Since I was little, I always dreamt of having straight hair. But rising mainstream representations of curly gals like me make me grateful I never succumbed to relaxers.
I’ve been using the Shea Moisture range on my 3C curls for over ten years, but ever since the brand was acquired by Unilever in 2017, the formulations haven’t been the same and don’t leave my curly hair as bouncy as it used to be. I decided it was time to shop around for a new haircare line and landed on Pattern Beauty.
The Pattern Beauty story
Pattern Beauty launched just last year in 2019 by actress and all-around entertainment powerhouse Tracee Ellis Ross. In the early 2000s, she was one of the only Black women in Hollywood who proudly wore her hair natural. Since the natural hair movement became mainstream, more women have undergone a journey of self-acceptance and rebuilt a healthy relationship with their hair. She developed Pattern Beauty to celebrate every curl pattern and hair texture, and cultivate a community that believes natural is beautiful.
Tracee Ellis Ross has the most enviable curls, so I knew she would develop some fire products for Pattern Beauty. Also, the branding is fire, and their Instagram is basically an inspo board for all types of curly hair. I decided to trial the products in the mini size so that I wouldn’t lose too much money if the end results didn’t match the hype.
SEE ALSO: You’ve been styling your curly hair ALL wrong
Upon receiving my travel kit, which includes a hydrating shampoo, a heavy conditioner, and a leave-in conditioner all placed in a cute reusable pouch, I immediately took a shower to test it all out on my hair.
The ingredients
While many of the ingredients are natural oils, there are also a lot of ingredients that I couldn’t pronounce, which usually leave me wary, as some of those confusing chemical ingredients can really dry out my hair. But Tracee did say she spent ten years perfecting and developing her products, so I gave my girl the benefit of the doubt. All three products have a distinct floral scent, which is a change from the fruity and coconut-y concoctions I typically use.
First impressions
A small amount of the hydrating shampoo goes a long way. According to the packaging, it’s a “luxurious, oil-boosted shampoo that gently lathers to cleanse hair and scalp removing build-up without stripping away moisture.” Upon rinsing it off, my hair didn’t feel particularly dry like it can if I use certain chemical shampoos.
Pattern Beauty sells three types of conditioner: medium, heavy, and intensive. The travel kit automatically comes with the heavy conditioner. I was shocked at its thick consistency, which is unlike the conditioners I’m used to using. I kept it on for ten minutes to deep condition my hair. The slip was easy and I barely had to force my fingers through to detangle my knots.
Finally, I applied the leave-in conditioner. I usually never use leave-in conditioners—I always go straight into a curling gel—but it was nice to give my hair some extra love and moisture with this product.
The results
After patting my hair dry, I tied my hair into two bantu knots—my go-to sleeping protective style. The next morning I woke up to bouncy, defined, shiny curls, and I decided to forgo my usual low bun style. All day, my hair withstood any windy or humid weather temperaments, and my curls remained nice and neat until bedtime.
The next morning my curls were as poppin’ as the day before and even more voluminous. If you’re a curly gal or guy like me, I would definitely encourage you to try it for yourself. Just recently, on Juneteenth, Pattern Beauty released a line of styling products designed to sculpt and shape your natural curls. You can purchase everything in the Pattern Beauty line on their website.
TLDR;
- The On-the-Go Kit has everything you need to keep curls hydrated, moisturized and restored.
- Ingredients include: Argan oil, jojoba oil, shea butter, olive oil, avocado oil, castor oil, and more.
- After one wash, my curls stay defined a couple of days later—all I need is a bit of water to revive them in the morning!
- All products have a nice floral scent with neroli and patchouli essential oils—a change from most curly hair brands.
Bye or Buy?
If you want curls that stay bouncy, defined and soft even after a couple of days post your wash-and-go, definitely check out Pattern Beauty.
