This post is sponsored by Aveeno. All opinions are 100% my own.
Underneath makeup we all have things we want to hide. My list includes acne and acne scars, dark circles and every now and then, eczema flare-ups.
“Eczema is a term for a group of medical conditions that cause the skin to become inflamed or irritated. The most common type of eczema is known as atopic dermatitis, or atopic eczema.
Eczema affects about 10% to 20% of infants and about 3% of adults and children in the U.S. Most infants who develop the condition outgrow it by their tenth birthday, while some people continue to have symptoms on and off throughout life. With proper treatment, the disease often can be controlled.
Affected areas usually appear very dry, thickened, or scaly. In fair-skinned people, these areas may initially appear reddish and then turn brown. Among darker-skinned people, eczema can affect pigmentation, making the affected area lighter or darker.” – Web MD
While the exact cause of eczema is unknown, researchers believe it may be linked to the body’s immune system overreacting to an irritant.
Irritants may include:
- Chemicals found in soap, shampoo, detergent, disinfectants and/or household cleaners.
- Clothing made of wool or synthetic fibers.
- Changes in temperature either from using hot water, sweating from doing a physical activity, or swings in levels of humidity.
- Allergens like pollens, pet hairs and molds.
- Microorganisms like viruses, bacteria and fungi.
- Food reactions from eating things like soy, eggs, dairy, wheat products, nuts and seeds.
- Stress
Now the key to keeping the symptoms under control, is knowing about these everyday “triggers”, while also bathing with luke-warm water and moisturizing on the daily.
Here are a few basic things you can do to help control it:
- Create a daily skin care routine — like I always talk about in general. Particularly when you suffer with eczema, you have to make sure that moisturizing the skin day AND night is regimented.
- Be mindful of scratching and rubbing affected areas — this is something I unfortunately do unconsciously and that’s what makes flare-ups worse.
- Avoid wearing clothing that’s made from wool or synthetic fibers. Opt instead for soft, breathable materials.
- Stay away from irritating substances and when using household cleaners, wear protective gloves.
- Recognize what’s causing stress — and learn to cope and avoid stressful events. At the top right-hand side of this page there’s a search bar. Search ‘stress’ and you’ll find some videos I’ve made that will help immensely with this.
When it comes to moisturizing, there’s absolutely no better product I’ve used, than the Aveeno Eczema Therapy line. Aveeno is the #1 dermatologist recommended over-the-counter eczema moisturizer brand in the US.
Aside from the products being sold in drugstores at drugstore prices, the rich formulas have been a lifesaver for me, particularly when I get flare-ups. I’ve been getting them on and off since I was a baby and once I got my first dog is when I really started taking notice. Over the past few years especially, the allergy warnings have been through the roof in SoCal and my skin has been feeling the effects of that.
I want to mention that this IS a sponsored collaboration. Aveeno approached me after I shared this Instagram video about my eczema issue and showed you a DIY mask. Since then, I’ve used the products they sent over and I was legitimately and truthfully HOOKED.
The Eczema Therapy Itch Relief Balm I found works particularly well over the skin areas where I tend to break out. I can’t even tell you how rich it is. Rich, but not thick, so it’s really easy to distribute. The last thing we need is to stress the skin even more by rubbing it excessively. It’s seriously been a life-saver!
For the rest of the body I use the Eczema Therapy Moisturizing Cream. The product is dermatologist recommended, steroid-free and fragrance-free.
And since I showed you in that IG video how I had eczema on my finger, I've been keeping the hand cream in my bag and I apply it throughout the day, following up with SPF. I haven’t had a flare-up on my hands since, I can tell you that much!
Now remember that eczema looks and has different symptoms for everyone, and not everyone will respond to this in the same way. I recommend doing a patch test first and see for yourself.
If you suffer of eczema too and decide to give these products a try, I would really like to hear about your experience and how they’ve helped you. Between following all the tips in this blog and using Aveeno (you can find the Eczema Therapy line at Walmart), I truly have no doubt that you will see positive changes.
I love you and send you tons of good energy!
With love always ♥︎
ᎯℒℰXᎯℕⅅℛᎯ
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