Everything about Brylcreem totally explained
Brylcreem (pronounced
brill-cream) is a
brand name of a men's hair
grooming product. It was created in
1928 by County Chemicals at the
Chemico Works in Bradford Street,
Birmingham,
England. County Chemicals is 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 film 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's 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".
Jingle
It was first advertised on TV by the
jingle "Brylcreem -- A Little Dab'll Do Ya!".
Lyrics for the Brylcreem jingle:
Bryl-creem, a little dab'll do ya,
Use more, only if you dare,
But watch out,
The gals will all pursue ya,--
They'll love to put their fingers thru your hair.
Note-When the dry look became popular, the last line was changed to,
"They'll love the natural look it gives your hair."
Fred Flintstone's famous "Yabba Dabba Doo" is derived from this motto.
Subsequent television advertisements used the mottos "Grooms without gumming" and later, in t.h
1970s in the UK, "A little dab of Brylcreem on your hair gives you the Brylcreem bounce".
Cultural references
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 1961 Brylcreem sponsored a television special on
ABC television starring singer
Connie Francis titled
Kicking Sound Around. During the special Connie sang and acted alongside
Tab Hunter,
Eddie Foy Jr. and
Art Carney while providing jingle commercials for Brylcreem between acts.
A notable user of this fine product was co-founder of
Pink Floyd,
Syd Barrett. It is reported that Barrett piled so much Brylcreem on that he resembled "a guttered candle" as the hot stage lights were beating down on him, melting the creem.
The jingle is sung by
Jimmy Buffett near the end of the song "Pencil Thin Mustache" from the 1974 album
Living & Dying in 3/4 Time.
It is referenced by the
Southern Gothic rock band
Th' Legendary Shack Shakers in their song
Piss and Vinegar(External Link
) .
In 1995, a
Belgian film producer made a film,
Brylcream Boulevard, misspelling Brylcreem.
In an episode of
Seinfeld The Conversion, George mentions that he still has Brylcreem in his medicine cabinet.
In Episode 33 of
The Sopranos (originally aired April 8, 2001),
Uncle Junior says, "I've got the Feds so far up my ass I can taste Brylcreem."
In Episode 1 of Season 3 of
Scrubs (originally aired October 2, 2003),
Dr. Cox says, "Kelso is so far up my ass that I can taste Brylcreem in the back of my throat."
In an episode of
Top Gear,
Richard Hammond talks about the
Morgan Aero 8, saying that it was designed with '40 style in mind and that he should have been filmed "(...) in black and white, with Brylcreem in my hair."
In Europe, the footballer
David Beckham signed up to a promotional deal with Brylcreem, until he shaved his head.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Brylcreem'.
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