We all remember what it was like to have bad skin as a teen.
Stress zits and acne cream.
One teen Redditor has found a way to clear up his skin by getting into skin care products.
Expensive ones, in fact.
But then his sister-in-law helped herself to them to disastrous results.
Should he be held responsible for any negative side effects of her theft?
Case in point…
Redditor Skincare_Saltwater wanted to discuss his experience and get some feedback. So naturally, he came to visit the “Am I The A**hole” (AITA) subReddit.
He asked:
“AITA for ‘tricking’ my SIL and ‘ruining’ her skin?”
The Original Poster (OP) explained:
“I don’t even know why I’m posting this.”
“I think it’s ridiculous but my S[ister] I[n] L[aw], M[other] I[n] L[aw], and my own mother thinks I’m TA.”
“So my (17 M[ale]) SIL’s (29 F[emale), family is hosting a family gathering.”
“They are big on family and they have room to invite literally everyone, including my parents, my older sister, and me, since we are technically family.”
“Now I’m big on skincare.”
“I had horrible skin when I was 13, and it started as a way to fix it, but even after my skin got better I just like it. It keeps my skin looking good, and I find it relaxing.”
“I packed my essentials for the two weeks we would be there.”
“I’ll admit it was still quite a lot, but it wasn’t insane.”
“So the room I was staying in, I shared with one of SIL’s nieces near my age, the bedroom has an en-suite bathroom.”
“I put my things on a shelf, I made sure with the niece that I wasn’t taking up too much room.”
“SIL came in to check on us and saw all my things.”
“She asked about some things I had since they were expensive brands.”
“She’s made it a big point that she and her family have a lot more money than my family over the years.”
“I told her I saved and got them myself (I have a job).”
“She asked to use them, and I said no because they were expensive and I want them to last as long as possible.”
“She seemed annoyed but just left.”
“Over the next few days, my SIL was complaining that her skin was dry and itchy.”
“I didn’t think anything of it.”
“Halfway through the stay she came storming down the stairs and threw a small spray bottle at me, asking me why the f**k I did this to her.”
“I was confused and asked what she meant.”
“Turns out she has been going into the bathroom I share with her niece and using my skincare.”
“But she’s been using what she thought was a spray bottle of water at the end, but she’s actually been using a bottle of salt water, which I have because I have four pretty fresh ear piercings.”
“At first, I asked why the f**k she was using my stuff.”
“She said it’s her family’s house, so she can use it. I told her no, it’s my stuff and I said no.”
“She just reiterated her first point and then asked me why I would trick her like this.”
“I explained that it was salt water for my ears, but she just called me a lair, asking why I would have it on the bathroom shelf next to the rest of my skincare stuff.”
“She then went on about how I purposely ruined her skin.”
“I again tried explaining myself.”
“SIL then turned to my mother and her mother and said she had asked about my skincare, and I had explained everything and said the bottle was water.”
“Which was total BS. She only asked about my expensive ones.”
“Her niece backed me up, but SIL called niece a liar.”
“MIL was pissed and said I’m horrible and just jealous of SIL, and my mother said she’s disappointed and embarrassed at me.”
“This then caused her and my dad to argue and now I feel like s**t.”
“SIL’s family and my mother are ignoring me or being passive-aggressive.”
“And they even threw out my saltwater and won’t let me make a new batch and have stopped me when I try.”
The OP was left to wonder,
“I don’t know what to do, AITA?”
Redditors shared their thoughts on this matter and weighed some options to the question AITA:
- NTA – Not The A**hole
- YTA – You’re The A**hole
- NAH – No A**holes Here
- ESH – Everyone Sucks Here
Many Redditors declared OP was NOT the A**hole.
“NTA, she stole your things and then had the gall to complain?” ~ Prangelina
“There are horrible, irrational people in the world, and OP just met some.”
“OP did nothing wrong.”
“SIL was ‘hoist on her own petard,’ which is just an old fashioned (from Shakespeare) way of saying she was blown up by her own bomb – i.e., brought it on herself.”
“But horrible, irrational, entitled people (in other words, a**holes) often double down when they are caught out because they are often incapable of admitting fault.”
“It’s not a reason to doubt yourself. In fact, it’s confirmation of their swinishness.”
