"A sunny day in the early 1930's. A young well-educated man walks in the main street of his small town. The young man is elegantly dressed with a grey suit, white shirt, blue tie and a pair of black, shiny shoes. He is clean-shaven and wears a wonderful French cologne. Suddenly, he stops by the door of Luigi's, a famous Italian barbershop. The old Italian Master Barber smiles at him and prepares his trusted tools for a good haircut. The young man sits down on a green leather chair and, after about 40 minutes, stands up with a beautiful Regular Contour perfectly executed on his head and kept nice, tight and shiny with a great pomade."
This is how I imagine a fine Gentleman of the 1930's, a period in which refined manners and attention to quality grooming products were part of everyday life. This is what I like to define as the Golden Age, the years between the early 1920's and late 1960's when hair pomades had their maximum splendour and were popular in every western country.
Now, after the rediscovery of the almost lost art of wet shaving, of the authentic and genuine barbershops, we are embracing the rediscovery of pomades. Since 2010 there has been a true Renaissance of hair pomades, which have quickly gained the interest and appreciation of the public all around the world. Traditional ones like Murray's Superior Pomade (originating in the mid-1920s), Brylcreem (introduced in 1928) and Royal Crown Hair Dressing (originating in 1936) have been brought back to light and new ones like Admiral, Uppercut Deluxe or Lockhart's (just to name a few) have immediately obtained the seal of approval by the most discerning Gentlemen, eager to keep their hair well groomed with the finest products available.
But what exactly are hair pomades and why are they so much better than gels or sprays? Original pomades are made with real grease and fatty ingredients, contain natural waxes and oils and are much more skin friendly than those hair products we are used to find in local supermarkets. Also, their formula assures great shine, keeping the hair soft and pliable and, at the same time, great hold. These traditional oil based pomades however do not wash out too easily and for that reason alone are not for everyone. The modern response? Water based pomades. These, as the name itself says, are water soluble, hence wash completely out with one single shampoo and, generally speaking, are easier to apply and comb. On the other hand most water based pomades contain some chemicals and may harden up like gels.
As you can see both types have their pros and cons and both types have their place. It's all up you and your personal preferences. One thing however is sure: a new Golden Age has just started, right now, under our noses. Enjoy the wonderful world of hair pomades!
This is how I imagine a fine Gentleman of the 1930's, a period in which refined manners and attention to quality grooming products were part of everyday life. This is what I like to define as the Golden Age, the years between the early 1920's and late 1960's when hair pomades had their maximum splendour and were popular in every western country.
Now, after the rediscovery of the almost lost art of wet shaving, of the authentic and genuine barbershops, we are embracing the rediscovery of pomades. Since 2010 there has been a true Renaissance of hair pomades, which have quickly gained the interest and appreciation of the public all around the world. Traditional ones like Murray's Superior Pomade (originating in the mid-1920s), Brylcreem (introduced in 1928) and Royal Crown Hair Dressing (originating in 1936) have been brought back to light and new ones like Admiral, Uppercut Deluxe or Lockhart's (just to name a few) have immediately obtained the seal of approval by the most discerning Gentlemen, eager to keep their hair well groomed with the finest products available.
But what exactly are hair pomades and why are they so much better than gels or sprays? Original pomades are made with real grease and fatty ingredients, contain natural waxes and oils and are much more skin friendly than those hair products we are used to find in local supermarkets. Also, their formula assures great shine, keeping the hair soft and pliable and, at the same time, great hold. These traditional oil based pomades however do not wash out too easily and for that reason alone are not for everyone. The modern response? Water based pomades. These, as the name itself says, are water soluble, hence wash completely out with one single shampoo and, generally speaking, are easier to apply and comb. On the other hand most water based pomades contain some chemicals and may harden up like gels.
As you can see both types have their pros and cons and both types have their place. It's all up you and your personal preferences. One thing however is sure: a new Golden Age has just started, right now, under our noses. Enjoy the wonderful world of hair pomades!
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