Towards the second half of my senior year in high school, I stopped straightening my hair because I got lazy. At the time, 17-year old Vanessa was very low maintenance(and still is) when it came to appearance because she saw the same people everyday. As time passed by, I got a job, got into a relationship that led to marriage, and on top of all that, I was starting to hate my hair. Every week I would add heat, leading to hair loss, thinning, and damage. Flash forward to 2020 baby and my hair is going through an incredible road of recovery.
After experimenting with a billion products, I finally found a routine that works for me. Before actress Tracy Ellis Ross dropped her brand new Pattern line, I found the solice in brands such as Herbal Essences, TRESemmé, and Shea Moisture. Here is the line up and order for how I use the products:
Herbal Essences Deep Moisture Hello Hydration Shampoo(2-3 times) and Conditioner
Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie w/ Silk Protein & Neem Oil
TRESemmé Mega Firm Control Tres Gel
Herbal Essences Tussle Me Softly Medium Tousling Mousse
I have been using these products for the past nine months and I've noticed a huge change in my hair. My curls became more defined, but my hair wasn't hydrating well. When PATTERN finally dropped at Ulta, I decided to give it a try to see if there would be a difference in my hair. I purchased the following:
Hydration Shampoo(twice)
Medium Conditioner for Curlies
Leave-In Conditioner
Argan Oil Hair Serum
I purchased these products at the beginning of the month with the biggest smile on my face, Joker didn't have anything on me *cues Joker's maniacal laughter*. I got home immediately to try them out, but the results were not what I expected it to me. Although most of my curls were defined, I still had a few frizzies flying around my head. The shampoo made my hair feel very squeaky, but it did clean well. The conditioner was very thick, which is how I normally would like my conditioners to be. My favorite out of the products was the leave-in conditioner and the argan oil mixed together because my curls began to form rapidly as soon as it was applied to my hair.
After experimenting with Pattern as a primary hair care product, I felt that it could use some minor improvements. People with curly and coily hair have high expectations when it comes to hair products that are friendly with their locks.
Doing further research on the brand, I came across a Youtube video with a girl who had similar hair to mine combined her original products with the Pattern products. The results were perfect. Obviously this person did not use the same original products as I did, however I felt like I needed to give it a try before I give up. Here is the order of how I used my products:
Vigorously massage scalp with Pattern shampoo twice.
Vigorously massage scalp again with Herbal Essences shampoo.
Mix Pattern conditioner with Herbal Essences conditioner, applying from roots to end. Leave in conditioner for two minutes.
Untangle hair and wash out conditioners.
Combine Pattern leave-in conditioner with argon oil, evenly distributing on each strand from root to end.
Apply Shea Moisture smoothie from root to end.
Apply a very small amount of TRESemmé gel throughout hair.
Use a small pump of Herbal Essences mousse about two inches away from roots to ends.
This routine worked better on may hair than the previous ways. With the help of multivitamin gummies containing hair, skin, and nails, my hair does look and feel healthier for the first time in six years. If you are considering buying the Pattern products, save a little more because they are a little expensive. Aside from that, use them with your original products for better results. If you have 3B curls like me, you will not be disappointed.