So I follow a facebook group called "Addicted To Pomade" and it is kind of cool because it lets you see how many pomade brands are out there and man there are a lot! As I worked on the last post which was a review of Ivan Zoot's pomade and the Bona Fide pomade I got to thinking about being a kid.
I was using pomade back in junior high a pomade by DAX. I remember it being this green color and made with vegetable oil. It came in a plastic can with a metal lid. It was not the best smelling product in the world but it did the job
Then came the painful task of using Murray's (yeah you heard me...painful). I have used this off and on for many years now and my wife still hates it becuase it will be in my hair for days. That bright oragne can with the pomade you have to melt down to make usable. I learned quickly you better have a good brush and a blow dryer handy. You can not get more old school then this, but I was happy the day i found the Murray's light!
Then came Royal Crown Hairdressing. I am not even sure when I found this but it was awesome because all I had to do was put it and come it through. That is what I used in my hair on my wedding day and I still like using....high shine. I will be honest pomade back then never smelled the best, it was grease, oil and wax.
Layrite Pinup by id Stankovit
I had just started barber school when I got my first can of Layrite (courtesy of Don Hawley himself) and man was I grateful. held well and washed right out. I now had something that smelled good and worked well (I also got my pillowcases back).
I did not have Layrite, Suavecito or Hold Fast. I was so happy the day I got my first can of Laytite (and so was my wife). I am happy that companies have started putting out really good water based products but I am also happy to see people making there own pomades as well. It is cool to see so many different kinds, weights and scents becuase I did not have the options that people have now!
Stay Greasey and Support Your Local Barber!!
Frankie The Barber
Well here it is folks the end of the year is only a few days away and I figured since all the cool kids are doing these "Best Of..." list I may just as well join the band wagon and do a year in review. This is not in any particular order or by event just some stuff that I have personally payed attention to over the year or been a part of..
The barber battle invade California!! These hugely popular events that have been going happening on the east coast for several years now are starting to take root in the Golden State. In Long Beach,Ca this past June was the 2012 International Beauty and Barber Expo. At this battle Ray Davila won for "freshest Fade" and "Tightest taper". Oh yeah did I mention he works at Hawleywoods in Long Beach.
2012 is the year I found The Dollar Shave Club. i am really sure when and where these guys came from but when there video started popping up and my Facebook, twitter and other random social networks I had to check it out. I do not know if there razors are any good but I hear they are F**KIN' GREAT!
The Man, The Legend, Clipper Educator Extraordinaire Ivan Zoot left Andis Clipper Company to join Marianna Industries. This has had to open up some new doors for his as an educator!
GoldStar Barbershop and Bolings Barbershop in Visalia,Ca both celebrated there first year milestones. Congratulations
I had the pleasure to finally meet the infamous Mohawk Matt from BOLT Barber and got to be involved in a Discovery Channel/Shark Week event in Venice and Pacific Palisades,Ca. This was one of the coolest things I have ever been able to be apart of and will be grateful for a long time!
Speaking of Andis in support of there 90th anniversary they released a limited edition and individually number Master in a super clean red finish.
I joined Covenant Barbershop for the Fresno Tattoo Convention this past year. i always love any time I get to hook up with Luis for any kind of event. They are always fun! Hope I will be there again this year!
Photo from Barber Connection
Well I guess that is it....There is probably a shit ton of stuff I could find on BING or Google, but all I can say is that all the barbers I know have worked there assess off for the last year keeping shops open, more people are showing interest in going to barber school to learn a proper trade. I want to thank all the barbers that out there that keep us motivated and looking encourage us to look at what we do as more of a craft then a job...Thanks.
Cheers
(Noe Hernandez originally comes from Chicago but now calls Las Vegas his home. He is Master Barber for Truefitt and Hill and an official for roller derby. I figured what better person to get feedback on pomade then a real barber who is smarter then me!!) Top 5 .. 1. Mr Ducktail hairgum @ hairgumusa.com 2. Acme hair pomade @
the atomic boutique 3. Black and White genuine pluko hair dressing @
ball beauty.com 4. Sweet Georgia Brown Original @ sweetgbrown.com 5.
Dax high and tight awesome hold @ the grease shop.com And for thin
hair 1. Truefitt and Hill pomade @ Truefitt and hill.com 2. Suavecito
regular @Suavecito.com
(Fabian is involved in the SoCal chapter of Greaser Social Club and since I am also apart of GSC I thought I would get someone involved from the GSC. So when I asked Ponyboy his top 5 this was what he had to say.-Frankie The Barber)
Black Jack Pomade
I have lame answers
tho....sorry. Eloy at OLD FASHIONED BARBERSHOP in Vegas carries LAYRITE.
The boys over at STAY GOLD in Fontana carry SUAVESITO. I use MURRAYS or
DAX (sold pretty much anywhere) with a tad of either ROYAL CROWN or Mike
Moose' BLACK JACK. Other than that Im a hit n a miss (told u my answers
would suck). I pretty much stick with what works. They've been working for
bout 20 years now. BUT BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR GREASERS SOCIAL Clubs very
own pomade. GOD willing, it should be coming out early next
year....thanks.
