bogeyandruby

I always thought a pomade was a type of waxy paste that you slicked through your hair when going for that pompadour look, open palm at your hairline, fingers spread wide as your rake them back towards your crown, then up to the heavens with a final squeeze, tease and tug of your digits at the end of the maneuver. This required you to lock eyes with the image in the mirror, tilt your head downwards while maintaining that gaze, sneer your upper lip, raise your collar with a shrug of your shoulders, and sling your 1956 Gibson around your back.

The only time I ever performed this move myself was in the 1980s. My version required a comb for teasing a little more texture into my bangs, followed by extra-hold hairspray. Here’s a hair hack for you: use a blow dryer with your head tilted downwards to keep it all in place.

Yesterday, I discovered that in some Francophone cultures there’s a “pomade” for every skin ailment you could possibly think of : dry skin, itchy skin, painful skin lesions, and mushrooms, which explained why the gentleman in question insisted on putting some between his toes.

Apparently the origin of the word pomade is from the Latin root pomum meaning apple (the world’s very first hair gel back in the 16th century) and the French word pommade which means ointment.

Ahh …

Next time I see my family doctor, I will ask him to prescribe some pomade for my eczema.

In the meantime, I have traded in my 1980s hair pomades for some calming balms to tame the voluminous Brillo pad growing out of the top of my head.

Have a great hair day, everyone!