What Being a Beauty Influencer With Eczema Is Really Like
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Monica Veloz/@MonicaStyleMuse
Monica Veloz knows her job is glamorous—after all, she tests beauty products for a living. The 33-year-old Brooklyn-bred, Los Angeles–based creator has garnered nearly a million followers and subscribers across YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, where she proudly reps her Afro-Latina roots. A quick scroll through her videos and you’ll find her peppering her English with Spanish, busting out in a cheeky merengue or bachata step, or sharing Spanish colloquialisms with her audience.
Her makeup is just as flamboyant: High-contrast eye shadow, wispy lashes, bold brows, and glossy lips are part of her signature look. But she’s also not afraid to start a video baring her real skin: “I lean into speaking about my acne journey and how I struggled with eczema growing up,” Veloz tells Allure. “Talking more about it, especially as an influencer, allows me to liberate myself of those expectations [of perfection]. It’s a lot more work to pretend that I don’t have these issues, as opposed to just putting them in the forefront.”
Eczema is a chronic, inflammatory skin condition that leads to itchy, dry, scaly, and red to dark brown rashes—and it can be really tough to cope with. There are different types of eczema with various triggers, and research shows that Black people are more likely to develop severe symptoms that last longer compared to white folks. These differences might come down to a bunch of unique risk factors, including socioeconomic status and access to quality health care. Treatments like topical steroids, immunosuppressant drugs, and injectable meds like biologics can be game-changers for people with the condition who haven’t found relief from over-the-counter options. However, Veloz manages her flare-ups without a prescription, thanks to a lot of trial and error that started when she was young.
“When I was born, my skin was super dry—I had a lot of skin troubles,” she recalls, noting that her Dominican family used natural remedies to help soothe her eczema-prone skin. “My mom used to bathe me in oatmeal whenever I had flare-ups.” (Dermatologists back colloidal oatmeal as a remedy, thanks to its inflammation-fighting properties.) Things came to a head around high school when her flare-ups got particularly intense. “I remember my freshman year in high school when I was inflamed. I would get it in the crevices of my arms, at the top of my lip, behind my ears. I said, ‘What the heck is this?’” she shares.
The flare-ups she experienced in her youth sparked her interest in makeup, which she would use to try and make her skin appear more even. Her efforts weren’t particularly successful, though. “Maybelline had this cushion foundation—and I used the applicator [that came with it] … to cover up my eczema flare-ups, and I would look crazy,” Veloz remembers. She says she didn’t care though, because she was really self-conscious about her eczema and just wanted to hide it. But reflecting back, she recognizes that caking on foundation really didn’t make her skin look any better.
Today, Veloz mainly deals with eczema on her arms, and her routine is all about keeping her skin moisturized and avoiding products that cause triggers. Pinpointing skin irritants or allergens is often a huge hurdle for people with eczema, especially those with deeper complexions who have a higher risk of hyperpigmentation post-flare-up. So, how does she test an endless stream of creams and makeup to share with her followers without any major issues? “I’m pretty good at filtering out the ones that will not work for me,” Veloz says. Fragranced products are a big issue for her, which she says is particularly challenging. “I’m a girly girl, so that’s hard. I can’t even use a detergent with a scent. Everything I use has to be as gentle as possible.”
Despite knowing what she needs to avoid, sometimes there’s a product that makes her skin freak out. When that happens, she happily donates it and moves straight to the healing process, which is no easy task in LA’s dry climate. “I sometimes get a flare-up, and Aquaphor is definitely my go-to when that happens,” she says. Made with petroleum jelly, the thick emollient is masterful at locking in moisture, which helps build a protective barrier so her skin can heal. Veloz has used it since she was a kid. Another remedy she appreciates is Aveeno Baby Eczema Therapy Soothing Bath Treatment, which is a colloidal oatmeal–based product.
She does have a guilty pleasure, though: hot showers, which aren’t great if you’ve got eczema-prone skin or you’re already flaring up. So she can indulge with fewer consequences, she keeps her skin moisturized during and after her showers. “I can’t skip moisturizing my body, [especially when] I shower three times a day: before the gym, after the gym, and at night.” While she’s showering, she uses Hanni’s Splash Salve In-Shower Body Treatment. Once she’s all dried off, she’ll reach for something like Vaseline Cocoa Butter Healing Jelly or Vaseline Intensive Care Cocoa Radiant Body Gel Oil to lock in moisture and ward off flare-ups.
Veloz’s eczema routine proves that the best formula for healthier skin is often the simplest one: learning your triggers and consistently using products that lock in moisture. (Of course, an eczema prescription is also essential if your doctor suggests one for you.) “For the most part, my eczema flare-ups are under control,” she says, adding with a hint of humor: “My acne, on the other hand, has a mind of its own.”
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Originally Appeared on Allure
