Tracee Ellis Ross followed her own rulebook to get Pattern Beauty in the hands of consumers.
Her haircare brand, which caters to the textured-hair community, had been a long-held vision of hers since she was on the hit television show “Girlfriends.” Ross pitched the idea for Pattern Beauty in 2008, but the brand didn’t formally launch until 2019, Inc. reports.
“I can say this now from this position, that people didn’t understand the power of the market, the space, the gap, the money on the table. They also really systemically didn’t understand the importance and the beauty of textured hair,” she expressed at the 2026 Inc. Founders House Los Angeles on April 16.
The tide changed after Ross met with Mary Dillon, who was Ulta Beauty’s CEO at the time, and Monica Arnaudo, then senior vice president of merchandising. This, too, was intentional on Ross’s part, as she sought out retail partners before connecting with investors and manufacturers, per Inc.
“By the time I sat down with Ulta and with Mary Dillon, they were in from the start, and I was able to have an honest conversation with them and say, ‘How do we make this business?’ And they suggested three different operational partners, and that’s where the journey began,” she told the outlet.
This advice led to the onboarding of Beach House Group’s PJ Brice and Shaun Neff as business partners, both with experience scaling lifestyle brands owned by notable names. Ross acknowledged that their industry expertise greatly exceeded hers, and she was attracted to what they had to offer and felt they respected and trusted her vision, according to Inc.
“That was huge,” she told the outlet.
Pattern Beauty is also carried in Sephora, Target, and Macy’s, bringing its products, which include textured styling tools, haircare, and body care products, to a broader audience.
The brand expanded into body care in 2025 and carries five products, which include a body oil, body cream, and body wash, according to the company website.
As for what’s ahead, Ross said the goal is “to continue to change the market and dispel the myth that Black hair care is a niche market,” per Inc.
“We are going to continue to hold and be the gold standard within the industry in terms of our operational excellence and professionalism,” she added.
