Here's an example, apparently from the late 1800s, of the sort of thing I'm talking about. How on earth did he get his hair to do that without access to modern styling products?

Macassar Oil was widely used as a hair tonic and gel. The most popular brand was Rowland's Macassar Oil and the term "Macassar Oil" was a registered trademark however the term seems to have been widely used as a generic term for "Men's Hair Oil". It was first formulated and offered in 1783 and was still widely used in the early 1900s.

It was a compound of coconut oil and other scented oils. Since coconut oil forms a white solid until about 76 degrees Fahrenheit, above which it melts, it could be used as a stiffening gel so long as the weather is cold. Normal body temperature would of course melt it although it would remain mostly in the hair. It was notorious for staining chair backs. Hence "anti-macassars", those lacy, decorative, small pieces of cloth which are draped over chair backs to stop the hair oil staining the furniture.

Hair pomade/pomatum has actually been in use for centuries! In the 1779 Toilet of Flora, there are several recipes for pomatum - some to be used on the face, some for hair styling. (In the later 18th century, it was used to hold powder to the hair and to help keep the hair in a style, rather than to slick it back.) These recipes generally start with lard; others involve mutton fat as well. Pomade continued to be used in the 19th century, often still on a fatty base, but sometimes with other oils - and, toward the end of the century, vaseline (petroleum jelly).

While it had been common to make many cosmetics in the home, by the early 20th century there were mostly commercial options. CChippy has addressed macassar oil; castor oil was also used, along with almond oil and spermaceti. Most of the brand names we know today - like Brylcreem, Vitalis - weren't available until a few decades in, but Brilliantine was developed in the 1890s and displayed at the 1900 Paris Exposition.