Monica Veloz has turned her passion for beauty into a career, testing countless products for a living. However, her journey as a beauty influencer is not without its challenges—particularly when it comes to managing her eczema.
At 33 years old, Veloz has amassed nearly a million followers across YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. Based in Los Angeles but originally from Brooklyn, the Afro-Latina content creator openly shares her cultural heritage with her audience, mixing English and Spanish, dancing to merengue and bachata, and incorporating her roots into her beauty content.
Her makeup style is bold and expressive, featuring high-contrast eyeshadows, full lashes, defined brows, and glossy lips. But Veloz doesn’t shy away from showing her natural skin. “I lean into speaking about my acne journey and how I struggled with eczema growing up,” she explains. “Talking about it liberates me from the pressure to be perfect. It’s more work to hide it than to embrace it.”
Eczema, a chronic skin condition that causes dry, itchy, and inflamed skin, affects millions of people, including Veloz. Research shows that Black people are more likely to experience severe eczema symptoms. The condition has a range of triggers, and Veloz’s battle with eczema started early in life.
“My skin was really dry when I was born,” Veloz recalls, sharing that her Dominican family relied on natural remedies like oatmeal baths to help alleviate her eczema flare-ups. These remedies are backed by dermatologists for their anti-inflammatory properties. It wasn’t until high school, though, that Veloz’s flare-ups became severe, leading her to question what was happening to her skin.
The condition led Veloz to experiment with makeup, initially using it to conceal her eczema. “I remember using Maybelline’s cushion foundation to cover up my flare-ups,” she says, adding that the results weren’t ideal. “I looked crazy, but I was really self-conscious and just wanted to hide it.”
Now, Veloz mainly experiences eczema flare-ups on her arms, and she focuses on keeping her skin moisturized while avoiding irritants. She has learned to identify products that work for her, carefully filtering out those that could trigger a flare-up. Fragrance is one of her main triggers, which makes finding suitable products a challenge. “I can’t even use scented detergent,” she says. “Everything has to be as gentle as possible.”
Despite her vigilance, sometimes a product still causes a reaction. When that happens, Veloz donates the product and focuses on healing. In Los Angeles’ dry climate, flare-ups can be difficult to manage, but she relies on familiar, trusted remedies. “Aquaphor is my go-to,” she shares. “It helps lock in moisture and form a protective barrier for healing.” She also uses Aveeno Baby Eczema Therapy Soothing Bath Treatment, which contains colloidal oatmeal.
While she is careful with what products she uses, Veloz admits to one guilty pleasure—hot showers. “Hot water is not great for eczema-prone skin, but I shower three times a day—before the gym, after the gym, and at night,” she says. To minimize the impact, she ensures she moisturizes during and after her showers. She uses Hanni’s Splash Salve In-Shower Body Treatment and, once dried off, applies Vaseline Cocoa Butter Healing Jelly or Vaseline Intensive Care Cocoa Radiant Body Gel Oil to lock in moisture and prevent flare-ups.
Veloz’s skincare routine proves that managing eczema often comes down to simplicity: knowing your triggers and sticking to products that help maintain skin hydration. “For the most part, my eczema flare-ups are under control,” she says, laughing. “My acne, on the other hand, is a whole different story.”
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