A 24-year-old makeup artist and content creator experienced a distressing encounter during a routine shopping trip at a local Boots store. Amba Smith, who openly discusses her dry skin and prominent facial birthmark caused by Sturge-Weber Syndrome, left the store shaken and in tears after an employee’s insensitive remark.

The Upsetting Incident

Amba entered the Boots store last month to browse and purchase toiletries and beauty essentials. While greeting a staff member with ‘Hi, how are you?’, the employee replied politely before asking if she was heading to a Halloween party and wearing a ‘Halloween mask of a burns victim.’

Stunned, Amba paused before firmly responding ‘No.’ She explained in a TikTok video: ‘One thing I’ve been trying to work on is saying “oh it’s a birthmark” as I feel like I don’t always have to broadcast my medical history. I don’t have to share it with anyone if I don’t want to.’

An awkward silence followed. Amba, baffled by the comment in February—eight months from Halloween—recalled never receiving such remarks from adults, only children. The employee then asked if she was attending an Easter party and had ‘drawn a load of pink and purple spots’ on her face. Questioning Amba’s 10% student discount next, the interaction prompted her to grab her receipt and leave hastily.

Walking back to her car with her head down, Amba fought back tears. Her skin, more swollen and purple during colder months, exacerbated the visible effects. ‘I actually walked past my car because I refused to look up—and when I did get back to my car I was physically shaking,’ she shared. ‘Yes, my skin was very purple, it was swollen and it looked really really sore.’

Amba’s Condition and Advocacy

Sturge-Weber Syndrome is a non-inherited congenital neurological disorder featuring a facial ‘port-wine stain’ birthmark and abnormal brain blood vessels. Amba has endured surgeries and treatments for related issues like glaucoma since 12 weeks old.

Typically, people apologize profusely upon learning it’s a birthmark. Amba noted that store visits usually pass without comment, even without makeup. Her video garnered over 690,000 views, highlighting broader issues: ‘In the UK one in five people identify as having visible differences, myself included. Many of us feel pressured to cover our differences with makeup or clothing every single day just to avoid the stares, comments and judgements from others. It’s not acceptable.’

Amba, who collaborates with skincare and beauty brands, aims to raise awareness about birthmarks and diversity in makeup.

Boots’ Response

A Boots manager responded to the video: ‘As a manager at Boots I’m so sorry this happened to you. Please contact the store or write a complaint. As a customer, no one deserves to be spoken to like that.’

A Boots spokesperson stated: ‘We are deeply sorry about this customer’s experience, which falls short of our values of respect and inclusivity. We are investigating this incident with our store team as a priority and have been in touch with the customer directly to express our unreserved apologies.’