We Tried Pattern Beauty’s New Hair Steamer—Here’s Our Review

Pattern Beauty is on a sizzling hot streak with its heat tool launches—pun intended. The hair care brand, founded by Tracee Ellis Ross, broke into the market in January 2023 with its curl-conscious Blow Dryer. Earlier this year, Pattern Beauty unveiled its Interchangeable Curling Iron. Now, the beloved brand is ready to unveil its latest innovative tool: the Hair Steamer.

“Our Pattern Hair Steamer goes beyond traditional treatment methods by not only hydrating and softening hair but also supercharging the way you deep condition at home,” Ross said in a press release. “Our tool amplifies the efficacy of our award-winning conditioners and treatment masks to further deliver on our mission to give the textured masses healthy and hydrated, juicy, and joyful hair.” Ahead, learn more about the Pattern Hair Steamer and how it worked for us.

What It Is

Any hairstylist will tell you that steam treatments are beneficial for your hair. The warm vaporized water can help reduce dryness, aid in deeper penetration of your products, and enhance elasticity. However, steaming your hair outside the salon has never been an easy-breezy process. A quick scroll through the #HairSteaming section on TikTok will show you that beauty consumers are turning to hooded steamers (often bulky and incredibly hot) or clothing steamers (which lack temperature control and aren’t meant for hair) to achieve an at-home treatment experience. 

Pattern considered these pain points when developing the Hair Steamer and created the lightest, most ergonomic tool possible. The chic caramel-colored device fits comfortably in your hand and has a built-in stand, allowing it to rest on your counter. The tool also features a removable 150ML water tank (giving it a 16-minute runtime) and a single heat setting of 284 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Hair Steamer comes with two attachments: a diffuser and an extra-prong attachment. The former creates a halo of steam, making it ideal for longer curls, fros, TWAs, and locs. The latter is a four-prong tip that helps to lift and separate your hair further. In addition to the attachments, the box includes a Flush Kit featuring a cleaning cloth, water bottle, and removable filter to help you maintain your steamer. 

How It Works

While the steamer is unplugged, you should release the chamber, fill it with water (the brand recommends distilled to avoid mineral build-up), and reattach it to the device. Once you’ve turned the steamer on, it’ll heat up in 60 seconds. From there, you can use the tool in a few ways. 

One option is to use it on clean, detangled hair after you apply a conditioner or mask (like Pattern’s Breakage Barrier Mask). Alternatively, you can use the steamer on dry hair after applying a pre-poo treatment. If you want to refresh your hair post-wash day, the steamer can also help reactivate water-soluble styling products and revive your curls.

The amount of time you should spend steaming varies depending on the length of your hair. Per the brand’s suggestion, those with short hair should steam for up to five minutes, those with medium-length hair can stick to 10 minutes, and those with long hair can do 12 minutes.

Our Reviews 

Olivia Hancock, editor

“Whenever I use heat, I always like to show my hair extra TLC. So, after my most recent silk press, I was eager to treat my hair to Pattern’s new steamer and Breakage Barrier Hair Mask. After cleansing and detangling my hair, I applied the mask and began my steam treatment. I immediately noticed that the steam dispersed at a comfortable temperature (i.e., you don’t have to worry about scalding your scalp). The built-in prongs on the steamer make it easy to evenly distribute the heat and detangle my thick hair. The diffuser attachment is equally helpful, as it helps me gather my long curls in larger sections and wrap them with steam. Throughout the treatment, I could immediately tell that my hair was responding well to the steamer and mask combination. My hair felt smoother, looked shinier, and appeared more defined than it does without steaming. I definitely plan to keep incorporating the Hair Steamer into my wash day at least once a month to ensure my hair remains healthy.”

Jasmine Phillips, social media editor

“Pattern Hair Steamer is the most exciting launch I’ve seen (and experienced) all year. If you had the chance to try Q-Redew’s steamer before the company went out of business, just know that this launch is bigger and better. Thanks to this steamer, I’ve started detangling my hair before washing (I know, I know!), and it has made wash days so much easier and seamless. I also like to use the different prong attachments to help my deep conditioner, Pattern’s Breakage Barrier Hair Mask, penetrate the hair shaft. This steamer is truly a dream for everyone with natural hair.”