To not want to receive unsolicited "advice" regarding my skin

[Genmaicha]

Was just browsing through makeup/skincare stuff at the beauty hall, and this lady standing next to me took one look at my skin and said, "Oh dear, have you tried lasers? I've heard that it works very well on scars."

Yes, I have pitted acne scarring. And yes, my dermatologist and I have tried everything—some people have a hard time believing this but my skin was actually a lot worse than it is now. I know she probably came with good intentions, but it nettles me to no end whenever something like this happens!

AIBU to think that sometimes people should keep their comments to themselves?

For clarification's sake, this lady wasn't even a member of staff or anything like that!

It was very rude of her!

How rude!! Ill mannered woman m.

YANBU

Yep, unless I'm asking for advice on my (surgical) scars I don't need to be told how bad they are, how I should rub bio oil in them, or be told I should cover them up

Actually I think unsolicited advice is pretty much always rude. It's essentially a way of saying, "I think you are failing at life in some way and if I had to cope with your particular set of circumstances, I would do it better". This is a particularly unpleasant example though, OP. YANBU!

Exceptionally rude of her!

So rude! People always comment on my son's birth mark and it really annoys me! I don't know why people think it's ok to comment on someone else's body

Unbelievably rude and ignorant behaviour.

"No, I haven't. But I imagine they're great at vaporising rude people."

Beyond rude. I’m surprised you didn’t tell her to go and fuck herself.

TBH, any sentence that starts ‘have you tried...’ is usually going to be rude/annoying, but that’s particularly bad.

beans's answer.

She was incredibly rude btw

I'm totally with you. I have acne and scarring and avoid any makeup counter/skincare aisle as much as possible. Yes I know I have oily skin / blocked pores / cystic acne / acne scars. I have these things called mirrors in my house you know?

Unbelievably rude! Christ on a bike, I'm fuming on your behalf! It's narcissism in the extreme to think that you have the solution that no one else has thought of.

@Genmaicha

YANBU.

This woman was very rude and insulting, and I have had similar things happen!

I went to Debenhams a few years back to get a gift for a friend, (when I was in my late 20's...) Whilst I was in there, I got some well meaning woman grab me, and she acted SO shocked because I said I don't use moisturiser, and anti ageing creams... For a start, I had oily skin, and also I was twenty chuffing seven, and didn't need any of that shit!

She told me I will age very quickly if I don't start using their thirty quid a month course of intense creams blah blah blah... I said 'yeah I need to leave!' and bolted. Cheeky cow. At 27, I looked 19/20, (like many other women in their late 20's who can pass for 19 to 21 y.o.) and it was a joke to suggest I needed anything that was 'anti ageing.'

I have also had hairdressers in the past, telling me I need to have a colour on my hair, to give the natural mousy/light brown colour a lift. Cost? £65.

They are all just trying to sell their wares, but it pisses me off.

In addition, I know several gorgeous, pale skinned ginger people, who, at LEAST once a month are told they 'should get a tan!' Rude.

I don't know why anyone thinks it's their business how people look, or what they do to themselves!

Beyond rude. How dare she!!!

I relate to this! And I HATE it. I have stopped going to one beautician for eyebrow threading as she invariably launched into a monologue about my problem skin and how I wasn't looking after it properly. I was mid 40's battling acne all of my adult life, HATING how my skin makes me feel and wham every single time she would make me feel like a ridiculous bullied kid.

It was all 'Oh hun, your skin is in a terrible state, you need to use XXX serum / cream / lotion / potion (which changed everytime!)
me: ok, terrible weather today isn't it
Her: Oh dear, yes, its very bad you are not using the right products, it's dehydrated
Me: I am using the products prescribed by my dematologist and I am ok with them thanks
Her: oh no, you should be using XXX as you have such PROBLEM skin
Me: I'm fine. Were you watching I'm a celebrity (or other shit show)
Her: your makeup is all wrong too, it's very drying, what brand are you using hun?
Me: rattle off whatever brand she was swearing by the last time
Her: Oh no, that's all wrong for your skin, you have such PROBLEM skin

And on. And on. And on.

It got to the point I dreaded going to her as she reduced me to a self conscious wreck every single time. And she NEVER took the hint that I did NOT want to discuss my skin with her. I was there to get by eyebrows threaded!

I stopped going in the end

That's incredibly rude. I'd have been tempted to death stare & tell her she needs to brush up on good manners.

Yes, very rude indeed! Lost count of the unsolicited ‘advice’ I received in my teens and twenties as to how to ‘manage’ my acne - not to mention added dietary input about my ‘weight problem’. Was minding my own business at the gym once and checking what I was doing in the mirror. Cue random woman strolling up and informing me that I’d ‘look quite nice if I lost weight’. Where are those witheringly sarcastic comments when you need them eh?

I think the well worn phrase "did you mean to sound so rude" should be employed in these circumstanses.

Jesus, what is wrong with people?
That is rude and demoralising.
Can fully sympathise. At various times have had eczema or acne and sometimes both (thank you genetics) and it's so hard not to feel paranoid that people are noticing.
On bad days I'd just be pleased with myself that I'd managed to get out of the house and get on with life without a bag over my head. I wouldn't have appreciated someone reminding me that my face was attracting negative attention! Grrrr

Rude rude fucking rude! Unless you are asking for advice from a skincare professional, no one should be remarking on your skin or anything about your appearance. Did I mention it's fucking rude?

My first visit to the dentist in the USA, I was having my teeth cleaned by the hygienist and had a mouthful of drains and cotton wool so had been unable to respond beyond a mumble to her first expressions of patronizing surprise at how nice my teeth were considering (because I'm English and English dentistry sucks dontcha know...) Although a course of whitening treatment wouldn't go amiss and maybe a couple of veneers to disguise the gap between the two front teeth.

I was still seething internally at that when she suddenly peered closely at my face and said "Have you considered Botox for those eye and forehead wrinkles? And those parentheses around your mouth, maybe some filler."