Pomade is a greasy or waxy substance used to style the  http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?method=4&dsid=2222&dekey=Hair&gwp=8&curtab=2222_1" class="ilnk" target="_top" onclick="addLinkTextToHrefthis; - hair .
Pomade makes the hair look slick and shiny. Unlike  http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?method=4&dsid=2222&dekey=Hair+spray&gwp=8&curtab=2222_1" class="ilnk" target="_top" onclick="addLinkTextToHrefthis; - hair spray  and  http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?method=4&dsid=2222&dekey=Hair+gel&gwp=8&curtab=2222_1" class="ilnk" target="_top" onclick="addLinkTextToHrefthis; - hair gel , pomade does not dry and often takes several washings to get it out of the hair.
Most pomades contain  http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?method=4&dsid=2222&dekey=Petroleum+jelly&gwp=8&curtab=2222_1" class="ilnk" target="_top" onclick="addLinkTextToHrefthis; - petroleum jelly  (and in fact  http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?method=4&dsid=2222&dekey=Petroleum+jelly&gwp=8&curtab=2222_1" class="ilnk" target="_top" onclick="addLinkTextToHrefthis; - petroleum jelly  may be used alone as a pomade) and  http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?method=4&dsid=2222&dekey=Mineral+oil&gwp=8&curtab=2222_1" class="ilnk" target="_top" onclick="addLinkTextToHrefthis; - mineral oil , and
many also contain some sort of  http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?method=4&dsid=2222&dekey=Wax&gwp=8&curtab=2222_1" class="ilnk" target="_top" onclick="addLinkTextToHrefthis; - wax . They may also contain perfume and coloring agents.
The origin of the word is from the  http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?method=4&dsid=2222&dekey=French+language&gwp=8&curtab=2222_1" class="ilnk" target="_top" onclick="addLinkTextToHrefthis; - French  word for  http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?method=4&dsid=2222&dekey=Apple&gwp=8&curtab=2222_1" class="ilnk" target="_top" onclick="addLinkTextToHrefthis; - apple , as the original purpose of pomade was to impart the smell of apples or other fruits to the hair. This usage
is now mostly forgotten. Modern pomades may contain fragrances, but they are not particularly fruity.
Pomades were once much more popular than they are today. They are associated with the slick mens' hairstyles of the early and
middle  http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?method=4&dsid=2222&dekey=20th+century&gwp=8&curtab=2222_1" class="ilnk" target="_top" onclick="addLinkTextToHrefthis; - 20th century .
In the  http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?method=4&dsid=2222&dekey=United+States&gwp=8&curtab=2222_1" class="ilnk" target="_top" onclick="addLinkTextToHrefthis; - United States  they can still be found in stores or sections of stores containing
hair products marketed to  http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?method=4&dsid=2222&dekey=African+American&gwp=8&curtab=2222_1" class="ilnk" target="_top" onclick="addLinkTextToHrefthis; - African-Americans . Among  http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?method=4&dsid=2222&dekey=Whites&gwp=8&curtab=2222_1" class="ilnk" target="_top" onclick="addLinkTextToHrefthis; - whites  the use of pomades is mostly confined to  http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?method=4&dsid=2222&dekey=Subculture&gwp=8&curtab=2222_1" class="ilnk" target="_top" onclick="addLinkTextToHrefthis; - subculture  groups such as
 http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?method=4&dsid=2222&dekey=Punk+culture&gwp=8&curtab=2222_1" class="ilnk" target="_top" onclick="addLinkTextToHrefthis; - punk ,  http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?method=4&dsid=2222&dekey=Goth&gwp=8&curtab=2222_1" class="ilnk" target="_top" onclick="addLinkTextToHrefthis; - goth , and  http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?method=4&dsid=2222&dekey=Rockabilly&gwp=8&curtab=2222_1" class="ilnk" target="_top" onclick="addLinkTextToHrefthis; - rockabilly  (including  http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?method=4&dsid=2222&dekey=Raggare&gwp=8&curtab=2222_1" class="ilnk" target="_top" onclick="addLinkTextToHrefthis; - raggare ).