Tracee Ellis Ross Ushers Pattern Beauty Into Its Body Care Era – Essence

Like many, you’re likely inspired by Tracee Ellis Ross’s take on solo trips and itching to book your own. But if that’s not in the cards for you any time soon, focus on self-love and adopt her body-care routine instead. Insert: PATTERN Body. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but the company is called PATTERN Beauty, not PATTERN Hair. This body launch was always in the cards for me,” she tells me. We’re at the Harbor View hotel on Martha’s Vineyard, enjoying the soothing sounds of steel drums in the background. It’s almost as though, in the spirit of travel, as she says with a laugh, “we’ve been transported to Jamaica.”

And, to Ross’s point, a body launch doesn’t surprise me, as she can often be found sharing her body-care practices on social media. “I’m a big dry brusher. I’m all about activating the lymphatic system and creating that drainage,” she says, adding that she makes sure to execute these practices while jet-setting, too.

The line includes a cleansing system: the Dry Exfoliating Body Scrub, composed of dead sea salts and coconut oil, and the Moisturizing Body Wash, which is a blend of aloe vera and olive oil. When it comes to hydrating the skin, the Nourishing Body Oil will come in handy, thanks to jojoba and baobab oils. Additionally, the Hydrating Body Lotion leaves skin feeling juicy and looking radiant due to the mango seed butter, and the Moisture Rich Body Cream includes the unique illipe seed butter which helps the skin retain moisture. 

Meanwhile, the calming and delectable signature scent, Midnight Amber, is a blend of amber, musk, bergamot and a touch of citrus. As an eczema-prone girly with sensitive skin, though, this gave me pause as I was nervous it would cause me to break out. Instead, it left my skin rash-free and feeling baby soft. I joked with Miss Ross, as we sat poolside, that I couldn’t stop touching my arms throughout the interview. 

Ahead of our chat, I had hopped in the shower and used the shower gel to cleanse my body. I followed up with the scrub to get the dead skin off. Neither left my skin feeling dry or stripped which was great. After stepping out of the shower, I used the cream as I wanted to get some of that ultra-nourishment. I cocooned this with body oil. The result? A cushiony feel that absorbed nicely into my skin. And, of course, a radiant glow that prompted compliments during my stroll around Edgartown.

How does the Girlfriends star go about her body-care routine? Let’s just say she does things a little differently. And believe me, I was taking detailed notes. For starters, Ross dry scrubs about once a week before she shaves. “I feel like this opens up the skin to receive moisture,” she explains. Afterward, comes the body wash. “It doesn’t dry out the skin, but you will be clean,” Ross adds. As opposed to ending with the oil like I did, she applies the oil to her damp, freshly washed skin in the shower. “My advice, if you do this, do the oil part on your mat when you step out of the shower, so that you don’t slip,” she says. Ross then follows up with her lotion—unless it’s winter, she’ll finish off with the cream instead. Lastly, “I re-oil my feet so that my pedicure looks nice and sparkly,” she states.

Out of all the products, Ross can’t pick a favorite because “they’re like my babies,” she admits. But if she was on a desert island and could only choose two, she’d pick the shower gel and lotion. “I’d still feel clean, soft, hydrated and pretty with those.”

Being so busy with a buzzed-about new show, launching products and creating dope commercials featuring Tony, Lynn and Maya, her wellness practices are an absolute must. “One of my philosophies is to move with intention,” Ross says. “There’s a tendency to want to rush, but I find that I actually get more done when I don’t rush.” In other words, she doesn’t skip out on her “grounding moments.” These include applying a nice sheet mask, sticking to her body routine and reciting her daily mantra: “My cup runneth over,” she shares.

Although she just blessed us with some fresh gems, Ross is already thinking ahead on what she wants to do next. Aside from more travels, “just know that hydration is an important category to me,” she says. “There will be some additions to the routine for sure.” And, of course, with everything she does, she’s reminding Black women to never allow anyone to box us in. “We often feel pressured to make decisions based on what others are doing,” she says. But, the richness of her life is “guided by my inner compass.” A philosophy we should all consider adopting.