Brylcreem
Brylcreem is a brand name of men's hair groom. It was created in 1929 by County Chemicals at the Chemico Works in Bradford Street,
Birmingham,
England. County Chemicals, who still exist today in Shirley, were also noted for 'Chemico' a very popular abrasive kitchen cleaner.
Brylcreem's purpose is to keep
combed hair in place. It is essentially an
emulsion of
water and mineral oil stabilised with
beeswax. Other ingredients are
fragrance,
calcium hydroxide,
BHT, dimethyl oxazolidine,
magnesium sulfate, and
stearic acid.
Encyclopedia
Brylcreem is a brand name of men's hair groom. It was created in 1929 by County Chemicals at the Chemico Works in Bradford Street,
Birmingham,
England. County Chemicals, who still exist today in Shirley, were also noted for 'Chemico' a very popular abrasive kitchen cleaner.
Brylcreem's purpose is to keep
combed hair in place. It is essentially an
emulsion of
water and mineral oil stabilised with
beeswax. Other ingredients are
fragrance,
calcium hydroxide,
BHT, dimethyl oxazolidine,
magnesium sulfate, and
stearic acid.
Brylcreem is sold in a tube in the US, and a pot in Europe. The two formulations are slightly different. It is marketed in the US by Combe Incorporated; in Europe, by the
Sara Lee Corporation.
The shiny "wet" look it gave to the hair was de rigueur for men's hair styles for many years in the
20th century. Other substances, including macassar oil and petroleum jelly, had been 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". However, it has seen a comeback since the late
1990s. It is remarketed in Europe under a
Ministry of Hair banner alongside companion gel and wax products in squeeze bottles, rarely sold directly alongside the traditional Brylcreem. In the US, the traditional Original Brylcreem has undergone a resurgence as a new generation discovers it. This appears to be a response to market pressures and a trend to get away from the "helmet hair" that is common with gels, with a new generation of men, including many in a number of subcultures, returning to using pomades and creams. Most hair care manufacturers now offer similar petrolatum, wax, or oil based hair products that give hair a sleek and pliable look while maintaining control for styles such as
DA, "bed-head" and "Princeton".
Instructions on the use of the product state that "a little dab will do ya." What constitutes "a little dab" is subject to interpretation and desired effect. Hair length and bulk will also play into how much product to use.
In Europe, the footballer
David Beckham signed up to a promotional deal with Brylcreem, until he shaved his head.
The current resurgence of the original Brylcreem's popularity is also taking place in the UK, with one major marketing factor being that it actually strengthens and improves hair in addition to styling , unlike many gels including Brylcreem gels that actually dry out your hair/scalp with everyday usage.
Cultural references
It was advertised on TV by the jingle "Brylcreem -- A Little Dab'll Do Ya!" .
Its popularity with
Royal Air Force pilots in
World War II led to their nickname,
The Brylcreem Boys. This is the title of a 1998 film about downed pilots interned in the
Republic of Ireland.
Ironically, Tony Gibson, the model shown in RAF uniform to advertise Brylcreem during
World War II, was an
anarchist and
conscientious objector.
In the
sitcom Seinfeld is an American [i] television [i] situation comedy [i] set in New York City [i] ...
, the bald character George mentioned that he still had Brylcreem in his medicine cabinet.
In the
raggare subculture Brylcreem is often used in the hair.
In the
Jimmy Buffett song, "Pencil-Thin Mustache", the artist reminisces about the "old days" and sings the line, "Brylcreem, A Little Dab'll Do Ya!"
In the web
comic strip , a bespectacled, pale-colored,
egghead-type schoolboy in the strip is nicknamed "Brylcreem", for his slicked-up hair.
References
Tony Gibson: Conscientious objector who became the smooth image of the RAF, Donald Rooum and Rufus Segar, The Guardian, April 30, 2001.
Gary Soto 's poem "Behind Grandma's House"
External links
