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On an episode of the recent Netflix hit series, Nobody Wants This, Kristen Bell’s character tells Adam Brody’s, “Just try it: opening up about something that makes you uncomfortable — it helps people connect to you.” When he confesses, “I have eczema,” she rolls her eyes, responding with “Everyone has eczema.”
She’s right, a lot of people do have eczema. The chronic skin condition, officially known as atopic dermatitis, affects more than 31 million people in the U.S. — including Bell herself. And not to over analyze a rom-com, but the scene also shows how the inflammatory disorder tends to be dismissed as NBD. (Brody never does mention his eczema again).
That’s why Tia Mowry continues to be so vulnerable about what it’s actually like to live with eczema. She recently partnered with AbbVie, a pharmaceutical company, for the Eczema Experience to give people a deeper understanding of the physical, emotional, and social challenges that come with the condition that we don’t often hear about — in real life or on TV shows. For example, in addition to causing dry and itchy patches of skin, adults with eczema also have a 2.5 to 3-fold higher risk for anxiety or depression, according to the National Eczema Association.
Mowry’s eczema began in childhood, but her symptoms were dismissed as “sunspots” for decades. “I wasn’t diagnosed until I was like 26 or 27 years old, so I suffered in silence,” she shares with TZR. Even in her 30s, she continued to deal with “embarrassing flare-ups” at the worst times, she says. “I was doing this interview with my sister and in the morning I did not see the flare up on my face at all. When the makeup artist showed me this compact mirror, my face had completely rashed out. I was literally right about to go on camera. I was so embarrassed. I just wanted to hide in my shell,” she says.
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In her 20s and 30s, Mowry thought the answer was topical products. But now, at 46, the busy actor, beauty entrepreneur, and mom of two understands that great skin and managing flare ups starts with her lifestyle, she says. “Stress and certain foods are triggers for me, so I’m doing things like meditating, journaling, and being mindful of what I eat — I think sometimes these things get overlooked.”
“Drinking water to help flush out toxins has also been extremely beneficial for my skin,” she adds. Her advice: “Get one of those big water bottles that have the time code on it to keep you accountable.” (While there’s no solid evidence drinking more water helps eczema per se, it does keep skin hydrated and looking less dry and dull.)
While Mowry is all about a 10-step beauty routine incorporating anti-aging ingredients like retinol, living with eczema has made her much more mindful of what ingredients make the cut, she says. “Leaning more towards products, whether for my hair, body, or face, that are less toxic has been helpful for me,” she says.
She’s also a big proponent of at-home devices that can help manage her eczema and offer anti-aging benefits at the same time. “I’m a huge fan of red light therapy,” Mowry says. “I’ve found that it helps soothe my skin, leaving my complexion looking more even and radiant.” In addition to using a red light therapy mask to reduce inflammation and stimulate collagen, her latest self-care obsession is a red light hair brush that also massages the scalp at the same time.
@tiamowry
Mowry, who has previously embraced her gray hair and shared that her approach to aging is to embrace it, prefers to take a natural, “old school,” approach when she can. For skin tightening and sculpting, she’ll make DIY ice cubes with green tea or vitamin C to ice her face or use a gua sha (she’s a big fan of body gua sha, too, she says).
Products and devices aside, her biggest anti-aging skin care tip is free, and comes down to managing stress: “I’m constantly listening to positive affirmations.”