Pomade

[Chad Sanborn]

Hair pics today!

Not a big vintage day for me today. But I did use my trusty Murrays Beeswax! No Hairspray or helmet head

 

[Hugh Beaumont]

I used to use Murray's, but it's too thick.

I still stick with RC and to change things up once in awhile, I'll use Gabel's.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

I of course, have a tin of murrays under the ol sink, but I never really use the stuff, the best result is if you heat it up on the stove or with the hairdryer to get it more liquified before appication. (That's why the tins were orignally metal I beleive). I switched from Gel to that, since I hate the hard hair as well. But I now use a mix of Brylcreem and Vitalis and LOVE the results. Great shine, but nasty if you don't wash it out before your put your head on your pillow!

 

[de Stokesay]

I have very thick, wavy hair that if not properly controlled results in extreme Kramer head. It is about 6-8" long on top and whitewalled very high on the sides and back (think 1930's military cut) so there is a lot of it on the top to keep under control. I have used Murray's original since August of 2007 and am about 1/2 way through my second can. I used to find that it made my pillowcase quite greasy and was very hard to wash out but have since discovered that the key is to use a VERY, VERY, VERY small quantity followed by a thorough scrubbing with hot water immediately after applying it and before combing. This prevents the hair pulling effect and seen to distribute it more evenly through the hair so much less is needed. The result is that my hair stays where I put it but it does not have either that greasy feel or look. Also, since there is much less in my hair and it is more evenly distributed, it washes out easily as long as I use a shampoo that has no conditioner in it. If you want to condition it, you must use a separate conditioner afterwards as 2-in-1's seem to be much worse at stripping out the old stuff.

Really, you don't need much at all. I usually use two applications, each slightly smaller than a pea, well smeared around and heated by the friction of rubbing my palms vigorously together. Once evenly rubbed into my hair, then comes the hot water treatment where the water is splashed over my hair, which is then massaged like you would when shampooing it. After you can't feel any more greasy spots, run a comb through hot water and use that to comb your hair. That's all it takes, just using the right method which is different from any other type of hair pommade.

de Stokesay

 

[skbellis]

Murray's Super Light

Maybe you guys should try Murray's Super Light

http://murrayspomade.com/prod_details.php?id=86

I have found this to be comprable to Tres Flores with less fragrance. No need to heat it up like the standard Murray's , yet it still has pretty decent hold.

Cheers,

Scott

 

[dizzydog]

Krew Comb.

I got turned onto it recently and I have to say, its the closest thing to the Murrays hold and it washes right out the same night. Used it yesterday for the first time.

The smell is boring but its GREAT. Its a pink cream in a 4oz tub.

 

[skyvue]

I've plugged it before, but I'll plug it again -- I use Smoothe, from the John Allan chain of barbershops in NYC and Chicago.

It's more a hair cream than a pomade, but it gives me plenty of hold, with just a small dab. I don't have to wash my hair until I'm ready to, and my wife can still run her fingers through my hair.

 

[Maguire]

I've got thick, wavy hair and i've tried any and everything to give it that orderly, shiny look you see in all the old films and photos but its been luckless. I've mostly stayed with hair gel for the past few years, although i've been using brycreem and a bit of vitalis hair tonicfor the past few days since my hair is very short right now and is neat enough.

My only problem with gel is i can't put a hat on right away and its usually the last thing i do before rushing off to school or work, so the only time i end up with a lid on my head is when i'm leaving hours later. Brylcreem doesn't give me this problem but i predict in about 4 or 5 days my hair will look like kramer hair about an hour after i put brylcreem in.

I tried pomade back in the day but i found it difficult to remove the next day. That wasn't the problem, but i never properly figured out how to apply it and the results were not much better than gel. Plus i'm concerned about losing my hair. Right now wearing hat is a luxury, but i don't want to have it become a requirement to hide baldness and i figure if i avoid hairsprays or too many different things and just stick to gel i should keep my head of hair as long as my grandfather had it.

the pomades i used were crew, dax, this Sebaston "grease", and finally Royal Crown. I was most satisfied with the royal crown and to a lesser extent the dax.

 

[Bert]

I tried pomade back in the day but i found it difficult to remove the next day. That wasn't the problem, but i never properly figured out how to apply it and the results were not much better than gel. Plus i'm concerned about losing my hair. Right now wearing hat is a luxury, but i don't want to have it become a requirement to hide baldness and i figure if i avoid hairsprays or too many different things and just stick to gel i should keep my head of hair as long as my grandfather had it.

the pomades i used were crew, dax, this Sebaston "grease", and finally Royal Crown. I was most satisfied with the royal crown and to a lesser extent the dax.

