"Sheer" Hair Remover Packaging, 1928-1935

01

Artifact Overview

In the 1910s and 1920s, as new women's fashions revealed more of the legs and underarms, body hair removal rose in popularity. Commercial depilatory creams were advertised for the first time in 1915. Some of these creams contained harmful chemicals; Sheer Pharmacal Corporation manufactured Sheer depilatory cream, which included Mercurochrome, a now-banned antiseptic made with mercury.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Packaging

Date Made

1928-1935

Creator Notes

Packaging made by Leonard & Wilson for Sheer Pharmacal Corporation, St. Louis, Missouri.

Location

at Henry Ford Museum in Your Place in Time

Object ID

93.0.25.55.1.2

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford.

Material

Cardboard

Color

White (Color)
Black (Color)
Yellow (Color)
Orange (Color)
Pink (Color)

Dimensions

Height: 6.75 in
Length: 1.75 in

Inscriptions

on front and back: Sheer hair Remover / Delicately fragrant / No Irritation on side: Sheer / Answering A Long Felt Want [...] on side: Sheer / Now THE GREATEST OF THEM ALL [...]