I Tried Pattern Beauty's Blow Dryer During Wash Day & This Is How It Went
When I heard that Tracee Ellis Ross’ Pattern Beauty was dropping something new, I was elated. As someone who has been using her products since she launched, hearing about a hot tool was super exciting, especially since I’ve had such a great experience with hair treatments and styling products. Celebrity drops are a large part of the beauty industry, and at times they can feel like what many would call a cash grab.
However, for Ross, as she told me and a room full of fellow beauty editors in New York City on launch day, “I’ve never understood the concept of marketing where it’s about shaming you into buying a thing so that you can then feel better about yourself,” she says. “I really want to reframe the historical relationship of heat as submission to heat as a possibility.”
Courtesy of Bianca Lambert
I don’t use much heat on my hair unless I’m blowing my hair out for box braids or gently diffusing my curls after sitting under a hair dryer to set them. But there’s always a need for a blow dryer. However, I know that this is one of the tools many of us struggle to get right. So, I’m going to give this latest drop from Pattern a test run. Keep reading for the deets.
PATTERN Blow Dryer: My Honest Review
Courtesy of PATTERN
The Design
Courtesy of Bianca Lambert
When I opened the box holding the matte caramel brown blow dryer—which Ross said took two years to bring to life— I was immediately impressed. The sleek minimalistic hot tool comes with four attachments: a diffuser, wide tooth comb, brush, and concentrator, which is a nice element considering that many blow dryer attachments come separately. As she chatted with us, I quickly realized how much thought went into creating this petite but mighty dryer. When I say mighty, I mean it has a professional motor—which is mega important for minimizing drying time—three heat and two-speed settings, and a cool shot button. The coolest part: you can switch the settings without ever having to remove the dryer from your head.
Additionally, if you’re tired of losing your attachments while you blow dry, the Pattern team devised a remedy: a dual-locking structure to keep them in place sans any movement. And get this, Ross really wanted the cord to match the rest of the dryer. However, she was told that may or may not be able to happen. Well, it happened! And, I have to say, it’s a nice touch.
Courtesy of Bianca Lambert
When it comes to the design, I can’t forget to mention two of the attachments that are clearly designed with curly and coily hair at the forefront. First, there's the wide-tooth comb attachment. I can't be the only one whose every broken plastic bristles on a comb attachment. So, I love the idea of this wide-tooth version designed to glide through the hair and distribute heat evenly.
And then there’s the brush attachment. I haven't used the Pattern Shower Brush, but this attachment design mimics the beloved brush. This attachment is made for drying and stretching coils, tight textures, and shorter hair lengths.
The Experience
I’m currently rocking box braids to give myself a little break from manipulating my hair. However, even with braids, I keep up my weekly wash day routine. "What about the frizz," you may be asking yourself. Truthfully, my hair health means more to me than worrying about frizz. But I've managed to find a way to reset my hair after each wash with minimal frizz, which involves a blow dryer. I typically use a Dyson, which carries a hefty price tag. So I was super excited to try this on my small knotless braids.
After washing, conditioning, and adding a leave-in, I layer my hair with a mousse. I go between Pattern's Curl Mousse and The Doux Bee Girl CrazySexyCurl Honey Setting Foam, depending on my hair's frizz factor. In this case, I went with Pattern. After applying the mousse, I tie my hair down with a satin scarf and let it air dry, and then I go back in maybe an hour later to dry it.
Because I was headed out to dinner with a friend and had gone swimming before, I had to wash my hair. I timed my dry session, which started at 5:46. My hair from roots to ends was dry by 6:02, which was perfect given that I was already running late and my high-density hair can take forever to dry, even with braids.
Ross says to start with the lowest heat setting, which I did. What I found the most revealing was that this little dryer really did pack a punch. Because I was pressed for time, I went with the second heat setting and used the diffuser on my roots and then the concentrator on the length of my braids. I loved that my arm never felt heavy.
Final Thoughts
Courtesy of PATTERN
I love that this dryer comes with four attachments because, so often, once you purchase your blow dryer, now you have to budget for the attachments. Additionally, there’s the design and not just aesthetics. It’s the fact that the blow dryer not only has a professional-grade AC motor, but it’s also lightweight, easy to use, and it can go right in a carry-on because of its size. And I can’t forget the fact that you don’t have to remove the dryer from your head when switching the setting, and I don’t have to worry about my attachments hitting me in the head and falling off.
