Okay, so last weekend I got obsessed with 1920s men’s hairstyles after binge-watching Peaky Blinders. Those slick-back looks seemed impossible without a professional barber, right? Hold my pomade – I tried three methods in my bathroom to see what actually works for normal dudes.
The Failed First Attempt
Grabbed some cheap gel first. Massed a handful into damp hair thinking it’d stay put. Big mistake. My hair looked crunchy like a Halloween wig for about 20 minutes before flopping sideways like wet spaghetti. Felt sticky too – kept touching it like an idiot. Total disaster.
Victory With Wet Method
Next morning I washed it out and tried what some old barber manuals call the “wet look”. Combed my hair straight back while it was dripping wet with a fine-tooth comb. Dabbed some petroleum jelly (yes, Vaseline!) instead of modern products. Weirdly worked. Used my wife’s hairdryer on low heat while combing constantly. The result? That tight, shiny patent-leather effect like old photos. Downside: My pillow smelled like a gas station next morning.
Quick Pomade Hack
Still wanted something faster for work days. Dug out heavy wax pomade from my drawer. Did this:
- Rubbed a pea-sized blob between palms til it felt warm
- Slammed it into bone-dry hair starting at the crown
- Used a cheap black plastic comb to drag everything straight back
- Pushed sideways at the top to create that classic side part trench
Took 90 seconds tops. Held all day through wind and coffee runs. Needed two shampoos to remove though – greasy stuff.
Final verdict? Skip gels entirely. Use Vaseline for authentic 1920s shine if you’ve got time, or heavy pomade for cheat mode. Just don’t touch it once styled – unlike my first attempt where I poked at it all night looking like a nervous squirrel.
