Tracee Ellis Ross Just Won *Both* the Most and Least Voluminous Hair Awards
From a slick bob to a teased crown, she can do no wrong.
Tracee Ellis Ross has long been open about her complicated hair journey. When she was in elementary school, she began relaxing and texturizing her hair—a weekly tradition that continued until, eventually, she realized she'd beaten her natural strands "to a pulp." Now, the Pattern Beauty owner has learned to treat her lovely locks well—and play around a little, while she's at it.
On Wednesday, December 27, Ross shared a new photoshoot for FLAUNT magazine that took this concept to the extreme—rocking two hairstyles that couldn't be more different in terms of volume. "Hair play," she captioned the carousel of images, which featured both a super slick '20s bob and teased-to-the-high-heavens style.
The 51-year-old's 'dos were the work of celebrity hairdresser E Williams, a favorite artist of Ross who has contributed to a number of her iconic styles. In one clip posted by the Girlfriends actress, Williams touches up the front of her super short bob, making sure a ringlet stays in place.
"She did that," commented the stylist on the post, only to be met with some responsible party pushback. "You did that!" Ross replied.
For the second look, the beauty mogul's hair was straightened and teased at least 8 inches above her head for height that more than rivaled her iconic mother, Diana Ross. To show off the full extent of the look, the American Fiction star whipped her head around, letting the long locks fly in all directions.
"What? Oh, I'm just going to Whole Foods," she joked in a clip.
As for makeup, a major splash of blue eyeshadow (yes, it's back) applied by makeup artist Romy Soleimani tied both looks together. A glossy reddish-brown manicure by Zola Ganzorigt also helped the situation, adding just a bit of glam while letting the hairstyles make their mark(s).
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"Ladies gentlemen, her!!!" commented Pattern Beauty's official Instagram account on the post, adding the hashtags "CEO," "founder," and "hair goals." It's true: Ross is all of the above—with major emphasis on the last one.
Sophia Vilensky is a Freelance Beauty Writer at Marie Claire with a beauty, wellness, and entertainment journalism portfolio that includes contributions to Byrdie, Bravo, Teen Vogue, and Us Weekly. Growing up in a family of beauticians—and through her own personal studies—she developed an in-depth understanding of aesthetics, cosmetic product formulation, and beauty treatment development and has also held roles as a senior copywriter, content strategist, and proofreader for top beauty and wellness brands. Even so, you'd be hard pressed to find her with her hair and makeup actually done. Sophia is based in Minneapolis and is a 2019 graduate of the University of Minnesota, where she majored in English and minored in cinema studies. During her time at the university, she was the Arts Entertainment Editor for the Minnesota Daily, earning the 2019 Editor of the Year award for her work. She connected deeply with the Twin Cities arts scene, collaborating with leading beauty professionals, designers, and artists. Graduating Summa Cum Laude, her thesis—a close-reading of Vanderpump Rules—was featured on NPR. When not immersed in writing or testing new products, Sophia enjoys watching reality TV, reading, and exploring the newest woo-woo wellness trends. Keep up with her on Instagram @sophiavilensky.