Birthmark Bullying: A Makeup Artist's Journey

0:00On March 14th, a 24-year-old woman named Amber Smith faced a hurtful comment from a boot store worker in Buckinghamshire back on February 16th. While Bonnie shampoo, the staff member asked if she was dressed for a Halloween party as a Burns victim or heading to an Easter event with painted, pink and purple spots on her face. Smith has visible birthmarks, including a port wine stain on her face and neck and Kuti's marmorata covering much of her body. Smith was on her first day of work experience, feeling confident enough to go without makeup for the first time in a while. The encounters stunned her, especially since it came from someone in a health and beauty store. She quickly corrected the worker, saying it was a birthmark, grabbed her items and left. The incident brought back childhood bullying and memories and shook herself acceptance, keeping her up at night and making her feel vulnerable again. She shared her story in a TikTok video that has now gained nearly 1 million views, sparking widespread discussion on facial differences.

1:01Despite the setback, Smith, a makeup and wake artist who graduated with first class honors, feels more driven to advocate for others. She even noted that the same worker asked about her student discount, which she used to highlight her makeup expertise. Boots has since launched an investigation and apologized directly to her. Smith now encourages those with visible differences to seek support from groups like, changing faces, turning her pain into a call for greater, understanding in everyday spaces.