Hasta La Ideas

The fifties was a decade of cold war between the East and the West. Sweden had a geographically precarious position between Nato and the Warsaw pact. Sweden also had one of the world’s strongest air forces and made serious plans to build nuclear weapons. In spite of all the money that was spent (or invested, if you will) in defense during those years, hardly anything remains. Nothing except the only skin care product almost every Swedish male knows and have used. Försvarets Hudsalva, or Defense Forces Cerat. The cerat was developed during the fifties by the Swedish Military Pharmacy as a remedy for blisters and cold sores, but its uses quickly expanded as grunts discovered its versatility. It was used greasing bicycle chains and door hinges, as shoeshine, as a substitute for butter, for dry elbows, as ski wax and, it is rumored, as frying fat. Today this icon product is also used as lip cerat, paw ointment for dogs and much more. A 25 ml pack is SEK 29:- (approx. USD 4:-) at the Swedish Pharmacy web shop. Manufactured by APL, Apoteket Produktion Laboratorier.brbr