I’m in the GEM/EverReady phase of my razor rotation. So naturally I’m wasting my time looking at researching old GEM and EverReady advertisements. And I found a gem (pun intended) of an ad, which don’t hit me quite like they probably hoped it would.

You shave again or… I don’t go! I think it’s meant to be a threat, given how the lady in the photo looks.

The five o’clock shadow was used in a lot of GEM ad from the thirties. We all – at least all we all who have dark beards – suffer from slightly darker cheeks in the afternoon. But GEM claimed that their MicroMatic razor and the GEM blade would shave you so close the dreaded shadow wouldn’t appear.

Now… I’ve used a GEM in a GEM, as the ad recommends, and I still get some shadow in the afternoons. But if that means I don’t have to go out, but instead gets to stay home…

You shave again or I don’t go? Great, I’ll put on some comfy pants, make some snacks, and see what movies we have on the network. Sounds like a much better way to spend an evening.

But the ad is correct on one issue though; a GEM in a GEM makes for a perfect shave.