Pomades

Pomade (/pɒˈmeɪd/; French pommade) is a greasy, waxy, or a water-based substance that is used to style hair. Pomade gives the user's hair a shiny, slick appearance, and does not dry it out. It lasts longer than most hair care products, taking 10 washes to remove. The original pomade of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries consisted mainly of bear fat or lard. Lanolin, beeswax, and petroleum jelly have been used extensively in the manufacture of modern pomades. Stiffening properties of pomades make sculptured hairstyles such as the pompadour or quiff possible; while long lasting moisturizing properties make it popular with individuals with Afro-textured hair.

The English word "pomade" is derived from French pommade meaning "ointment", itself arising from the Latin pomum (fruit, apple) via the Italian pomata or pomo (meaning "apple"—as the original ointment recipe contained mashed apples). Modern pomades may contain fragrances, but they are usually not particularly fruity.

During the Roman era, soap was used as a pomade by some European tribes. In the 19th century, bear fat was usually the main pomade ingredient. By the early 20th century, petroleum jelly, beeswax, and lard were more commonly used. Early 20th century examples of pomades include Murray's Superior Pomade (originating in the mid-1920s),Brylcreem (introduced in 1928), and Royal Crown Hair Dressing (originating in 1936). Dixie Peach Hair Pomade was popular with teenage boys in the U.S. from World War II through the 1960s.

Pomades were once much more popular than they are today, although they have made a comeback in the 2010s with recent additions to the marketplace, which feature far less lanolin or bees wax in their formulation. Modern hairstyles involving the use of pomade include the ducktail, pompadour, and quiff.

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