Tracee Ellis Ross says 'Girlfriends' inspired her haircare line.
Tracee Ellis Ross
The 48-year-old actress - who starred as Joan Clayton on the sitcom from 2000 to 2008 - struggled to find the right products for her curls for years and realised she wasn't alone when she joined the cast of the popular show.
Speaking on 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon', she said: "It started out for me because I couldn't find products and wasn't seeing my natural beauty mirrored back to me in the world. Then when I got on 'Girlfriends', I realised that I was not the only one. There were so many people who were looking for products that actually met their hair where it was and how it grows out of our head."
"So I tried, and tried, and tried for 10 years, and finally I decided to do it by myself. It's been the most rewarding thing to be a CEO and founder."
Tracee launched Pattern Beauty, in 2019 with shampoos, conditioners, gels, creams, tools, and more.
And though the 'The High Note' star has since learned to love her tresses, she is not yet ready to embrace her greys.
She explained: "My hair has played many a role throughout my life. When I was a teen, I didn't understand it so I tried everything under the sun to make it do what I thought it should. The results were not great. Namely, it was fried. But, once I began listening to my hair and started figuring out what it liked, my true curl pattern emerged. By the time I made it onto 'Girlfriends' my hair was healthy and POPPIN. But as I have grown and matured my texture has evolved.
"My hair is now turning grey (evidence of my life and my years). And while the grey has changed my texture and the dye I use to cover it has loosened my pattern, I finally know my hair inside and out. I know what she likes, what she doesn't like, and how she'll react in any given situation. And while I'm not ready to embrace the grey just yet, I'm sure that will be exciting when I do! (sic)"