On the Couch With a Transitioner- Charnika

Charnika writes:

Hi CurlyNikki Community!

I’m currently a long-term transitioner and devoted reader of your site. Since starting this journey in August of 2009, your site has gave me the knowledge and encouragement I needed along the way, so thanks so much!

Coming this August, I will be doing the Big Chop and also ending my challenge of losing weight. I have a YouTube channel called 160Days2Lose2 that documents both of those journeys with advice, my struggles and encouragement videos (my “MOTIVATION” series seems to be well received amongst those who visit my page).

As I approach my 30 day countdown, which is August 11, I thought it would be great to provide motivation to others who are struggling with the idea of doing the BC (I’m nervous as well, so I can imagine others are too) and or who is also trying to lose weight!

Without further ado:

CN: Are you a long term or short term transitioner, and why?
Once I decided to go natural, I knew I wanted to do a long-term transition because I never had short hair in my life and was so afraid of chopping it all off. I was also nervous that my face was “too fat” to rock a TWA (hence why I am also on a weight loss journey as well).

CN: When will you BC?
I’m going to BC on August 11 and I although I am nervous, I’m also very excited! Transitioning for one year isn’t easy by any means and I’m really getting tired of dealing with two textures.

CN: How did family and friends react to the news of your transition and pending BC?
Before I decided to transition to natural hair, I always, ALWAYS wore my hair in a wrap. I may have gotten braids once every summer, but other than that, it was in a wrap. Everyone around me thought I was “going through something” once I started wearing curly afro styles, even after I told them I was going natural. No one took me seriously, except my then boyfriend (now best friend lol). He was the only one supportive and excited about me going natural. He will be accompanying me when I get the Big Chop!

I remember two months in the transition my Dad asked me if he could take me to the salon to get my hair done just after I had done a two-strand twist-out style. At the time I was furious, but I had to let him know that I was never going to get my hair relaxed again so he’d better get used to it.

CN: What is your transition routine?
Depending on how much I worked out in a week, I would co-wash my hair with either Herbal Essences’s Hello Hydration or Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Tingle every week and shampoo my hair using Tresseme Natural shampoo once every two weeks. I deep condition my hair every week. Although I have some CURLS products that I won in YouTuber NikkieMae2003’s “CURLS Best Twist out Contest,” my staple products that I’ve used since early into my transition are shea butter, olive oil, and my personal favotite, coconut oil. All three are affordable, and since I’m currently a college student, I can’t afford to try all of the products under the sun anyway.

CN: What is your staple hair style during the transition?
Until recently, my staple style was always a curly fro, which I achieved by doing a roller-set. I also tried Bantu Knots and flexi-rod sets, but the rolle-rset was IT! Now that my new-growth is longer, roller-sets are not ideal for me anymore. Due to the blazing summer heat and sweating from my rigorous workout routine, my hair doesn’t hold up well when wearing my hair in curly afro styles. I’m now going to wear my hair in flat twists and twists as a way to protect my hair until I BC.

CN: How do you moisturize your hair to prevent breakage at the new growth line?
Although I tried to prevent breakage, I lost the battle around the 7-month mark. I don’t think it had anything to do with moisturizing my hair, but instead, the manipulation I was doing to it by putting it in curly afro styles every week. To moisturize my hair, I would always put in a leave in conditioner (usually Totally Twisted by Herbal Essences) and then apply my mixture of shea butter and coconut oil. It always left my hair feeling amazingly soft!

CN: Why did you choose to go natural?
I chose to go natural because I was so tired of looking like every other plain Jane. Until I went to college, I thought I HAD to have long hair and wear name brand clothes to look attractive, even though I was unhappy fitting into that “mold.” I was always fascinated with afros and curly hair and even asked my then stylist to give me a curly perm lol.

Since being on this journey, I now feel that I am being true to myself by letting the outside reflect who I am on the inside. And because of that, I have never been more confident in my life!

Link to my YouTube page: http://www.youtube.com/user/160Days2Lose2
Link to my blog: http://160days2lose2.tumblr.com