Pattern Beauty is Tracee Ellis Ross's line for curly, coily and tight-textured hair, launched in 2019 after two years and 74 samples. Here are the curl basics, the Indigo Rain stylers and the body care the brand has grown into.
Pattern Beauty, Tracee Ellis Ross's Line for Curls That Took Ten Years to Launch
Tracee Ellis Ross stopped relaxing her hair at 15 and spent the next decades becoming her own expert in her curls. She wrote her first pitch for a haircare brand in 2008, right after Girlfriends ended, and Pattern Beauty finally launched in 2019, after two years with chemists and 74 test samples. The line focuses on curl patterns from 3B to 4C, and it sold out within hours of launching. Ross is the founder and majority owner, and she has kept creative control, which I think is why the products feel so specific. Pattern is not trying to be for all curly hair. It is built for the tighter end of the spectrum. The first row is the routine most people start with. The hydration shampoo lathers softly with aloe and honey without stripping the scalp, the leave-in seals in moisture and detangles, and then you choose a styler: the curl mousse for lighter hold and volume, or the styling cream for moisture and a touchable finish. Apply everything to soaking wet hair in sections, and rake it through with your fingers before you shape.
Indigo Rain and the gel question
Indigo Rain is the collection with the fresh, bright scent, and it covers the stylers. The Indigo Rain leave-in is a lightweight, very slippery formula, the custard gives a hydrating lightweight hold, and the strong hold gel gives long-lasting hold without breaking or drying hair. On wash day, I would layer leave-in, then custard or gel crème, then the strong gel only if you need your definition to last through humidity. Let it dry completely, under a diffuser or in the air, and then scrunch out the cast with a drop of oil on your palms. The curls stay defined and lose the stiffness.
The body side
Pattern has grown beyond hair, and the body care is better than it needs to be. The body wash turns from oil to foam with aloe and olive oil, the Moisture Rich body cream is thick enough for dry winter skin, and the body oil adds a soft sheen after the shower. The dry exfoliating scrub uses Dead Sea salt to buff away buildup. What I would skip is using the scrub on freshly shaved legs. Give skin a day, then scrub, then oil. The wash and the scrub share the warm Midnite Amber scent, so they layer well with the cream. I keep the oil in the shower and put it on while my skin is still damp.
Pattern for the body
Where to begin
Begin with the shampoo, the leave-in and one styler, and use them together for a month before adding more. Your curls will tell you whether they want more hold or more moisture. Add the body care when you run out of what you have. A brand that took ten years to launch was never going to be in a hurry, and neither should your routine. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Why Curls Get Thirsty and Hair Cream for Frizz, Curls and Air-Dry Days.