“OP’s mother is probably trying to keep the peace, or maybe she has a problem with OP having this skincare stuff. Who knows.”
“Whatever the reason, she’s just as wrong.”
“But some people supported you.”
“Thank them for being decent humans.”
“OP, your visit will be over soon.”
“Try not to mix with these people again – they are not good people.”
“You will be an adult soon and have much more control over the direction of your life.”
“For now, take this as a lesson in the horribleness of some people and how those kinds of people are not to be reasoned with, but instead, minimized in your life.” ~ Boeing367-80
“My mom did this all the time.”
“I kept a bottle of diluted apple cider vinegar in an old Aussie leave-in conditioner bottle as a pre-shower spray, which she generously spritzed all over her hair after finishing getting ready for a date, then got mad because I ‘made her smell bad.'”
“Another time, she used my foaming bronzing mousse, assuming it was hair mousse, then complained to me I didn’t tell her it wasn’t for hair, despite her not asking and just taking it from my cupboard.”
“She never really learned, even after spraying herself with what she assumed was body spray I’d left in the living room, which was actually doe urine used as a hunting lure by her husband.”
“I cannot cohabitate with people like that, I’m normally more than happy to share but value direct communication.” ~ PixelDrems
“I worked in customer service retail at one point and had a return once of some kind of whipped honey body butter stuff that the lady didn’t bother to read the label off, assumed was just whipped honey despite buying it from the body care section of the store, and dumped into her tea before realizing via the taste that it was not food.”
“So, no, people don’t read labels first.”
“They’re f**king stupid and then b**ch at underpaid employees and, in this case, other people’s voiceless kids about the terrible thing they totally didn’t do to themselves and thus can’t be held accountable for.” ~ Shyshadow20
“I don’t get your mother’s point – she is as wrong as she can be.”
“SIL’s mother may just believe her, but your own mother?”
“And why is SIL stealing of a minor?”
“Just get through it for the time being and call it quits afterward. Never visit them again.”
“By the way, what does your brother say to all of this, her husband?”
“And of course NTA.” ~ Complex-Pirate-4264
“Call them broke.”
“She’s 29, stealing from a 17-year-old.”
“She’s broke. NTA.” ~ Aggressive_Cup8452
“NTA. What is wrong with this family???”
“Don’t use other people’s stuff.”
“Don’t eat other people’s food.”
“I tried a mystery skin care product, and now my skin is bad.”
“Lucky for her, it wasn’t a glycolic acid mix.”
“NTA, and take care of your piercings, even if you have to make a fresh batch every night.”
“That’s some serious business, you don’t want infection.”
“It’s infuriating that her selfish tantrum is interfering directly with your healthcare.” ~ SnooRadishes5305NTA.
“Your SIL got what she deserved.”
“She seems as toxic as they come.”
“Imagine if you would have said yes, and then she had an allergic reaction. I’m sure that would have also been your fault.” ~ _a**hat101
“NTA. She shouldn’t have used someone else’s stuff without permission.”
“There was no tricking involved. She made assumptions and only asked about the expensive bottles with fancy-looking labels.”
“I know you’re 17, so this family dynamic will seem normal to you, but this is not healthy or seem to be good for your mental health.”
“It is especially bad that you’re being degraded by your own mother who instinctively (and falsely) believes SIL over you.”
“Niece probably has been in that same position before.” ~ beesinabottle
“NTA, but your SIL and your Mother are big AH’s.”
“First, your SIL for stealing from you.”
“Just because someone is staying in your house does not give you a right to their stuff.”
“Your Mother because it sounds like she only took their side because she gets things out of them, like a free place to stay.” ~ Bonnm42
OP returned with some info…
“I had to remove this because of the character limit, but I think I’ve confused some people.”
“This isn’t my dad’s family, this is my brother’s wife’s (SIL’s) family.”
“Also, while salt water is normally okay for your skin, daily exposure isn’t.”
“Plus, it might not even be the salt water, could very well be that she had a bad reaction to another product.”
“What works for one person might not work for another.”
“I just had a few people asking about that.”
Well, OP, Reddit is with you.
You said she couldn’t use your stuff.
End of story.
What she did, she did to herself.
Hopefully, this will all clear up soon. Pun intended.
Good luck.