(Photo: Instagram/@wonderfrankie)

Women of color embracing their natural hair has created a market full of products and a network of bloggers and vloggers providing step-by-step instructions on caring for our lovely tresses. Despite the love, for many of us, we still have to battle the negative views of our pajón. (Enter your lifelong hairstylist who will try to get you to put crema back on your hair.)

UptownGirlsNYC.com’s Lorraine Avila recently caught up with Washington Heights star Frankie Reese to talk natural hair. Check out a snippet of their interview below:

They call it going natural, although it’s GOING BACK TO NATURAL. Women of color everywhere are denouncing heat products, tintes, straightening chemicals like derisados. @wonderfrankie answered some questions on her hair journey for UGNYC.

L.A.: What was your hair process like before going natural? 

F.R.: Exhausting! Constantly straightening it bcus relaxed hair ain’t too cute in it’s natural state! I would flat-iron it like every other day.

L.A.: What motivated you to go natural? 

F.R.: I was ready for a change! I love changing my hair + had already gone short so curls were next in line.

L.A.: What was the transition like? How did others react?

F.R.: It was actually pretty smooth. I had a short cut that allowed me to transition easier bcus I had already gone through the ‘big chop’ phase. Everyone loved it! I’ve gotten ‘it suits your personality’ countless times, I guess the free spirits are truly care free folks bcus I don’t even worry about it looking ‘perfect’ anymore.

Click here to read the entire interview on UptownGirlsNYC.com.