And Now For Something Completely Different. Hilarious Brylcreem Commercials

[launderess]

Wasn't around for the greasy hair era, so found it interesting that the "slicked back" look was once the height of cool. More so that USA marketing and advertising spread the word across the world.

 

[launderess]

How does this relate to laundry may you ask?

Well you know those bits of needle work or cloth found on backs of chairs or sofas? Well they are called "Antimacassars"

Macassar was an oil used by Victorian and Edwardian men for hair grooming. The fashion of oily hair became so widespread and such an issue that women (and others) took steps to protect their upholstered furniture from the stuff. Hence "antimacassar". Anti means "against", and women sought to keep that oil off their furniture by putting a layer of cloth between it and the greasy hair of men following that fashion.

The bits of cloth were far more easily laundered (and could withstand the strong treatment to get that oil out)than the furniture. That and or swapped out when becoming hopelessly soiled.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antimacassar[this post was last edited: 5/23/2017-18:59]

 

[gyrafoam]

Oh yes, and pillows, towels, sheets. Even worse was "butch wax", which was required by the perfect "flat-top" back in the day. I can remember sneaking some of my father's Vitalis. That cured me. No more oil.

 

[michaelman2]

DryLook

Vitalis and Brylcreem were so popular in the 50s and early 60s. I can remember a "mens hairspray" called "The DryLook" that was very popular in the 1970s.

The DryLook was basically White Rain or Adorn with a Brut cologne scent. Of course had a black label and a photograph of a guy on the can.

Also if memory serves, "hairspray" was not a term used on the can. Hairspray was for the girls at the time.

Both Brylcreem and Vitalis were mineral oil based and simply coated the hair. Neither really was capable of conditioning the hair and once washed out the hair would require another dousing / application of the oily substance.

 

[launderess]

Brylcreem and Vitalis

Sound streets better than what was in those jars or jars of Alberto Vo5. Scented Vaseline is what one called the stuff and tried always to steer clear.

 

[launderess]

Butch wax & flat top hair cut.

Had to send a message to older male relative (ex-military at that) to get the scoop on those two.

Had always called that military hair cut just that, had no idea there was an official name. In parts of the South during my childhood and one assumes for years before it was all most males both young and old wore. Can still recall grandpapa railing against "long haired.....hippies" in the 1970's when he spotted a guy with out a "flat top" hair cut.

 

[ea56]

Actually, if Alberto VO-5 is used properly its very nice on the hair. I use the Silver VO-5 on my hair after I towel dry it, just a dot the size of half a dried split pea, rub it into my palms and then rub it vigorously through my hair and "comb"it with my fingers. Its not greasy at all its fragence is light and pleasant.

I tried Brylcream inthe early 60's, I didn't like it, too greasy. And then by the mid 60's and on no one used any kind of hairdressing.
Eddie

http://'s

 

[supersuds]

Thanks, L, fun stuff.

And from Norway, there's Vitabrill. I thought this was a Onion-type parody, but as far as I can tell it's 100% authentic. Vitabrill was also sold in France. You get a glimpse of their version of the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile at the start.

 

[tolivac]

AAAGHHH-the ol' GREASER DAYS!!!!!Some folks had so much of that stuff in their hair-could use their heads to grease the coil table jackscrews in our GE transmitters!

 

[stan]

Agree with Eddie

Not greasy if used right.
Du Sharme has a very light cold cream scent.
Both VO5 and Du Sharme can be use on wet or dry hair.
Both will protect from heat, and control static electricity, frizz, ect.

 

[vacbear58]

Brylcreem Bounce

I don't remember it is tubes here in the UK just in glass jars and later red plastic cartons - seems it is still on sale too. My father used to use it.

The ad is a sort of 1970s update, I always thought it a complete fiction



I did use The Dry Look in my teens, it was not much good either as I recall

 

[frigilux]

My dad was a Vitalis guy, so that's what was used on me in the mid-1960's. The scent-memory remains vivid to this day. As others have mentioned, nearly everyone put grease/oil absorbers on their couches and chairs. Those who didn't were left with big oil spots on their soft furnishings--and as Steve mentioned, pillowcases and towels, as well. Hot-water washing was a must.

I remember when 'the dry look' became popular. Thank god, LOL.

 

[ea56]

When I was a very little boy, in the early 50's, my parents would comb my brothers and my hair with Johnson's Baby Oil before we went to bed and then put a stocking cap over our hair to "train" it. These caps were the cut off tops of my Mom's nylon's that had a knot tied onto the top where it had been cut. Then in the morning, if my Dad hadn't left for work yet he would rub our heads vigorously, what he called a "Dutch Rub", then comb our hair, making sure the part was just right.
Eddie

 

[washman]

Hi Frig!

 

[panthera]

Delightful!

Thanks, Laundress!

 

[rolls_rapide]

Chair back protectors

My gran had those - to protect the backs of armchairs and sofa from Brylcreem and the like, as Launderess says.

And I think my gran had encountered the 'Brylcreem effect' when one of my mum's then boyfriends left a greasy stain.

They always made the place seem genteel.

