Did you know that pomade was developed in the 19th century and was originally made of bear fat? Into the 20th century, the most common ingredients featured lard, beeswax and petroleum jelly.
Pomade in its original form was as natural as any hair product in history. But as styles changed, so did the demands expected of pomade, which caused heavier, less natural incarnations to be developed.
Royal Crown Hair Dressing and Murray’s Pomade are examples of pomade born out of this development and period in history. The effect of those products was the slick, greased back look popular in the 1950s and was heavily dependent on petroleum jelly, its main ingredient.
The word pomade is from the French word “pommade,” which means “ointment,” and derived from the Latin word “pomum,” which meant “apple.” The original recipe for pomade featured apples, which explains the consistency and feel that men have come to expect over time, though it has also become less organic.