Today, the word ‘douche’ is synonymous with ‘old school product we don’t actually need.’ Ads for douches seem to be laced with the intent to harm women’s self-esteem, not to mention our vaginas, as douching can actually cause infections. But these ads have an interesting history. Did you know that douche was originally considered a birth control method, back when birth control was illegal? Because of this, it was socially camouflaged as a “hygiene product.” From there, the ads evolved into mothers and daughters with cable-knit sweaters tied around their shoulders, having talks about “feminine odor” on the beach. After the jump, take a look at the history of douching and douche advertisements—which, to this day, are still trying to convince women that a Lysol-flavored vagina is a good thing.