 

[ea56]

In the 50's just about everyone's Grandma had antimacamasser's on their upholstered furniture. My Grandma called them dollies, even though this more commonly refers to crocheted dollies that people also had on their tables under vases and such to protect the finish, I guess. Anyway, they were very commonly used. I notice that when we watch the 'Amazing Race" when they are in taxi's in Asian countries there are usually dollies on the seat backs.
Eddie

 

[wayupnorth]

Some had the same Marie Barone's plastic slip covers. Just Windex and an old towel will clean spills and excessive Brylcream in a jiffy. A little dab, not half the tube will do ya. That commercial makes me feel so old to remember when I actually used it.

 

[launderess]

Eddie I'd Pay Good Money To See

A picture of you in a stocking/wave cap. Had no idea you were "gangsta" before it was cool! *LOL*

 

[ea56]

OMG Launderess

thats too funny! The caps my Mom made were like the one the guy in the 2nd video wore. It was actually an idea that my paternal Grandma came up with to tame cowlicks. Thanks for the videos1
Eddie

 

[launderess]

I've got a million of them!

Pipe:



Not sure but think the idea of men/boys wearing a stocking cap or using a hair net goes back to the 1950's or maybe earlier.

Remember seeing some old Italian movie from the 1950's (or at least the characters were Italian), where a young man came down to breakfast wearing a "wife beater" pants and his hair was tied down in net.

Am thinking you saw this a lot with Italian men because like other Latin groups (French, Spanish, Portuguese, etc...), because as a group they are known for having good hair that is tick and often curly or with waves. For ages the best hair for wigs and hair pieces comes from Italy.

With such thick and or wavy hair it likely requires a bit of work to make it either lay straight or even stay "smooth". Just like Carlo and the rest in the Brylcreeam adverts.

 

[stan]

One mote oldie

Clairol

 

[ea56]

Oh yes Stan, I'd forgotten all about Vitapointe. Does Clairol still make it?
Eddie

 

[stan]

Hi Eddie

No Clairol recenty stopped manufacturing it. There's plenty still out there, and can still be had. Its lighter in weight that the VO5 (less scent too)
The Du Sharme is still the same, and is available .

 

[stan]

Here you go

This would last a while

 

[ea56]

Hi Stan

thanks for the 411 on Vitapointe! This is from the days of Hair So New, Remember that, it was great for getting tangles out of really long hair after it was shampooed.
Eddie

 

[stan]

Yep

I remember

 

[launderess]

Noticing a trend here?

Vitapointe:

INGREDIENTS
Aqua Paraffinum Liquidium, Synthetic Beeswax, Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate Propylene Glycon, Magnesium Sulfate, Parfum Polyglycaryl 3, Diisostearate Sorbitan Isostearate, DMDM Hydantoin, Triethanolamine, Lodopropynyl, Butyl Carbamate Cl 47005.

DuSharme:

CONTAINS: MINERAL OIL, BEESWAX, WATER, PARAFFIN, LANOLIN, SODIUM LAURYL SUFFATE, FRAGRANCE, SODIUM BORATE, METHYLPARABEN, PROPYLPARABEN.

Alberto Vo5 Hairdressing:
Mineral Oil (Paraffinum Liquidum), Petrolatum, Lanolin, PEG-8 Dilaurate, Paraffin, Isopropyl Myristate, Panthenol, Ascorbic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Niacinamide, Biotin, Propylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, BHT, Fragrance (Parfum).

Nice little summation of top "old school" men's hair grooming aids:

http://www.artofmanliness.com/2011/...air-grooms-to-give-you-that-cary-grant-shine/

One of my siblings once tried DAX hair dressing. Sadly he was a bit to generous with the stuff, and applied it daily for several before washing his head. In the end the bottle of Dawn dishwashing liquid was fetched from the kitchen, it was the only thing that would get that gunk out of his head.

Two more final videos only because this kid nails it about Brylcreem and Alberto Vo5:

 

[launderess]

Clairol's "Hair So New" and Johnson's "No More Tangles" spray cream rinse/detangler were in every bathroom with females and or young children when one was growing up in the 1970's.

Both were early incarnations of silicone use in hair products meant to address snarls, tangles, knots, etc... Now of course there are entire shelves in beauty aisles of shops with tons of oils, serums, shampoos, conditioners and so forth loaded with silicones.

Johnson's "No More Tangles" was actually invented to deal with the hair of toddlers as they loose their baby fluff and "real" hair begins to come in. Even often using baby shampoo or something equally gentle was not enough to prevent knots, and tangles. Then began the tug of war as a mother or whoever did the hair washing had to come out that knotted mess of hair. All this with often a toddler crying blue murder and going "ouch"!

 

[gyrafoam]

Co-incidence Prell Shampoo disappeared -----

with the use of all the hair dressings?
I always thought Prell was kind of like Janitor-in-a-Drum for hair. Or maybe Grease Relief. I could always tell if someone wasn't shampooing very well from the greasy residue left on bath towels. Or guys who would apply the hairdressings and then just wipe off their hands on the hand towels without bothering to wash off the dressing. Gross.