#129 Brylcreem

You know it, that old fashioned looking red pot (or blue for the dandruff sufferer), on the supermarket shelf next to the gels and moulding pastes. The only hair product man enough for your grandfather to use.

I have two early memories of Brylcreem: my poppa slicking his hair back in a way that would make a goodfella proud, and a wartime book I read about a boy whose father worked as a barber. Its old-worldliness has always held a certain appeal for me so I decided to do some reading.

Brylcreem was invented by an English chemist in 1928, and soon became the product of choice for young men who craved a smooth, slicked back 'do. Its 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 through your hair! – was the inspiration behind Fred Flinstone's famous "Yabba Dabba Doooo". The last line of the jingle was changed in the 1960s to They'll love the natural look it gives your hair when dry hair became popular for men. (The product stayed exactly the same, but that's marketing for you.)

I had a black tie party to go to last week so I set out to find a pot. Three supermarkets later I was starting to get a little desperate – and a lot past my one hour lunch break. The last place I went to was my friendly neighbourhood chemist who came out from behind the counter and showed me to his well stocked shelf. An old-world product obviously deserves old-world service. After showering, shaving and tying my blue spotted bow tie, a little dab of Brylcreem set me on my way. Alas. I forgot the Old Spice.