Tracee Ellis Ross' Hair Care Brand, Pattern, Has 2 New Products, & They're Rooted In Generational Traditions

There are, as anyone who watches the beauty space knows, a lot of celebrity beauty brands nowadays. But, fact: No one talks about their products and the inspiration behind them with the absolutely contagious joy and enthusiasm that Tracee Ellis Ross has when talking about her hair care brand, Pattern Beauty. In a Zoom meeting with press on Jan. 29, Ross introduced the label's two newest editions, and with them, the introduction of a new collection — the Treatment Collection, including the Pattern Scalp Serum and Pattern Treatment mask. The launch is inspired and based upon old school, traditional remedies, and as such, it also features new packaging for the brand, which Ross says leans "back into that apothecary feel."

The new formulas are inspired by longstanding treatments (like the ones Ross' grandmother once administered to her and her cousins), but they've been updated with more elegant ingredients and chic packaging. "We pulled from generations before and modernized historic home remedies to honor the sacred exchange between family and hair," the brand explains in a press release. "Pride in our legacy and heritage as Black people is behind every product we create."

For Ross, hair care and self-care are inextricably connected, "How I care for my hair is genuinely a part of how I actively love myself," she said to her Zoom audience. "After so much [time spent in] my teen years and early 20s having a contentious relationship with my hair, constantly trying to beat it into submission, and wishing that it was something other than it was, I started to meet my hair where it was and learn how to care for it," she explains.

Speaking specifically to the Treatment Mask, Ross explains, the new items reimagine traditional remedies, including one passed on by her grandmother, Ernestine. "All the cousins would gather multiple times a year in Detroit at her house — she would line all of us up outside the bathroom, wash our hair on the countertop with our head in the sink, and condition our hair with mayonnaise," Ross recalls. For Pattern's take on the treatment, they held the mayo. "Instead, we went with rice water and moringa oil, and I think it was definitely the way to go," Ross says, laughing.

The end result, a gel-like mask, uses the aforementioned softening and strengthening ingredients to leave hair hydrated and silky, and give curls slip, elongation, and definition. "The moringa seed extract is packed with antioxidants, and vitamins, and fatty acids, and all those things soothe, protect, and moisturize your hair and scalp," Ross says. "I leave it in for 10 to 15 minutes then rinse it out and use the intensive conditioner. My hair [feels] like new baby hair. I mean, it’s like somebody handed it to me on a silver platter — it’s ridiculous. I do have color in my hair, so it’s fine to use with [color-treated hair]."

The scalp serum features peppermint, rosemary, and lavender oils to soothe scalps and offer relief from tight styles. "It not only treats your scalp but also activates your senses," Ross exclaims. "It's so soothing and calming — you want to keep the roots of your hair happy. We all know that you can oil your scalp, but oil doesn’t always give you that soothing, invigorated feeling. You all know I like tight little buns on my head, and my scalp gets tender. Or if you have dryness, this allows you to put moisture in your hair."

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