Aqua Velva mouthwash?

Discussion in 'Preshave and Aftershave' started by sffone, Sep 11, 2010.

  1. sffone

    sffone Member

    I just came across this interesting tidbit: Aqua Velva was originally introduced as an alcohol-based mouthwash for men in 1929 by the JB Williams Company (later acquired by GlaxoSmithKline).
     
  2. faster_than_u

    faster_than_u Member

    Yes, yes it was and listerine was an aftershave/antiseptic
     
  3. jfever311

    jfever311 Active Member

    Listerine is a darn good AS splash. Learned that when I was just a kid.
     
    Ursa likes this.
  4. and did not say the best ... during World War II American soldiers were accustomed to "drink" water Velva, because 'he had a high alcohol content! to avoid using food, water produced in Velva put an element that could prevent ingestion ... but it seems science fiction and 'truth'!
     
  5. Alan

    Alan Well-Known Member

    Yes, my father told me during the war the juicers would drink AV because they couldn't get any other alcohol.

    Alan in AZ
     
  6. faster_than_u

    faster_than_u Member

    If you tried that now I think you would puke if you could even swallow it. Bittering agent just sounds gross
     
  7. paydepst

    paydepst Member

    Aach! Scary! Don't think I would give that a go but surely when it was marketed as that it didn't have the bittering agent.
     
  8. faster_than_u

    faster_than_u Member

    no it wasnt until around the 50's that it got bitter
     
  9. olblueyez

    olblueyez New Member

    The drink of choice when no spirits were available was mouthwash.
     
  10. simmonds

    simmonds Member

    Sorry for resurrecting an old thread but I thought I would help clear up the mouthwash myth. Aqua Velva actually kicked off in 1920/1921 as an after shave. Here is a picture of my 1921 sample bottle which has no mention of a mouth wash and a picture of my mid 20s full size bottle which I use to decant modern AV. Also is the 1921 ad for the sample I have.

    Chris.

    [​IMG]
    By chrissimmonds at 2011-11-18

    [​IMG]
    By chrissimmonds at 2011-11-22
     
    GDCarrington likes this.
  11. GDCarrington

    GDCarrington Burma Shave

    Excellent posting and again welcome aboard!
     
  12. Hanzo

    Hanzo Well-Known Member

    Wow, great bottles. Have never seen AV bottles that old before. NICE!
     
  13. Paul Turner

    Paul Turner outside the quote(s) now

    In 1935, Williams made it into what it is today, but-sadly I'm cutting back on Aqua Velva just for that reason(the mouthwash history).
     
  14. pundi64

    pundi64 Well-Known Member

    I guess if you like smelling farts, that smell like aftershave AV, then that would be right up your alley
     
    NapalmCola likes this.
  15. NapalmCola

    NapalmCola Well-Known Member

    I don't know how true it is but supposedly old spice was originally a woman's perfume until a new company bought it out and repackaged it as a man's cologne. Better cut back on it as well.
     
  16. Omaney

    Omaney Well-Known Member

    Ive seen this done. Makes me sad.
     
  17. preidy

    preidy Just call me Dino

    I wonder if it voids the warranty if you don't spit it out?
     
  18. crackstar

    crackstar Israeli Ambassador to TSD

    Imagine that - and all these years I thought AV was just an aftershave!
     
  19. Omaney

    Omaney Well-Known Member

    I'm having trouble with wrapping my mind around Listerine as an aftershave after 40+ years of mouthwash advertisements.
     
    youngunn and Robyflexx like this.
  20. Paul Turner

    Paul Turner outside the quote(s) now

    yeowww....I was going to return to that a bit this summer, but not now.
     

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