blue-twilight/app/Http/Requests/SaveUserSettingsRequest.php

<?php

namespace App\Http\Requests;

use Illuminate\Foundation\Http\FormRequest;
use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Auth;

class SaveUserSettingsRequest extends FormRequest
{
    /**
     * Determine if the user is authorized to make this request.
     *
     * @return bool
     */
    public function authorize()
    {
        return true;
    }

    /**
     * Get the validation rules that apply to the request.
     *
     * @return array
     */
    public function rules()
    {
        return [
            'name' => 'required|max:255',
            'email' => 'required|email|max:255|unique:users,email,' . Auth::user()->id,                
            'profile_alias' => 'sometimes|max:255|unique:users,profile_alias,' . Auth::user()->id
        ];
    }
}