Brylcreem
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Brylcreem (pronounced brill-cream) is a brand name of men's hair groom. It was created in 1928 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 while giving it a deep shine or gloss. 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 both tube and pot in Europe and Canada. 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 (in a red tub) is also taking place in the UK.
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[edit] 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 , the bald character George mentioned that he still had Brylcreem in his medicine cabinet.
In the raggare subculture Brylcreem (or other brands if not available) 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 School Spirit, a bespectacled, pale-colored, egghead-type schoolboy in the strip is nicknamed "Brylcreem", for his slicked-up hair.
Tony Harrison mentions it in his poem Turns in relation to cultural differences between the working class and the middle class.
Frenchy refers to it in the movie Grease (film) (1978).
In 1995 Belgian film producer made a film "Brylcream Boulevard", mispelling Brylcreem.
[edit] 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 (b. 1952)'s poem "Behind Grandma's House"
