By Mahima Kaur
**EXCLUSIVE**
THIS REAL life Rapunzel has revealed how she is stopped in the street by strangers wanting to take pictures of her luscious five feet two inches long hair and is bombarded with marriage proposals by admirers online despite having a steady boyfriend.
Model Olga Naumova from Moscow, Russia had little hair on her head as a child and her parents were so concerned she would go bald they used a babushka to cover her unruly hair until one day her hair began to grow ceaselessly and densely.
Her great-grandmother, Barbara, had beautiful long hair and so does her mother.
So it comes as no surprise to Olga that she has inherited the long hair genes. However, it is the reaction her hair causes on others that is the biggest surprise.
Strangers have burst into applause at the sight of her in the street, strange men have asked her boyfriend’s permission to have their picture taken with her and she regularly received marriage proposals online.
Some passers by could even not resist touching or stroking her hair when she walks past.
“I never thought about growing my hair on purpose, they just grew and I took them for granted,” she said.
“I didn’t realise how long they were until people started complimenting me.
“People complimented me everywhere- on streets, public places etc with some people even asking to touch my hair or take a picture of me.
“I then realised that my hair is not ordinary but special as they attract close attention and sincere admiration.
“Older people, especially, appreciated my hair expressing their disapproval towards short hair these days. They tell me I should never cut my hair.”
Olga was born to a family of teachers. Her mother is a philologist and her father a chemical-biologist.
An ardent dancer, reader and artist, Olga has completed her Bachelors in Economic Education and has a special love for driving.
Olga particularly remembers two incidents where peoples’ reactions towards her hair were very surprising, even shocking.
“This one time when I was in Thailand, I was walking with my hair open and down,” she said.
“That is actually very unusual because I don’t go with my hair open as I find it very inconvenient.
“Suddenly a group of ten people who I had just passed started clapping loudly.
“I turned around only to see that they were clapping for me, giving me thumbs up and shouting “Great hair!’.
“Another time when I was in Maldives, I noticed a German man staring intently at me.
“I checked my face to see if something was wrong with it but couldn’t find anything.
“It was only the next day when that man approached me and my boyfriend at breakfast that I found out the reason for his staring.
“He asked my boyfriend for his permission to take a picture with me. I was so shocked and couldn’t believe my ears.”
Olga’s hair has not gone unnoticed by her online followers as well and she has received a lot of love from people who call her Rapunzel.
“I get a lot of comments on all my photos, especially the ones where I let them flow open,” she said.
“There are some followers who don’t miss a single post to comment on.
“They call me amazing, marvellous, fabulous, a beauty, gorgeous, unique and a Rapunzel.
“Some men comment that they would like to marry me or elope with me.”
Some people find Olga’s hair unreal and while others ask her a lot of questions.
“People ask me so many questions all the time but I can’t really answer them,” she said.
“They ask me how many years it took me to grow my hair this long and some others ask me how I wash my hair.
“Some people are adamant and say that I have dyed my hair or have hair extensions on.
“One time a saleswoman asked to touch my hair and did it very rudely only to tell her colleague, ‘I told you they were artificial.’”
Olga maintains her hair by following a simple hair care routine and doesn’t like to do anything special. She credits her genetics for her long hair.
“I can’t say that I take special care of them,” she said.
“My hair is nature’s gift to me but of course I try to keep them in good condition.
“I use different kinds of masks and in addition to shampoo I definitely use conditioner otherwise I won’t be able to comb my hair.
“I also use special oils while combing my hair to give them a shine and to make them silky.
“I prefer braiding them into a tight braid as I find it the most convenient way to wear my hair.”
ENDS