Bonjour

Well, keep on using Royal Crown... It seems to be a "safe" pomade. I means that the only risk with pomade is pulling out some hairs as you comb it, if you've out to much extra thick wax, like murray's. Royal crown is very soft, so no hair being pulled out, and is mainly made of pertoleum / vaseline, that was used years ago to calm skin irritations. Hair loss is 90 % genetic, so...
You should maybe try something a little bit stiffer than RC, like Black and white or Sweet georgia brown red. But are quite soft, shiny and easy to use.
Just towel dry your hair, heat the pomade with hands, apply it on AND in the hair, style and comb, reapply, style, reapply, style...until you get the look you want.
If you have unruly hair (mine is curly), don't try to fight the natural shape of the hair. The result would be a total unatural mess. I.e., my hair goes naturaly to left, with a part on the right ; if I try to part it on the other side, i'll have to use tons of stiff wax and will get the helmet look. If I follow the natural shape, it will be easy to fix.

Amicalement, Bertrand, South West of France / Eastern Canada.

 

[skyvue]

Smoothe is closer to Brylcreem, probably, than anything else, but I like it much better. It doesn't have that tacky, sticky feeling that Brylcreem can have.

You can just use a larger dab if you want more control and more of that shiny look.

 

[brylcreem boy]

I'm really pleased with Groom and Clean been using it for a month now. Recently got laid off and to look clean cut, I cut off the pomp and went for a clean 1940's/50's business man taper with a side part. The groom and clean produces a nice deep shine is easy to comb thru and doesn't dry out and easily washes out. If I need more hold I just mix in some royal crown, murrays lite, or original Murrays, as long as you put the groom and clean in 1st it all washes out in one quick wash and the groom and cleans cut the thick murrays so you can easily recomb.

I'll try to snap a quick pic tonight, check out the guy holding the microphone in the far right of the picture, this is my haircut to a T, I just go for a little more shine and slickness.

 

[brylcreem boy]

I of course, have a tin of murrays under the ol sink, but I never really use the stuff, the best result is if you heat it up on the stove or with the hairdryer to get it more liquified before appication. (That's why the tins were orignally metal I beleive). I switched from Gel to that, since I hate the hard hair as well. But I now use a mix of Brylcreem and Vitalis and LOVE the results. Great shine, but nasty if you don't wash it out before your put your head on your pillow!

Never thought about mixing brylcreem and vitalis, does it give pretty good hold?? I always found that vitalis had such a strong smell, how much are you having to use Tom??

 

[Hugh Beaumont]

Part of the experience is the SMELL!!!!

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Never thought about mixing brylcreem and vitalis, does it give pretty good hold?? I always found that vitalis had such a strong smell, how much are you having to use Tom??

I don't actually use Vitalis. I work at K-Mart and use our house brand hair tonic, American Fare, I have no sense of smell, so I can't tell you for sure, but many customers of course ask me about the product and such and often tell me that the smell is not nearly as strong with American Fare as Vitalis.

I use a dab of Brylcreem for top and back and one more small dab for each side. Finally, I use 4 squirts of Hair Tonic top, both sides, and back.

 

[brylcreem boy]

Part of the experience is the SMELL!!!!

That's true, thats part of what allured me to using groom and clean, I remembered that smell as a boy, my dad used to slather that onto my hair like crazy for school pictures and church.

 

[brylcreem boy]

Not a big vintage day for me today. But I did use my trusty Murrays Beeswax! No Hairspray or helmet head

Hmmm.. never tried the Murrays beeswax, is it alot easier to work with than regular Murrays and hold just as well?? I used regular murrays on my pompadour but man I used to pull out hairs when I would comb

 

[Andreww2401]

I've been using Murray's pomade for a few months now, and it works very well for holding up the pomp, but I had been thinking of switching to beeswax, for something a little easier to deal with. Where have you folks been getting it? Is it sold at any large chain stores?

 

[Zach R.]

I've seen it at places like Kerr Drug and even Target...I'm not sure about your area though.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Be sure to check your local K-Mart, I found mine has way more vintage hair products including several pomedes, waxes, brylcreem, 2 different hair tonics even! Beats the heck out of our competitor, the Wal-Mart across the street!

 

[skbellis]

K-Mart

I was happy to find Murray's Super Lite at K-Mart. It was on clearance for $1.25 a can. I was happy with the price, but the downside is that they probably won't carry it anymore.

---Scott