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May 2025
No. 27
Beauty and Wellness
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That Was Then
Basting your body with baby oil and lying on a pool float all summer was once a legitimate pastime. This ad from 1971 pitches the oil as a means to a fast, deep, lasting tan. And not just any tan but a tan befitting a romantic heroine. That’s because Ali MacGraw, the model in the white bonnet, was the era’s romantic heroine as the star of the movie Love Story, which came out the year before. Needless to say, the ad is a total fiction. MacGraw’s character in the movie didn’t fare too well, nor did anyone who believed in the folly of a baby-oil bronze. —Linda Wells

May 2, 2025

Photo: adsR/Alamy
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Issue No. 27
May 2, 2025
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Issue No. 27
May 2, 2025