Bear Fat and Mashed Apple - What’s in your Hair Gel! - By: Gareth Hoyle1

Bear fat can be difficult to come by these days, so what’s a boy to do when styling his hair? Yes, bear fat was a common ingredient in ‘pomades’ during the 19th century, and judging by those starchy photos of Victorian men, it worked wonders. Thankfully, for bears at least, the ingredients in the traditional pomade have changed a little since the early days. On the way, ingredients have varied from beeswax to lard – OK, much the same as bear fat! More modern varieties are now available, while some still contain beeswax; ingredients are more likely to be based on a mixture of lanolin and other less offensive natural products! The word ‘Pomade’ has its origins in the French ‘Pomade’ – literally an ointment – which itself came from the Latin ‘Pomum’, meaning fruit, or apple. The original pomades were often scented with fruit, particularly mashed apples. While scented varieties are still popular, mashed apple is rarely used!

Waxing Popularity:

Lanolin, in case you were wondering, is a natural oil that is contained in sheep’s wool. It is well known for its moisturising qualities, being an ingredient in many hand and skin creams. Pomades were popular throughout the 19th century and continued to be a favourite grooming product for men during the early to mid 20th century, creating a slick, lustrous look. In 1950’s and 1960’s they were used to create a ‘man-about-town’ look and also became popular amongst the ‘Teddy Boys’ of the same era.

Grease is The Word:

Pomades, such as ‘Black & White’ and Brilliantine largely fell out of favour later in the 20th century, but are beginning to see something of a comeback. ‘Black & White’ have recently launched an advertising campaign, associating the product with wealth, power and style. At the same time the US series ‘Mad Men’ has popularised the short, slick stylish look of the business man of the 1960’s.

The Modern Man:

Despite the lack of Bear Fat or Lard, modern hair wax, pomades and hair gels are extremely effective. Top brands still include ‘Black & White’, while they have been joined by others such as ‘American Crew’, ‘Dax’ and ‘MOP’. MOP – or Modern Organic Products to give them their full name – specialise in, yes you guessed it, organic hair and styling products. The range of products that all of these manufacturers can supply not only work well to create the classic look of the 20th century, but with incredible styling and holding qualities will work to create and retain just about any look you can imagine!

So, if you are a latter-day man about town the traditional pomade is just the thing to create the look for you – without, we hope the bear fat and mashed apple!

About the Author

Pomade has been popular since the 19th century and has recently seen a return to fashion, allowing you to create a sleek, stylish look.

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