In the late '80s, there were so few people wearing their hair natural. Growing up then, I was fortunate to have a role model in my mom, but I wasn't looking to her for what's cool. I don't care if your mom is Diana Ross or not! Natural hair just wasn't what I considered "in." It wasn't what I thought looked sexy or what was going to get boys to like me.
I had curly hair that was everywhere—defying gravity, looking electric and stunning—but I thought I was supposed to have easy-breezy hair. We would go to the salon every Saturday, and I would get a wet set with big rollers, sit under the dryer, and then wait in line to get blown out. For the rest of the week, I would sleep in sponge rollers and wake up with a crick in my neck. Or sometimes my mom would reroll my hair or put an iron right on the stove and do my edges. By Thursday or Friday, my hair would be in a ponytail so tight, I swear to God it gave me a headache.
By the time I was in 10th grade, my hair was beaten to a pulp. All those things I tried to do to make it look bouncy had the complete reverse effect. I used too much heat and lost my curl pattern. So I started to collect information and learned how to protect that unique pattern that gives my hair its magic and its life.
When I started working on Girlfriends, in my late 20s, I had an arsenal of tools and products to do my own hair. On set, there was no one who could do it! In the early 2000s, most hair professionals—if they were people of color—only knew how to use heat. They didn't know how to support natural curls. For the first two seasons of the show, I woke up early, showered with the right products, and let my hair air-dry for three hours. That was all Tracee hair. No one else touched it.
I didn't realize it then, but there were so many women on the same journey. In 2008, I wrote my first brand pitch, but it took me 10 years to launch my line, Pattern. The decision makers of the beauty world just didn't understand the magnitude, importance, beauty, and breadth of the curl community. I'm not saying everyone should go curly. But treat your hair with love, and develop and blossom in your own sense of selfhood; that's the most important journey. Embracing your beauty is a form of activism.
Try Tracee's Favorite Products
This article appears in the February 2020 issue of Marie Claire.
Stay In The Know
Marie Claire email subscribers get intel on fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more. Sign up here.
Maya Allen is the former Digital Beauty Editor at MarieClaire.com where she covered makeup, skincare, haircare, wellness, you name it! She has a 15-step skincare routine, owns over 200 red lipsticks, and enjoys testing the latest and greatest in beauty. On most weekends, you can find her at her happy place, which is her makeup vanity. There, she’s usually blasting her speakers while singing along to lyrics at the top of her lungs, and making sure her highlighter is on point.
-
32 Child Stars Who Have Aged Like Fine Wine
They made the notoriously bumpy transition to adulthood look easy.
By Katherine J. Igoe Published
-
Zendaya Thinks It’s “Very Odd” That People Are So Interested in Her Onscreen Kissing Scenes
“If there was somebody else here, you probably wouldn’t ask that question.”
By Rachel Burchfield Published
-
Catherine Zeta-Jones Loaned Her Daughter an Iconic Ungaro Dress from 1999 to Celebrate Her 21st Birthday
The pink slip dress is older than Carys herself.
By Rachel Burchfield Published
-
Rosemary Oil for Hair Growth: Does It Really Work?
The natural remedy went viral, but it's not a miracle worker.
By Gabrielle Ulubay Published
-
The 32 Best Hair Growth Shampoos of 2024, According to Experts
Rapunzel hair, coming right up.
By Gabrielle Ulubay Published
-
The 12 Best Deep Conditioners for Curly and Natural Hair, According to Hairstylists and Editors
Fight damage and frizz, rain or shine.
By Gabrielle Ulubay Last updated
-
The 20 Best Hair Masks for Damaged Hair, According to Experts and Editors
Healthy strands, here we come!
By Gabrielle Ulubay Last updated
-
How Often You Should Wash Your Hair, According To Experts
Keep it fresh, my friends.
By Gabrielle Ulubay Published
-
The 11 Best Magnetic Lashes of 2023
Go ahead and kiss your messy lash glue goodbye.
By Hana Hong Published
-
Beauty Advent Calendars Make the Perfect Holiday Gift
The gift that keeps on giving.
By Julia Marzovilla Last updated
-
The 18 Best Natural Hair Products in 2023
Remember: Your curls are your crown.
By Gabrielle Ulubay Published