Since transitioning from regular relaxers and daily sessions with my flat iron, Tracee Ellis Ross has been one of my biggest hair idols. You can always count on Ross to flaunt her curls, as seen on her hit shows “black-ish” and “Girlfriends,” her Instagram and the red carpet. So when Ross released Pattern Beauty, a hair care line for type 3b-4c curls in September, I knew I had to give it a try.

When Pattern had a Black Friday sale, I ordered their shampoo, conditioner and leave-in conditioner to try out for myself. After over a month of using these products consistently, here are my thoughts!

Some Background on Pattern Beauty

Pattern Beauty initially launched only shower products, which included shampoo, conditioner and leave-in conditioner, but they have since expanded their brand to styling products, hair tools and accessories. Between a styling cream, two different kinds of gel, edge control and shower brushes—if your curls need it, Pattern probably has it. Prices for the shower and styling products range individually from $18-$25, more expensive than most drugstore hair products but not unreasonable. While some of Pattern’s products do contain silicone, all of Pattern’s products are free of SLS and parabens. 

Before I bought any products, I was extremely impressed with the website. I loved the Curl Guide section which broke down the characteristics of each hair type and the importance of knowing your hair’s porosity. Based on this information, the guide recommended what products would work best for your curls. The website also has a blog that features in-depth articles on hair care and styling. From the very beginning of my Pattern journey, I could tell how much effort Ross and her team were putting into not just selling products, but educating more women on how to nurture their curls—something I’m all about!

Detailed Product Review

I ended up purchasing the shampoo, conditioner, and leave-in conditioner. Something that immediately impressed me was that the Pattern conditioner was in a much bigger bottle (13 ounces) in comparison to the shampoo (9.8 ounces)  Like most curly girls, I’m always running out of my conditioner long before my shampoo, so I appreciated that was addressed in Pattern’s packaging.

First up is Pattern’s hydration shampoo, which at $20, claims to purify, cleanse and hydrate. After using it my scalp and strands feel clean, but my hair doesn’t feel overly stripped of its moisture, which is all I really ask of a shampoo. I wouldn’t say that the formula was as hydrating as it claims, but overall I like this product and plan to keep using it. Since I tend to not use a lot of shampoo and only wash my hair about once a week, I would say it comes in at a good value too. 

The conditioner was the product I was the most excited about after reading reviews from so many satisfied customers. Pattern offers four different conditioners: lightweight, medium, heavy and intensive — each suited for different curl types and uses. The lightweight conditioner, Pattern’s latest launch, is recommended for fine curly hair types or to be used as a co-wash. The medium conditioner is recommended for 3b-3c hair, the heavy for 4a, and the intensive conditioner for 4b-4c. The main difference between the conditioners is their consistency and richness. The lightweight conditioner is the thinnest in consistency, the medium and heavy conditioners are slightly thicker, and the intensive conditioner is the thickest and richest in formula.

I chose the medium conditioner for my fine, 3c curls, and I was slightly worried that it wouldn’t be moisturizing enough since my curls tend to get extremely dry in the wintertime. But I loved it!  Even though the medium conditioner is supposed to be thinner in consistency, it is still rich and makes detangling my curls in the shower a breeze. I typically leave it in my hair for 8-10 minutes before rinsing it out and I’m consistently left with bouncy and incredibly moisturized curls. I am also obsessed with the light sandalwood scent of all of Pattern’s shower products that feels luxurious but not overpowering.

My main critique of the conditioner is that the product was hard to squeeze out of the bottle. I wish they would have gone with a pump design. While my hair felt amazing after, I still like to deep condition weekly, and Pattern has yet to release a deep treatment (though they do recommend using the intensive conditioner as a deep conditioner).  At $25 this conditioner is a little more than I’d typically spend, but its performance justifies the cost. 

Next is the leave-in conditioner. This product is more water-based, so it is thinner in consistency than a lot of other leave-in products I’ve tried. While it doesn’t give my curls much definition or hold, it does a great job of giving my curls moisture and doesn’t weigh my curls down. If you like your curls more fluffy and soft, this is the product for you! Since this product is so lightweight, it’s also perfect for touching up your curls between wash days. I personally like to combine this product with curl cream and gel on my wash and go for the perfect combination of moisture, hold and definition. However, this will be the one product I will not be repurchasing. I personally prefer my leave-in conditioners to be richer in texture, and at $25, I can’t justify buying this leave-in conditioner unless I’m completely obsessed with it . 

Overall, I would repurchase the shampoo and conditioner.. I’m excited to try out Pattern’s styling products for next time.