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Brylcreem
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Brylcreem (pronounced brill-cream) is a brand name pomade, the
precursor to today's hair gel. Created in 1929, Brylcreem was invented
at the Chemico Works in Bradford Street, Birmingham, England. Brylcreem
was the first mass-marketed men's hair care product. Its
purpose is to keep combed hair in place. The shiny "wet" look it gave
to the hair was de rigueur for men's hair styles for many years. Other
substances, including petroleum jelly, were in use for this purpose
earlier and made popular by such figures as Rudolph Valentino of silent
movies fame. Brylcreem's use declined during the 1960s as men's hair fashions changed to favor "the dry look" over the "wet look".
The jingle
"Brylcreem -- A Little Dab'll Do Ya!" introduced TV viewers to this
greasy substance. Fred Flintsone's "Yabba Dabba Doo" comes directly
from Brylcreem's famous motto.
Brylcreem is sold in
a tube in the US, and a jar in Europe. The user is instructed to
squeeze out a small amount, rub between the palms, apply evenly through
the hair, and comb hair into place.
Brylcreem's
ingredients are: water, mineral oil, beeswax, fragrance, calcium
hydroxide, BHT, dimethyl oxazolidine, magnesium sulfate, and stearic
acid.
Viewers of the
sitcom Seinfeld will recall the bald character George mentioning in one
episode that he still had Brylcreem in his medicine cabinet.
Brylcreem has seen a
comeback beginning in the late 1990s thru today, as a new generation of
men return to using pomades and creams. Part of this trend seems to be
a desire to get away from the "helmet hair" that is typical with most
gels. Most hair care manufacturers now offer a petrolatum, wax, or oil
based hair product that leaves hair pliable yet offers control and a
sleek look. This affords a man wide styling options: one can comb in a
perfect DA like John Travolta in Grease, get the "bed-head" look, slick
that short "Princeton" down, or put in that super straight part before
heading off to that job interview. Brylcreem is a perfect choice for
achieving today's hair styling options.
Brylcreem is marketed in the US by the Combe Corporation; in Europe, by the Sara Lee Corporation.
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