proudlyhairy
June 20, 2008, 1:53 PM
My Shick is green. :)
Posted by Jelly
June 21, 2008, 8:06 PM
You know, I used to subscribe to the "hairy=smelly" credo, but I've come to believe it's a myth. I subjected my pits to waxing one hot summer because I was convinced it would cut down on reek, but I think actually that hair helps keep the area moist and therefore cool and therefore less prone to sweat.
I can't believe I'm actually about to press "submit" for this. I need a new hobby.
Posted by Anna
June 21, 2008, 9:52 PM
Did Shick mention that buying into this beauty regime was going to cost you 25 dollars every time you need new blades? Or 20 dollars every time you need a new razor, or 7 for the cream? Plus, that you lose 30 minutes off your day (or every three days) for no good reason? I support having the choice to shave or not shave...we just need more hairy ladies in the limelight to balance out the hairless sheen...
Posted by ALI
June 24, 2008, 1:18 PM
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