The Unexpected Thing That Causes Mandy Moore's Eczema To Flare Up Every Single Time

Mandy Moore

Mandy Moore is a household name. The This Is Us star is known for her superb acting skills, gorgeous voice, sleek fashion choices and refreshingly honest Instagram presence. 

Now, the singer-actress has pulled back the curtain on a condition that's affected her self-confidence: eczema. In 2019, Moore, now 39, was diagnosed with atopic dermatitis, which, according to the National Eczema Association, is the most common form of eczema.

"A few years ago, I noticed the skin on my face was red and peeling and inflamed and itchy," Moore told Parade in an exclusive new interview. "I had been working a lot and was wearing makeup every day and wearing the prosthetic makeup at that, and my skin was just completely irritated and bothered."

Unsure of what was going on, the "Crush" singer tried a variety of products. "When it just persisted and the symptoms got worse, I finally was like, 'Okay, I need to go to the doctor,' and I went to the dermatologist and was diagnosed with atopic dermatitis," she recalled.

The diagnosis was a "relief" for Moore in the sense that she knew what was going on and could move forward from that point. She said, "Having more information was really helpful and then I could sort of start to tap into myself and my body and my intuition and figure out like, 'Okay, let me notice what are the things that trigger me?'"

Over the last couple of years, the mom of two has started to put the pieces together and it's been helpful for her to know what she's working with. Now, Moore—who has partnered with Incyte on the pharmaceutical company's new "Moments of Clarity" program—wants to empower others with eczema to find their own relief from their symptoms.

"I recognize a condition like this does just sort of breed that sense of self-consciousness, but for people to realize like there are millions of people in the same boat with mild to moderate eczema and there are options out there can be helpful," she said. "There are things you can do to help alleviate those symptoms and help you feel like the best version of yourself."

Below, Moore shares more information about what made her open up about her diagnosis, how she avoids flare-ups and more. 

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What made you want to open up about your diagnosis?

As someone who's living with this condition, I understand how it can impact your daily life. I completely understand feeling self-conscious, especially at work. I feel incredibly privileged and lucky that my job allows things to be covered up, but that doesn't take away from the idea of not showing up to life, or a job feeling your best.

It really impacts your sense of self, and I'm still self-conscious about it. I think more so before getting the diagnosis and not necessarily knowing what it was and having to explain away like, "Oh sorry, my face is like having just this weird moment and reaction right now." 

Now, when I'm getting ready for something or going to a new job, I come prepared with my arsenal of like products, especially makeup products. [I'll say], "I have eczema, these are the things that trigger it, so these are the kinds of products that I like to use, if that's okay."

Again, having that sort of arsenal of knowledge has been the most helpful for me, because I know feel like I know how to advocate for myself. I recognize a condition like this does breed that sense of self-consciousness, but for people to realize that there are millions of people in the same boat with mild to moderate eczema and there are options out there, [that's important]. There are things you can do to help alleviate those symptoms that will help you feel like the best version of yourself.

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What in your arsenal works for you?

Luckily, I got this diagnosis in 2019—right before the world shut down and right before I got pregnant. It kind of went hand in hand, this idea of having a more pared down, simpler routine was key, along with what products I wanted to incorporate in terms of my pregnancy.

[I've found that] clean brands work the best with my skin, so I like to come to jobs and photoshoots and with a whole host of products that I know are going to work with my skin.

The brand CeraVe, which is not expensive, is something the dermatologist recommended for me personally. I'm sure they recommend it for lots and lots of people, but I know their face washing moisturizer [is] fragrance-free and doesn't foam up or dry out the skin. 

I've also found that diet is something that's helped me a lot. When I'm eating a lot of things that promote healthy digestion, [probiotic-rich foods like] kefir and, sauerkraut and kimchi, those things help with the the connection between my gut and my skin.

Also, lots of things with omega-3s help lock in moisture, so I'm a big salmon fan and I love sardines as well. I take omega-3 supplements, but I've noticed the biggest impact on my skin when I'm eating well too.

Related: Say Goodbye to Itching and Flaking! 14 Top-Notch Eczema Creams for Instant Relief

Are there any foods that you avoid to avoid flare-ups?

I don't tend to notice things that really make a huge difference. For a while, I thought that maybe it was gluten. I know dairy sometimes has a not great reaction for people, and I'm sure when I'm really overdoing it, it tends to have an impact—not necessarily on the eczema, but just the general look of my skin and feel of my skin. But there isn't anything in particular that I have noticed for me personally that really tends to exacerbate the flares.

What's one thing that always (or almost always) causes a flare-up for you?

Weather. We're getting to the drier, cooler months and I know that when things start to cool down is when I tend to have flares. Combine that with stress: We're about to move, which is not an entirely un-stressful event [laughs]. 

So I'm just anticipating that my skin is going to feel it and I'm trying to have grace for myself and I know that it's coming and that's gonna be okay. We will get through it, and I think that's been a helpful sort of mantra to keep in mind, like "this too shall pass." It's okay. Yeah, recognizing and anticipating the things that are going to, you know, potentially expose oneself for those moments is helpful. Like, "Okay, I'm ready for it. Bring it on."

What's a lifestyle habit that consistently improves your eczema?

I think eating well has been really helpful. It's also helpful when I'm finding some time for myself, whether it's meditating or reading a book while the kids are napping or going on a hike—getting outside is helpful. Those kinds of things I know are definitely going to have a positive impact on my eczema.

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And we have to ask, with the holidays officially here, how have the holidays changed for you since becoming a mother?

I mean, it's that quintessential idea. Just like seeing all of these new experiences through their eyes is just, it's enlightening. It gives me a whole new perspective on all of it. Like I've always been a holiday fan.

I'm sure lots of people can speak to that, but it does take on new meaning with children and my oldest guy is sort of at that age now where he's finally like really recognizing this year in particular, what the holidays are. Like Halloween was a game-changer for him. He was slightly terrified of skeletons, but also nothing intrigued him more. And we would just spend hours walking around the neighborhood or driving in the car and trying to find pumpkins and witches and ghosts and skeletons and I was like, "Dude, do you realize what's about to happen? Like once Halloween goes away, it's a whole new, bigger holiday season to celebrate. There's snowmen, there's Santa." It's gonna blow his tiny mind like how exciting the holidays can be.

So yeah, getting to cherish those moments and start those new traditions and pinpoint what those traditions are gonna be, what we're gonna sort of carry on through the years, those are like the best, you know, moments of my childhood when I think back to the holidays in particular, and I'm just so excited to like impart that on these guys and get to celebrate as a family.

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This interview has been edited for clarity and condensed.