Step 1, Description: The object is a light gray color. Is a spongy material, if one were to squeeze it with their hands it would compress easily then expand back to its prior size. The object is about 4 and a half to 5 inches in diameter and is in a crude shape of a sphere. It has a small rope, similar in color, that looks as if it could be hung from it. Up close the material is a netting that looks to be made out of a synthetic material. The netting appears to be in long strands that is rolled up and held together with something. Most of all it was found in the shower to be along with other body care products. The object was wet prior to me drying it. It smells of a body wash one may find in the bottle next to the object. The material that makes up this object may look coarse and hard but is rather soft and durable. Looking at the object and moving it back and forth in my hands I noticed my hands to be relieved from the dry skin I had on the surface.

Step 2, Deduction: One can deduce that this object is intended to scrub skin off based off of how simple it can. Along with how soft it is the user could use it throughout the body without causing any serious abrasions to the skin. Along with its placement in the bathroom one could use this in lieu of a wash clothe for the added benefit of removing skin. Due to the smell of the object it has been in recent contact with a body wash that smells distinctly the same.

Step 3, Speculation: The user of this object can be male or female. This product helps promote removal of dry skin, allowing the user to feel that their skin is healthier than usual. Along with this the user will most likely be female more than male since dry skin on males is more socially acceptable. The user would continually purchase this product since it is viewed as an effective product.

Questions about the loofah:

Does it have multiple uses?

What are the downsides, if any?

How often is a loofah replaced and why is it best to replace?

Is there a way to reduce the amount of bacteria that is found on the loofah?

What was the original intention of the loofah if it has the possibility of promoting bacteria growth?

 

Bibliography

Bottone, E. J., A. A. Perez, and J. L. Oeser. 1994. “Loofah Sponges as Reservoirs and Vehicles in the Transmission of Potentially Pathogenic Bacterial Species to Human Skin”. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY. 32 (2): 469.

In this peer-reviewed article that is found in a highly respected journal, states that the bath sponge commonly used is a “vehicle” to move bacteria throughout the body. The authors state that the sponge is a common carrier of bacteria that survives and thrives on the skin that is removed during the cleaning process. The statements a backed with a plethora of scientific test results, leading to the possible assumption that the object is not in favor of the user or their intentions.

 

Bratskeir, Kate. “You Should Probably Stop Using A Loofah In The Shower. Sorry.” The Huffington Post. July 29, 2014. Accessed January 23, 2016. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/29/loofah-clean-healthy_n_5613734.html.

The author of this open web article, takes the stance that this object is used improperly. The author states that the object is used during shower periods to help promote a cleaner self but states that it is clearly a wrong notion. In the article the author says that the loofah sponge is a bacteria covered scrub that isn’t helping rather making you worse off.

 

1. This object is four or five inches in height. It is made out of what appears to be thin metal rods painted a metallic purple.  The metal curves into two separate handles that have small holes at the end, maybe to put fingers into, comparable to scissor handles. Connecting the two handles is a metal joint that allows for movement.  Connected to the two handles is is curved platform.  When the arms of the devices are separated the platforms separate.  When separated there is a small plastic cushioning in between the platforms. The object is used my humans, seeing as there is a place for fingers.  Based on the color the device might be geared more towards women.  The curved platform suggests that it might be used on an area that has curves.  The person using this could be using it to enhance a feature.  Seeing as it was found it a woman’s makeup bag it is likely that it is for enhancing eyelashes.  The person using this is probably above the age of 13, responsible enough to make sure she doesn’t accidentally poke something.

2. How did the person using this device know how to use it?
   Has the device changed over time?
   Why and when was this device invented?

3. Pennington, Meli. “Beauty Inventions: The Eyelash Curler.” Wild Beauty RSS. February 5, 2013. Accessed January 23, 2016. http://wildbeautyworld.com/2013/02/05/beauty-inventions-the-eyelash-curler/.

In this article it says the eyelash curler was first invented in 1925, and continued to be changed and improved throughout time.  As women were getting more close ups in films it caused the general public to want to achieve the same look they saw on the silver screen.  This helped women achieve that goal.

4. Ramasamy, Balasubramanian, and Stewart Armstrong. 2010. “Penetrating eye injury caused by eyelash curlers—a cause for concern?” Graefe’s Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology : Incorporating German Journal of Ophthalmology. 248 (3): 301-303.

This article speaks about the dangers of the eyelash curler, and briefly touches on the history.  Eyelash curlers have evolved throughout time but there is still danger in using them.  The case study is about a 19 year old girl who had poked her self in the left eye many times while curling her eyelashes.

5. Pennington did not show too much similarity to Prown, she did look and try to discover why things because they way they were through speculation. Much of the information provided were names and dates that applied to the eyelash curler.  Ramasamy looked into how an eyelash curler could cause damage to the person using it, which aligned with what I was inferring about the device being for an older audience by using deductions.

https://www.engineeringthepast.com/519-2/

1. The object that I chose is a small black, square-shaped plastic case-like object. It is about 4 inches wide in diameter. On the inside there seems to be a tan substance on one side and a mirror on the other. The substance is powder like and seems to match my skin tone. This object is compact so it seems portable. Because of the mirror I can only assume it is a cosmetic product and is used for cover up. I believe someone who values beauty and looking presentable would use this object. I believe someone who is busy and needs to take this product with them can do so because of the size and mirror located inside the object.

2. Does the person using this object do so because they want to, or because society encourages it?

How does the person select the color of powder used in this object? Is it a personal decision or chosen by                 a professional?

At what age did the person start using this? And how often do they use it?

3. The information I found on the web was on the history of compacts on Wikipedia:

Wikipedia contributors, “Compact (cosmetics),”  Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Compact_(cosmetics)&oldid=624589229 (accessed January 23, 2016).

Compacts are dated back to the early 1900’s when makeup still wasn’t a socially accepted standard. They started to become more popular in the 1920’s and the styles of each compact represented what was popular at the time. For instance in 1922, Egypt inspired themes were all the rage. However starting in 1960 compacts went from being metal to plastic and disposable after the use of the powder inside. Which is what we see today, disposable cosmetics.

4. I found a peer-reviewed article on the Boise State Library database:

Chaudhri, S., & Jain, N. (2009). History of cosmetics. Asian Journal of Pharmaceutics, 3(3), 164-167. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.4103/0973-8398.56292

Cosmetics are a major part of our routine. But where did it begin and why is it such a big part of our lives? This article looks at where it all began. From the Roman and Egyptian cultures using organic materials cosmetically to the middle ages where Queen Elizabeth I used white powder to signify prestige. Using products to enhance beauty or hygiene was of high significance to each culture. For western culture it began with influences from early Hollywood and people such as Coco Chanel that dictated styles and what was important in regards to cosmetics.

6. The information I found on Wikipedia seemed to all come from secondary sources. It was also a very brief history of compacts. In my opinion it wasn’t anything like Prownian’s approach to material. I choose it because it gave a little history of the exact object that I chose for this assignment.

The peer-reviewed article that I found was more in depth. It wasn’t specific to the object that I chose, it was more broad and more information in regards to all cosmetics. I had some difficulty finding an article specifically on the history of compacts themselves. I thought this was an appropriate article because it discussed the history of cosmetics and why it is so important to many cultures, even into this century. The authors approach also included secondary sources but was similar to Prownian’s method because there were descriptions, deductions, and speculations on the products used by the different cultures.