Brylcreem
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Brylcreem (pronounced brill-cream) is a brand name of a men's hair grooming product. It was created in 1928 by County Chemicals at the Chemico Works in Bradford Street, Birmingham, England. County Chemicals is also noted for 'Chemico' – a very popular abrasive kitchen cleaner.
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 film 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".
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