Just one conversation with CBS television personality and influencer Jasmine Monroe Davis will convince you of her authentic Southern Belle persona, but building her bubbly, confident, comforting personality didn’t come without its fair share of challenges, namely for Davis, growing up with misdiagnosed eczema. At this year’s Science of Skin & Scalp summit presented by AbbVie, Monroe led myself and other editors, chronic skin condition sufferers, influencers and more through a series of informational panels that were aimed at shedding light on the underrepresented world of skin and scalp disorders. Ahead, Davis reveals the inside scoop on her eczema journey, her travel-friendly beauty tips and the waxing mistake she’ll never make again.
You’ve been super candid about your eczema journey. Can you walk me through the process of diagnosis and treatment in your experience?
“Because I grew up in such a small town, we didn’t really have that many doctor’s offices. I come from a town with a 1,000-person population. I’ll never forget, I went to a doctor’s office called the MEA, and it was just a regular doctor’s office, and they diagnosed me first with ringworm. Another doctor came in and told me, ‘No, this is something more.’ They prescribed me my first cream for eczema then, but I still felt so alone because I was so young and no one else around me was talking about stuff like this. I’d go home and put the cream around my mouth and try and keep the eczema at bay, but then it would flare up and I wouldn’t want to leave the house and my parents wouldn’t understand why. They’d tell me, ‘Oh, it will be fine. You have something to put on it,’ but they didn’t understand that it was affecting my confidence and my ability to show up as I am.
Now, my eczema journey has helped me embrace the things I’ve been through. Now, I have an answer. Back when I was growing up, I didn’t have an answer to what what going on with my skin. Having an answer and using that as an asset is the biggest thing for me now because I can show up for people. So often when we go online we see all these people showing off their skin-care products and they have the most glowing skin, we forget about filters and we forget that people don’t really look like that. I had someone DM me once saying, ‘Wow, I thought you were perfect, but now that I know that you’re not I love you even more,’ all because I showed up to an event with a dark spot on my face—it was perioral dermatitis. It doesn’t mean I have ‘bad’ skin or a ‘bad’ skin-care routine, it just means I’m dealing with a chronic skin condition, and the more people that see that, it helps me grow as a person and it helps others, too.”
You’re obviously a master at switching up your hairstyles—what products, treatments or rituals do you swear by for keeping your hair healthy while you’re experimenting with new looks?
“Because I go to my dermatologist and I have products that are prescribed to me to keep my hair and scalp healthy, my best advice for people for keeping their hair healthy is to see their dermatologist to find the products that work best for them. With social media today, there’s so many people saying, ‘Oh this worked for me,’ but what works for one person won’t always work for you. So many people don’t know that you should be seeing your dermatologist for your hair health, too. I’m so particular about the content I produce because I never want people to think that just because I recommend a product, it means their hair will look exactly like mine. We’re all so different, the best thing you can do is consult a professional.”
Your lashes are feathery perfection—what’s the secret? Are they falsies? Do you do them yourself?
“I do! I use cluster lashes, and it’s so funny because I used to do lash extensions on everybody [Davis used to work in a salon], and every now and then I’ll do extensions, but recently I’ve been into clusters and here’s my secret. A lot of the trending lash clusters tell you you can do your lashes every week, but I don’t do that. I don’t have time for my skin to be acting up because I left my lashes on for three or four days—I take them off every day. I use brands that have one-day glue wear so I can wash them off at the end of the day and they’re not bulky or glue-y. I have to take them off every day because sometimes I need to just rub my eyeballs and I want to sleep with my head smashed into my pillow without waking up with a lash on my forehead.”
When you’re traveling or filming, what beauty products never leave your toiletries bag?
“Beauty product-wise, I love a mineral spring water for hydration. I get my arms waxed, and one time I did something bad and used Dial Antibacterial Soap before getting my wax—which you’re not supposed to do because it dries your skin up, which is why they prescribe it after tattoos and such—and I remember it was so bad I could barely hold my arms up, and the mineral spring mist I had fixed it up in no time. I know y’all think it’s just water, but I promise it’s not. I also always have a really good eye patch on me. There’s so many brands nowadays, too, where you can add your own product underneath. And of course, I always have a good lip balm, but I have to be very particular about what I pick because certain formulas flare my eczema.”
What are your favorite nail trends as of late?
“I used to be anti-French tip, but I have a French manicure with a milky white finish right now so you can see the French but it’s subtle and I love it. French is classy. I also love a bold color. I know some people love their classic neutrals, but there’s something so classy about a bold color that goes with everything, like a red. I’ve been going between this kind of French and a red a lot lately. Once you find your perfect red, it’s a game-changer.”
Is there any beauty “hack” or viral piece of beauty advice you wish you never tried?
“Yes—dermaplaning. It tore me up. I ended up with a crazy rash. I have some peach fuzz around my face and I’ve tried dermaplaning to help with makeup application and all that but it just tears me up and makes me break out so bad.”
Last one: Do you have a signature scent?
“I do, and it better not sell out after I say this, but it’s Dedcool Xtra Milk ($90). They have a linen spray for it, too, and I put it on my bed and the regular perfume is just amazing. It’s vegan, it’s a great brand and when I tell you every time I wear it I get the most compliments. A man stopped me on the escalator at the airport the other day to ask me what I was wearing!”
