Tracee Ellis Ross began developing her natural haircare brand, Pattern, nearly a decade ago after her lead role on the hit sitcom, Girlfriends.
"The industry was in a very different place," says Ross, as the cover star of Coveteur's "Endless Summer" issue. "The understanding of the buying power...the Black purchasing power, I think, is often underestimated. My fame was not where it was. The beauty industry was not as awake to the importance and extraordinary beauty of the curly, coily, and tight, textured community."
Developing a beauty line of scalp serums, shampoos and conditioners allowed Ross to create "an active space for the celebration of Black Beauty and authentic beauty."
"To let ourselves be the subjects of our content, of the products that we created, and not the object around this anchored place that hair care is self-care," she continues. "That our crowns connect us to our legacy. That our hair and how it authentically grows out of our head is part of what we come from and one of the ways that it's a portal into our souls. And such an expression of who we are."
The black-ish star adds that Pattern Beauty will continue to "celebrate the humanity, the beauty, and the importance of Black beauty."
"My underlying mission is to continue to celebrate, empower...not even empower," Ross says before correcting herself. "Celebrate and support Black women and girls and to expand our real estate and our equity in all areas and aspects of our lives. And to continue to support our freedom and our beauty."
Pattern haircare products are available online at PatternBeauty.com and at local department stores like Target, Ulta and Walmart.