The Queen of #hairlove, Tracee Ellis Ross is blessing us with more than just stand-out entertainment performances, to kill for red carpet looks and of course an Instagram feed of pure love and light. This time she is serving back to the community in a major way. Some ten years after conception and two years after perfecting her formula, she has announced the release of her hair care brand PATTERN – a brand that is specifically for curly, coily, and tight textured hair. Just scrolling through Miss Ellis Ross’ Instagram feed you can see just how much she values and celebrates her natural hair that it comes as no surprise that she would be one of the first celebrities to offer such a gift to the world.
Being no stranger to the trials and tribulations of caring for natural hair, Ellis Ross explained to Allure that the motives behind PATTERN stemmed from “the hours and hours in the trenches with [her] hair” in high school, a story most women of color can relate too. Learning how to care for natural hair for a long time was reliant upon what our grandmothers and mothers knew, most methods which over a period of time became an act of punishment on our precious locs. Over the last couple of decades there has been a huge surge of people of color coming together online, on forum platforms, Youtube and Instagram, to share not only tips and tricks for trimming curly and afro-textured hair, protective styling and the holy grail wash and go product, but sharing the journey to a place of self-acceptance and love for what grows out to shape their crowns. Only recently in popular culture has it become more celebrated for a woman to not fit the cookie-cutter image we were once fed of pin-straight, eurocentric ‘acceptable’ hairstyles — we are at a time where now more women are rocking natural kinky, curly dos off and on the red carpet.
The PATTERN promise is ‘to empower and nourish curly, coily and tight textured hair’ with an outstanding range of products that are both affordable and accessible. The complete range, with products that are priced around $9 – $47, offers a Hydration Shampoo, Argan Oil and Jojoba Serums and three, yes that’s right, three different conditioners: medium, heavy and intense, to accommodate for all the variations of natural hair, as well as a Leave-in Conditioner and other hair care essentials such as the Shower Brush, Hair Clip and Microfiber Towel. Ellis Ross clearly left no stone unturned as the shampoo and conditioners will be available in 3, 13 and 29-ounce bottles, as she is aware (as many of us are) that a quarter size of a product is just not going to cut it! The line launches on September 9th online at patternbeauty.com and will be available two weeks later at ULTA stores all over the US. Do.Not.Sleep.On.This.One.
By Elisheba Akalawu
Cover Photo by Micaiah Carter
