Approaching women from different countries? Short story, question.

cmw45

cmw45

Well-Known Member
Okay, so I work at a service center on my campus (which is literally in the middle of nowhere.) However, because research university, and I work at the a graudate apartment building most of the Ph. D students are international. So, this Indian woman with GAWGEOUS:eek: hair comes in today asking me about a drain plug for her bathroom. She says that her hair is always getting caught in it. As she's explaining a woman from housekeeping comes in and anwsers her question. Well, as the Indian woman is filling out some paperwork I am dying to ask her what she uses on her hair and where she shops. So, I patiently wait for the woman from housekeeping leave and then ask the Indian woman where I might buy Alma oil. She said, "I don't use it, but you may be able to find it at the Indian grocer." She then explains where one is located. I had no idea that there was one closer than 50mi from here. (I go to a very preppy school which is 71% white). She looks at me curiously as if you wants to ask what I use it for but instead smiles and then leaves.

I'm going to the store as soon as I get off work...usually the clerks in the Indian shops look at me as if I am crazy...but hay, that's not gonna get between me and my Shikaiki powder.

I wish I had been brave enough to ask her what she does to her hair (she seemed nice enough and is a stay at home wife, so she wasn't in a rush)...has anyone else approached someone from a different country and had any success.


ETA: So I went to the grocery store and got some...the Indian grocer was baggying some other stuff I had got till he got to my Alma Oil, he looked at it, and looked at me. Then asked, "Where did you hear about this from?" I told him and he actually seemed kind of excited (maybe he thinks more people will start buying it, so more business?)...he was like,"It's amazing how knowledge is passed on...this is very poplular in India." I nodded and smiled and left...thinking about it now, I should have asked him what else is "popular" in India. :)
 
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One of my ex-roomates is Indian, she didn't do anything special to her hair except shampoo, condition and airdry or blowdry then flatiron. Her hair is gorgeous, but because it's so straight the oils from her scalp distribute themselves pretty well down her hair length, so she doesn't use oils. She shampoos about every other to every 3 days...past that her hair gets extremely oily.
 
cmw45 said:
Okay, so I work at a service center on my campus (which is literally in the middle of nowhere.) However, because research university, and I work at the a graudate apartment building most of the Ph. D students are international. So, this Indian woman with GAWGEOUS:eek: hair comes in today asking me about a drain plug for her bathroom. She says that her hair is always getting caught in it. As she's explaining a woman from housekeeping comes in and anwsers her question. Well, as the Indian woman is filling out some paperwork I am dying to ask her what she uses on her hair and where she shops. So, I patiently wait for the woman from housekeeping leave and then ask the Indian woman where I might buy Alma oil. She said, "I don't use it, but you may be able to find it at the Indian grocer." She then explains where one is located. I had no idea that there was one closer than 50mi from here. (I go to a very preppy school which is 71% white). She looks at me curiously as if you wants to ask what I use it for but instead smiles and then leaves.

I'm going to the store as soon as I get off work...usually the clerks in the Indian shops look at me as if I am crazy...but hay, that's not gonna get between me and my Shikaiki powder.

I wish I had been brave enough to ask her what she does to her hair (she seemed nice enough and is a stay at home wife, so she wasn't in a rush)...has anyone else approached someone from a different country and had any success.
Click to expand...

I bought my first bottle of amla oil from an indian woman I met in Walmart. I could tell her mother was saying in their language "Don't give it to her!".:lachen: She sold me that bottle for $20 which is three times the price but I was thankful to finally try it. That was 4 years ago.
 
Now I'm going to respond to this but I have to warn you that I don't really care too much what people think of me! The next time you see her you should compliment her on her hair and then ask what products she uses. You know we women love compliments.

