What does it look like he might've used?

[FedoraFan112390]

Question---

As you can tell by this photo (which was taken in 1949), my grandfather's hair was pretty long for the time and wavy. However it looks almost as if it was ironed down--I am wondering what you think he may have used to keep it flat down yet still retain his natural waves:

 

[Warbaby]

My father had wavy hair like that in the 40s & 50s, and he always used Vitalis. Come to think of it, I had hair like that when I was in high school in the late 50s and I used Vitalis, as well (actually, I used my dad's). As I recall, it kept your hair in place without looking greasy.

 

[Maguire]

My grandfather always had thick curly hair yet he seemed too seemed to always make it look managed and neat- i'd say it was pomade.

Another example (like my grandfather, Cuban) would be Fidel Castro- there is a picture of Castro as a really young man:

the one on the right:

Here he is older, with his hair being clearly wavy or curly :

I've got hair like that too, and i've tried to figure out what they used to make unmanageable hair so neat, i'm assuming it was pomade but perhaps the ingredients have changed?

 

[Qirrel]

If anyone has a pomade that will have your hair looking like that, but without the grease-effect, ill take a barrel or two of it.

 

[Maguire]

Could be brylcreem too, after awhile the brylcreem sort of dries up a bit but leaves a bit of shine. Only thing is it has absolutely 0 hold.

 

[Geesie]

Could be brylcreem too, after awhile the brylcreem sort of dries up a bit but leaves a bit of shine. Only thing is it has absolutely 0 hold.

I disagree. Brylcreem holds my coarse hair mostly in place better than gel ever did.