One final pro for me: the price. This dryer is nearly half the price of the best-known dryers on the market, and it’s made for curly and coily textures.
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Featured image courtesy of PATTERN
Bianca Lambert is a proud Atlanta native soaking up the Los Angeles sun. She is the founder of Mae B: a stationery company for women of color and a digital content creator on a mission to elevate the voices of women of color everywhere.
This article is sponsored by Hulu.
UnPrisonedhas returned for its highly anticipated second season, delving deeper into the complex dynamics of the Alexander family.
The series premiere comes a year after its debut season garnered rave reviews from fans and critics and earned record-breaking ratings for Hulu's Onyx Collective brand. UnPrisoned's success can be attributed to its raw, relatable themes and comedic appeal.
Inspired by creator Tracy McMillan's life, the show follows Paige (Kerry Washington), a therapist and single mother whose life takes an unexpected turn when her father, Edwin (Delroy Lindo) --who was released from prison-- moves in with her and her teenage son, Finn (Faly Rakotohavana).
Throughout UnPrisoned's first season, viewers witnessed how Edwin's incarceration deeply affected Paige's life and relationships. In the series, Paige unpacks her trauma through interactions with her inner child and her online followers. Meanwhile, Edwin is overcoming specific struggles with his own past that led to his life of crime, including a dysfunctional upbringing and his mother's arrest. As the Alexanders attempt to reconcile, new challenges arise.
This new season promises to further explore their unconventional family dynamic. Here are several compelling reasons why season two of UnPrisoned should be on everyone's watchlist.
The Alexander Family Life Is Still In Shambles
UnPrisoned's second season resumes where the series left off, with Paige grappling with the fallout from her troubled therapy practice and Edwin navigating life independently after moving out. Meanwhile, Finn faces his own challenges. The teenager is battling anxiety and seeking information about his father—a topic Paige avoids discussing.
The Alexander Family Are Attending Therapy To Resolve Their Underlying Issues
Amid the chaos in their lives, the Alexander family decides to mend their bond by confronting their past traumas. They seek professional help and attend therapy sessions with a “family radical healing coach,” played by John Stamos, a new cast member. This collective effort aims to unravel the complexities of their shared history and strengthen their relationships.
The process of unraveling each character's internal conflicts and their potential impact on future relationships may clash with Paige's textbook therapy approach. While Paige is used to being in the therapist's seat in both career and family, this forces her into the unfamiliar role of a patient during therapy sessions. This shift would compel her to look in the mirror and try a radically different approach.
The Alexander Family Learned A Big Lesson During A Therapy Session
In therapy, the Alexanders are tasked with addressing their individual traumas to salvage their remaining relationships. One of the family therapist’s eccentric suggestions was an exercise involving a family wrestling match. During this session, Paige faces tough questions about her refusal to share information about Finn's father.
While it's unclear whether this scene is reality or fantasy, the image of the family duking it out in the ring certainly makes for hilarious yet compelling television.
Paige Tries Dating Again Following Failed Relationships
Amid her life's chaos, Paige decides to step back into the dating field. However, her many attempts have left her with mixed results. The dating apps have turned out to be a fail, and an outing with her ex Mal (Marque Richardson), who is also her father's parole officer, doesn’t go quite as expected after he brings an unexpected guest – his new girlfriend.
The situation takes an awkward turn when Mal's new partner learns why the former couple split, partly due to Paige's self-sabotage.
UnPrisoned Is A Perfect Balance Of Comedy And Drama
As a dramedy, UnPrisoned takes a comedic approach to its heavy subjects. The show takes us on a ride with Paige's dating misadventures and navigating a friendship with her ex.
Other lighthearted moments include Edwin's attempts at CPR based on online videos and, of course, the antics of the Alexander family's unconventional new healing coach.
The second season of UnPrisoned is now available on Hulu.
UnPrisoned | Season 2 Trailer | Hulu
Feature image courtesy
Here’s How To Start Running As A Beginner, According To An Expert
As the summer heats up, so does the desire to participate in outdoor activities that keep you moving and connected to others. Among these extracurriculars, running checks all the boxes.