Actually, I have just met an Indian lady in my neighborhood who has "coarse" (?) hair and when we first met she complained to me that her hair was really curly. My own hair is natural and coily. She and I then had a quick conversation about hair and what we do to it. We would not had discussed it had she not brought it up. ;-)
 
Yea I have a financial annalyst here at my job, she's indian and she has the most gorgeous head of hair! It's so black, shiny and thick. So I finally built up enough nerve to send her an email. I was like do you use alma oil, henna, etc. She was like nope...only neutrogena, that's the only thing that works in my hair.:eek: I was actually kind of disappointed. But she does make me want to try that line
 
dlewis said:
I bought my first bottle of amla oil from an indian woman I met in Walmart. I could tell her mother was saying in their language "Don't give it to her!".:lachen: She sold me that bottle for $20 which is three times the price but I was thankful to finally try it. That was 4 years ago.
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What do you think of it? Do you still use it?
 
MariposaMorena08 said:
Now I'm going to respond to this but I have to warn you that I don't really care too much what people think of me! The next time you see her you should compliment her on her hair and then ask what products she uses. You know we women love compliments.

Actually, I have just met an Indian lady in my neighborhood who has "coarse" (?) hair and when we first met she complained to me that her hair was really curly. My own hair is natural and coily. She and I then had a quick conversation about hair and what we do to it. We would not had discussed it had she not brought it up. ;-)
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Lucky you...so what'd she say? :grin:
 
I approach women from different backgrounds about their hair - no problem. They seem to love talking about hair/beauty - I think it's universal :lol: . Just ask her what she uses, if she has any tips and she'll most likey be happy to share.
 
I asked an man working at GNC if he was of Indian descent. He looked perplexed and hesitated then said yes. I asked him about vatika oil and about where in the area were Indian grocers. When he saw that we lived in the same area and he smiled and told me where some were. He then told me that most Indian women use coconut oil as a preshampoo and amla and so forth. He seemed relieved at the end of our conversation.

Some of my favorite professors were Indian and in my experience,I know for a fact that as long as you approach them with respect, they will be very friendly and open up to you. Their culture has "ancient" roots and is very sacred to them. The fact is, some will not be willing to share. As long as you keep this in mind, you should be all right. hth
 
Also, you can do plenty of searches online and I guarantee you'll be surprised with some of the links you will come up with! Long Hair Community is a good one where a lot of non-Black women congregate with long beautiful hair! I go there every now and then and spy:sekret:
 
Evazhair said:
I asked an man working at GNC if he was of Indian descent. He looked perplexed and hesitated then said yes. I asked him about vatika oil and about where in the area were Indian grocers. When he saw that we lived in the same area and he smiled and told me where some were. He then told me that most Indian women use coconut oil as a preshampoo and amla and so forth. He seemed relieved at the end of our conversation.

Some of my favorite professors were Indian and in my experience,I know for a fact that as long as you approach them with respect, they will be very friendly and open up to you. Their culture has "ancient" roots and is very sacred to them. The fact is, some will not be willing to share. As long as you keep this in mind, you should be all right. hth
Click to expand...

That's really upsetting that he thought someone might be wanting to discrimnate against him based on his heritage...however, nothing new.

Thanks for the help...I just might ask that woman the next time I see her. Although, ALL of my friends in high school were Indian, (we were the only miniorites at the school) I should just go ahead and call one of them up. :look:
 
my summer roommate is Indian with waistlength, jet-black thick shiny hair:love:.. basically my hair goal, lol

she washes every couple of days with some Tigi bedhead shampoo for colored hair:eek: and their matching conditioner... :nono: no thanks:lol:

typically when she's going to wash, she usually exercises right before, and before her workout, she puts coconut oil all over her hair and scalp, works out for up to an hour, and then shampoos it out.

she typically airdries and then flat-irons it.
I had been looking for an Indian store and when I saw that she came in with the coconut oil, a few days later, i quickly made my way over there and got my Vatika. she uses another brand though. I love how our room smells like caramelized coconuts after either one of us uses our hair oil.

I've never asked any other person about their hair though.
 
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