How Tracee Does It…
Last week I posted the Hair Evolution of Tracee Ellis Ross. I’m loving her curls and her style – she’s officially on my hair envy list! Anyhow, I’m sure I’m not the only one to be inspired by her mane attraction so I found an old article where she discusses her hair routine and I thought it might be resourceful to repost:
Tracee’s hair has been a major topic of interest since she first appeared as Joan in Girlfriends. Essence Magazine interviewed the lovely star about her tresses and asked for “secrets”.
She told Essence when she goes to the beach or the pool she utilizes the opportunity to deep condition her hair before she swims.
Tracee specifically mentioned JF Lazartique Shea Butter and Rene Furterer Karite as two of the deep conditioners she applies to her hair after a shampoo but before exposing her strands to chlorine, salt or sun.
In Jolie Magazine Tracee shared a variety of hair secrets. When she wants to wear her hair in its “natural” curl pattern, she told Jolie she uses Aveda’s Cherry Almond Bark and Deep Penetrating Revitalizer conditioners.
She also relies on Denman brushes. Besides Aveda she alternates with Mixed Girls and applies their Leave-in Conditioner to her hair when it is wet.
When she uses heat on her hair she uses Kerastase conditioning products and blow dries with a blow dryer that is a combo of ceramic and ionic. She also uses curling irons that have the same ceramic and ionic combination which does not damage her hair or ruin her natural curl pattern.
Tracee told Jolie Magazine “my hair is actually in better condition then where it started”. She noted “I wash my hair with shampoo and then conditioner and then I put stuff in it once I’ve blow it out. My hair’s like glass. I’m like WHAT! Yes, hair’s brilliant”.
In an interview with Black Hair and Braids, Tracee noted “I wash my hair once a week”. She uses different shampoos which include Aveda Shampure (once a month) that she couples with Rene Furterer Vinegar Rinse. She also uses Goldwell’s Conditioning Shampoo.
Steam is another of her secrets. She reported she goes to a Korean day spa and filles her hair up with Goldwell Kerasilk Conditioner. She goes into the steam room. If she can’t get to the steam room, she uses a heat cap. Tracee told Black Hair “with Kerasilk, your hair will not curl up. My hair gets so soft that it doesn’t curl up, so I have to use another conditioner.
When she wants her best hair, she uses a Denman D-4 rubber brush. She separate her hair into six sections in order to brush it out, starting at the bottom to prevent breakage. She does this in the shower. She mixes Aveda Cherry Almond Bark with Deep Penetrating and then shakes her hair so the curls can find each other.
She puts her hair up with a big clip. She leaves the conditioner in for awhile. Then she turns cold water on low pressure because the high pressure will break up the curls that just found each other. The low pressure cold water keeps it shine and keeps the curl.
***The best advice Tracee gives for hair care advice? Condition, condition and condition and stay away from alcohol-based products. It just dries your hair out.
For 2009 – I’m in the mood to grow my hair. I want big hair, but I want it long. As a kinky curly gal, I deal with a lot of shrinkage – so the longer my hair is – the better. I came across an 