If you look anywhere on TikTok, you might think that just about everyone is running these days. It only takes a few scrolls before you stumble across someone taking their viewers along for 10-mile runs or trading dating apps for run clubs.
Running is beginner-friendly, requires little investment, and offers a number of mental and physical health benefits, so it’s clear why the sport has become the hottest new hobby to participate in. And if you’re one of the countless individuals inspired to lace up your shoes and hit the pavement, you might be looking for a few practical tips to start your own running journey.
"The most important thing you can do for yourself as a runner or someone who's interested in starting to run is being consistent," Ashlee Green, co-founder of RUNGRL, a digital-first community for Black women distance runners, tells xoNecole.
When Green first began her running journey, she recalls never quite seeing herself as a runner “and certainly not an athlete.” It wasn’t until she moved to Chicago and worked for the city’s Nike store that her views on the sport began to expand. “I had a friend who ran, I had access to shoes, I had access to the Lakefront,” which eventually became her personal track.
A move to Washington, D.C., led to her joining a local running club, District Running Collective, which not only solidified running as a core part of her wellness practice but a cornerstone to building community.
“Community is absolutely what helped me to feel like I was an athlete and an actual runner,” she says. “It was through the opportunity to both show up as a community member and, over time, as a community leader, that deepened my commitment to the sport for myself and the impact that it would have on other people.”
Through RUNGRL, Green has since created a supportive environment along with her co-founder that encourages beginners to start where they are, grow in their journey alongside like-minded women, and “ultimately inspire more Black women to get and stay moving.”
To help get your running journey off on the right foot, Green spoke with xoNecole to provide the best tips for building stamina, finding a run club that fits your needs, and becoming the runner you desire to be.
Consistency Is Key.
“I feel like there's this sort of general, societal understanding that running must be easy, but it's not,” she says. “What does help it become easier is when you're consistent and committed to showing up for yourself and the miles on a consistent basis.”
“That doesn't mean you need to be running six or seven days a week. But what it does mean is that you’re committed to twice a week, three times a week, or whatever works for you and your schedule,” she adds. “Move your body and find ways to build up the stamina and the endurance you’re seeking because everybody's journey is different.”
Find an Accountability Partner.
“Having your ‘gworls’ with you makes it a lot easier,” Green says. “Somebody who can go through the experience with you, talk about how you're feeling, and tell you that your hair still looks great even though you're out there sweating. Having friends along the way, I have found, has made the journey better. Everything is better with your girls.”
Set a Personal Goal.
Green tells us, “Signing up for a race or just having an end goal and something to work towards makes it easier to build a plan or establish consistency because you’re working towards something specific.”
“Whether you want to run a mile by a certain day or sign up for this 5k, setting those types of goals helps you to have something to look forward to and work towards.”
Comparison Is the Thief of Joy.
“A lot of the times on the internet, we see success stories and people crossing the finish line, but running hardly ever looks like that all the time,” she says. “Most of the time, it sucks. I don't always physically enjoy the act of running, but what I do enjoy and appreciate, is what it brings and will continue to bring to my life: movement, wellness, community, accountability, and representation.”
“You don't have to compare yourself to the next person — you don't know what they're going through off of Instagram. One foot in front of the other is all that you can control, and that's all that you should feel beholden to in your process.”
Choosing the Best Run Club for You.
Green advises, “Seek out the groups, the clubs, and the crews that are into running for community, accountability, and creating safe spaces for people like us. This particular boom is really interesting, and it's trending around dating and things like that, which, in my opinion, takes away the feelings of safety and showing up because I want to be well and better myself.”
“So seek out groups that are in it for the right reasons as you are in search of your best self,” she adds.
Adopt a Healthy Mindset.
“One of the things that I often tell myself is, ‘You can do hard things.” Another one that RunGurl says all the time, “If you run a mile, you can do anything,” Green says. “One thing that I find myself saying when I’m actively running is, “No matter where you are on the run, you can do anything for 10 minutes. You can do anything for five minutes. You can do anything for however much longer you have to go. It's only a set amount of time left, but I can do it, I can show up for myself, and I will get through it.”
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Featured image by Catherine Falls Commercial/Getty Images