Vincent and Magdalena of Big Slick Pomade Co. at a custom car show
From the classic Vegas-inspired packaging to scents that transport you to an old-school barbershop, every tin of Big Slick Pomade Co. pomade is a little dose of nostalgia. Big Slick Pomade Co. was founded by husband-and-wife team Vincent Minervino and Magdalena O’Connell in Freehold, New Jersey in 2014. Fans of hot rods, barbershops, music, and casino culture, the couple made sure to infuse their products with their passion for all things old fashioned.
We recently had the pleasure of chatting with Magdalena about how Big Slick Pomade Co. got its start, the story behind the brand’s name, and how the couple is helping to expand pomade options for women in a market that’s very male-centric. Plus, Magdalena gives us a sneak peak of products to come (hint: it involves shaving!).
Enjoy!
Where are you located?
We are based out of Freehold, New Jersey.
When and why did you start Big Slick Pomade Co.?
Big Slick Pomade Co. in theory started in the summer of 2014, formulating products began in the fall, and our first sale on Etsy was last December.
The real beginning was on our honeymoon though, while we were in Santa Barbara for a few days. Vincent was rockin’ a slick haircut, and was introduced to a few smaller pomade companies while he treated himself to a hot shave. Over the next couple of months we started to pay more attention to the ingredients used in most hair products, discovering so many of them were lab made with lots of chemicals. There was a lot of research involved, learning about other home brewers, and eventually lots of failed test batches.
To this day we have failed batches when developing the next product, but that’s all part of it. We have realized it’s better to laugh it off, and know that we will have better results the next batch!
How did you come up with the name of your company?
Our name stems from a love of classic Vegas. When a poker player is dealt an Ace & King as their pocket cards in Texas Hold ‘em, this is referred to as ‘Big Slick.’ We thought the name also translates well to a grooming product line that would support having a sharp, put-together look.
Magdalena busy making pomades
Pomade making in progress
Stacks of Big Slick pomade ready to go!
You’re a husband and wife team. How is it working with your spouse every day?
It’s a blast! We really enjoy each other’s company and that’s how this whole project started. Until recently we both worked day jobs, and Big Slick was our side business. I recently left my job to run Big Slick Pomade Co. full time. It’s probably the craziest decision I have ever made, and I’m very excited about this new adventure. Vincent and I brew together, that has always been a team effort. We play our favorite albums really loud, sing & dance in the kitchen, and pour a lot of tins of pomade.
Let’s talk aesthetics. The retro packaging and playing card symbols on every tin are so fun and recognizable. How did you come up with your look, and what inspired you?
First off, thank you! The packaging is one of our favorite parts of the overall product. Our look takes us back to something familiar, simple, classic and eye-catching. The label colors are based on classic car colors from the 50’s and 60’s – we go to a lot of car shows and are always shopping around for the next one!
The latest release of our Light Hold showcases a color called Olympic White as the background. The card symbols are inspired again by old Las Vegas, a place where we spent time on our honeymoon. We want people to see a tin of our pomade and have the look transport them to a different time.
You guys are very into creating limited-edition pomades, like your Gutter Balm for the Garden State Beardos. Tell us about the process of coming up with these limited-edition pomades. And would you make any of them permanent?
Collaborations are fun! But, they are a process. We have done a few in the last year and each of them has been very different.
An all-natural pomade we made for California Coastal Supply Co. is the latest one. All told, it took about 8 months of formulating with our friend, Ted (Owner of California Coastal), everything from sourcing and testing different materials to landing on a final fragrance. It was hard, we learned a lot, and in the end wound up with something that we hope people will enjoy using. The best part about this one is that it won’t be a limited edition!
Before that we worked with Alex Levine, of The Gaslight Anthem, on designing a pomade to his specifications for his lifestyle brand. Tiger Cuts. In some cases we have a list of guidelines we are trying to meet for the company we are working with, and in others we have freedom to come up with an idea, present it, and run with it. That’s how Gutter Balm was born.
We’ll let you guys in on a secret… this (Gutter Balm) will become part of our permanent line, and will serve as a little tribute to a place near and dear to our hearts, where many memories live (our wedding after party to name one), and hopefully where more will happen. Asbury Lanes in Asbury Park, where the Garden State Beardos event took place, is undergoing renovations and we are unsure what the future holds for the space. Stay tuned for that in the next month or so!
A few products from Big Slick Pomade Co. and Lady Luck
Big Slick Heavy Hold Hair Pomade
We hear you’re going to be releasing a limited-edition pomade for Christmas! Tell us more about it.
We have plans to release a special limited-edition pomade for Winter 2015! It’s going to have a fun holiday label with a scent to match. But that’s all we can say right now!
You recently branched out into ladies’ hair care with Lady Luck. The pomades industry is definitely very male-oriented – what made you decide to cover the ladies as well?
In the pomade world it’s pretty rare that you come across one that is designed with women in mind. I am always reaching for Big Slick, and before we had our own line I would borrow Vincent’s for taming flyaways and putting the finishing touch on a look. So, with Lady Luck Brand it was both important to think about fragrances that women enjoy on themselves, but also that fit in with their other beauty products and accessories.
It’s retro-inspired to match those Victory Rolls, Bettie Bangs, and Pin Curl waves, but geared toward the modern woman who color treats, blow dries, and flat irons her hair. We all want that glowing, polished look in the end!
Lady Luck Brand products aren’t meant to be over the top, but rather are meant to help you achieve the look you want while using products made from ingredients that are good for you.
What is your biggest accomplishment so far as a business?
Leaving my day job was a goal of ours, and something we hadn’t even dreamed would be possible a year after starting this company. Keeping up with a growing business is fun, but a lot of work! That by far is our greatest accomplishment. We’re proud of what we have done in that time, really proud.
Beyond that, we are most excited to have a complete product line available, not only in the U.S., but also internationally. It’s wild to us that we have customers in Australia, Indonesia, Germany, and Panama, to name a few.
What do you have coming from Big Slick Pomade Co. in the future?
Over the next few months we will have some special things happening in honor of our one-year anniversary. It’s still in the works, but we want to show our thanks. As we enter our second year we are looking forward to nurturing more local relationships, working a lot with brick-and-mortar shops, and participating in other events we support.
On the product front, we always have something brewing… get it? You can expect more from Lady Luck Brand – we’ll be going full throttle to finish developing and packaging the rest of the line. We have a Sea Spray and Lip Tint that will be the next additions.
As for Big Slick, we have some great accessories coming out, along with an extension of the line for all of you gents out there who shave!
Where can readers found out more about your company?
Subscribing to our email list is the best way to hear from us as a company! You can join at bigslickpomadeco.com – and there are perks (hint: contests, discounts, and specials).
To learn more about our products you can find full descriptions on Etsy. You can also find our stockist list, and read thorough reviews of our products on Spruce & Sharp.
Give us a follow on Instagram (@bigslickpomadeco / @ladyluckbrand) and find us on Facebook.
Thanks so much for having us!
Magdalena and Vincent
