Woo Lady or do I just stink?

[weirdexperience]

I am on holiday in a beach area where I don't know anyone.

I have smoked in and off for some years, currently in an on phase. Since being here I've smoked outside after dark at the end of each day, and to my knowledge I'm not visible by anyone as there are no houses close by. Plus it's dark.

Yesterday I had a shower and washed my hair (by mistake), brushed my teeth, put on a brand new clean swimsuit and headed to the beach. I had not smoked at all that day. My swimsuit does not smell to my knowledge as I never smoke in my house at home and if I ever smoke outside, I take off those clothes immediately and wash them. This swimsuit is new so has never been next to those clothes in the wash. I had a dress on over my suit which is also new, so same applies. My suitcases also don't smell of smoke as they've never been in a smokey environment.

I went to beach and got directly into the sea where I swam for about 20 mins.

I got out and as I was walking back to my things, and before I even passed her chair at a good 8-10ft away, a lady said "you really should quit smoking, it's not good for you". I looked at her and then looked behind me to see if she was talking to someone beyond me who was smoking. But there was no one there.

I don't have yellow fingernails or teeth.

So on a windy beach in a clean swimsuit with clean hair after swimming for 20 mins, and at a reasonable distance before I even passed her, could she smell me, the once or twice a day smoker?! Or, is she some kind of guardian angel telling me to quit before I get sick?!

Smokers smell of smoke.

Smokers don't think they smell of smoke but they do - it comes out through your pores. Plus your sense of smell has been reduced by it so it's hard for you to judge.

You can always tell a smoker by their skin IMO. I can tell if people have been smokers in the past pretty reliably, they seem to get crinkly skin on their faces in particular places. I would say it’s more likely that than the fact she could smell you from that distance.

There's no way she smelled you, she has to have seen you!

I don't smoke and have a good sense of smell and I have friends and colleagues who smoke but don't smell, when colleagues come back from a "fag" break they briefly smell of smoke, I think she has seen you don't worry about it

I assume she has either seen you smoking or your smoke has been wafting in her direction somewhere.

Smokers smell of smoke.

Not from 10 feet away when they haven't had a recent cigarette and have just come out of the sea.

My guess is she's seen you smoking - if it's dark when you smoke you might easily not have seen her.

She should mind her own business. It’s up to you what you do.

You know smoking is bad for you and I’m sure think about it or you wouldn’t have on/off phases. But she’s making a personal comment that’s just intrusive and rude.

Your response - ‘Thank you, may I suggest you give up offering advice to adults you don’t know?’

fanthorpe I was too taken aback to say anything! But wish I'd asked her how she knew

I agree she must have seen me but I can't fathom how or where.

I'm now busily Googling how smoke smells come out of your pores

And yes I desperately want to give up.

Forget about this busybody OP and enjoy your holiday. Don’t worry about what you smell like it sounds like your hygiene is fine. Have fun on the beach.

Making snippy comments to random strangers can be bad for your health too, you never know how someone will react. What was she thinking? Very rude.

Yes i agree she could probably tell by looking at you. You can tell a smoker by their skin.

I agree she must have seen me but I can't fathom how or where

It could be a case of mistaken identity, and just a coincidence that you happen to smoke like the person she thought you were.

I like woo And would interpret it that as her giving you a message that you needed to hear, and that it means you should stop immediately- especially as you say you already desperately want to

Just to be clear you’re holidaying alone? I think being by yourself gives you a heightened sense of other people, so any negative comments feel a bit more intense. If you’d been with someone else you might have been cross or had a laugh and then let it go.
Also you say you want to give up so the comment has had even more impact.

My advice would be to contact a friend for a chat, tell them what happened, frame it as a funny story, laugh, let it go.

I don’t think the lady is sinister, she’s just got poor boundaries.

Enjoy your break!

I'm an ex smoker, gave up 6 years ago. I can smell it from a mile away, it's very unpleasant tbh.
However, I'd go with the woo aspect as it's nice to think a guardian angel is watching out for you 😇

She was woo. That's my take on it and I'm sticking to it!

Standard reply in this scenario is "thank you, but I already have a mother"

Guardian angel, definitely

Cigarettes or lighter in your bag? Was it slightly open? Doesnt take a nosy parker long to see things like that.

Any chance it was a coincidental pick up line?? Guardian angel: "you should quit smoking" You: "how did you know I smoked" Guardian Angel: "because you're smokin' hot"...

As a non smoker the smell of smoking is very strong to me.
My dad recently started smoking after giving up 20 years ago and straight away you could smell it on him. Trouble is his jacket hanging on the rack has made mine and my dd's coats smell too.
On some people it smells stronger than others. I don't know why.

She probably says it to everyone

I think she probably saw your smoking, or saw the cigarettes in your bag.

You can tell a smoker from their appearance. I don’t even know necessarily what it is but you can always tell.