(Chops Barbershop is located in Harrisbug,PA and coming from the west coast I thought it would be a good idea to see what is going on out on the east coast.)
It's impossible to find ANY on the
East Coast unless you go into the major cities...Philly, DC,
NY....that's why I carry so many. Sometimes you get lucky but most times
you have to order online.
Top five:
1. Dax
2. Dr. Rubens
3. High Life (Adam makes it impossible to order - no wholesale)
4. American Greaser Supply
5.
Suavecito (I hate to include a water-based pomade but this stuff can
compete with any petro-based pomade. It's cheap, good customer service
and it takes about 1.5 days from order to doorstep)
Io as you have guessed it for the next 5 days I am trying to get some regulars in the hair and pomade game to give us there top 5. You know, those cans of pomade that go everywhere with them. That go to for those special occasions. I figured I would start the week off with my top 5!! For me my top 5 is in no particular order.
1) Suavecito Pomade - Ok let the death threats begin. I understand that alot of people hate calling this a pomade but the truth is the hold is good and when you have a wife she sometimes appreciates the fact that there are no grease stains on the pillow cases!
2) Murray's Super Light - I stumbled across Murray's Super Light on accident and evern since I will order a couple cans every few month. Shine and easy to comb through.
3) AGS 40 WT - AGS holds a soft spot in my heart. I used to drive down to Fullerton just so I could get a couple of cans. Grease and a toy....like Crackerjacks for greasers!!
4) Dr.Rubin's - The Dr.Rubin's is quickly becoming a favorite of mine....Easy to use and a smells good. Even the wife likes it!
So this weekend me and the family went and saw the band The Great Commission. Earlier while killing some time in town we went by Barnes and Noble and who did I find in the comic book section of the store...Justin Singh from The Great Commission.
During our visit we actually got on the subject of hair, products and the kind of comb he uses. Justin went from getting his hair done at a salon (he had a faux hawk and a rats tail) to getting his hair cut at a proper barber shop in Fontana,CA called Stay Gold Barbershop. Justin no longer rocks the faux hawk but has cropped tight on the sides with a side part.
When asked what he is using product he let's me know he uses Suavecito and proudly makes sure I know he uses Tres Flores (which is not as easily found in the Inland Empire as it is around the Central Valley). He also has a comb that he uses especially for combing the front of his hair. It is a comb by Conair. He showed me this comb and I will tell you it has definitely seen its miles on the road!
Frankie the Barber w/ Justin Singh The Great Commission
One thing I learned is that you will find Justin preparing for a show (doing his hair and cleaning up) in bathrooms at Barnes and Noble so look for him in the comic book section looking for Marvel books he may not have and tell him I said "HI!"
So trying to pick totally random people out of two facebook groups is not as easy as it sound,but I have found 4 totally random winners so I had to enlist the help of a friend of mine to make it even more partial.....HERE THEY ARE!!!
So here is the deal....if this is you please get a hold of me at frankreiland@gmail.com with your mailing address so I know where to send you a can of pomade,aftershave and hopefully stickers (if they get here in time).
Suavecito Pomade....Good Pomade for the rest of us
So this going to sound like a back handed review of Suavecito Pomade. I really like Suavecito Pomade and I have been using is non stop since they sent it to me several weeks ago. For a so;id review we have to take a look at pomade in the last several years.
In 2012 there are two kinds of pomade petroleum pomades and water soluble/water based pomades. Most people have been using petroleum pomdaes for years (ie: Murrays, AGS, High Life). Water soluble pomades are on the rise courtesy of some really good companies.
So people who know me know that I am a big fan of Layrite Pomade and have been for close to 8 years now (I interviewed Donnie Hawley for The Underground Magazine back in 2005). Hawleywood's Barbershop changed the face of pomade with the release of Layrite Pomade.
There have been some really good companies release some good products and Suavecito being one such company. One of the things I really like is the dark color since I have dark hair (and so do most of my clients). One of the things I am noticing is that the hold seems to get me through a whole day at the barbershop without having to re-comb it and it does not have a crunchy texture a gel would have or a few other pomades I have tried.
Ready for another great selling point of Suavecito it is only10 bucks a can! Suavecito believes that your pomade should not cost more then your haircut. This is a big deal in a time where people have to watch there pennies. You are not getting an inferior pomade...I promise!!
I am not sitting here trying to compare Layrite with Suavecito becuase in the end it is like comparing a green Granny Smith apple with a Red Delicious apple. In the end it is all about what you like the best. Give them both a shot and find out what you like the best.
But in the end this review is about Suavecito and not only as a barber but as a consumer I will support this company. They are a company that is working hard to put out a great product, looking out for there customers pocket books. For more information hit up Suavecito.
