For Tori Spelling, skin health has always been personal, but not in the way many might think. The actress, author and mother of five has spent much of her life in front of cameras, but her most vulnerable moments didn’t happen under the spotlight—they began in her trailer, during one of the most stressful times of her life.
“I didn’t develop eczema until I was an adult,” Spelling shares over a recent Zoom. “It came out when I was going through my first divorce and filming my show So Notorious. I was in production, sitting in my trailer, and suddenly, I just couldn’t stop scratching my arms. At first, there was nothing visible, and I thought maybe I was allergic to something. Then dry, scaly patches started to appear on my arms and hands. That’s when I went to the doctor and was diagnosed with eczema and dermatitis.”
What began as an isolated flare-up soon became a recurring struggle that was physically painful and emotionally draining. “It would always flare up when I was under severe stress,” she says. “I’m a hand talker, so when it was on my hands, it was especially hard. I’d scratch until I had scabs or scars, and I was constantly thinking, ‘Are people looking at my hands?’ Being in the public eye only made that anxiety worse.”
After years of trying prescription creams and countless over-the-counter products, Spelling says she finally found relief with ZORYVE, a prescription treatment her dermatologist recommended. “It was the first thing that really worked for me,” she says.
But her own journey was only part of the story. Tori’s daughter, Stella, has battled eczema since she was a toddler. “She couldn’t even bathe normally,” Spelling recalls. “She would scream in pain. Her skin was so sensitive—she had it on her arms, face and scalp. She even developed seborrheic dermatitis on her scalp that caused painful scabs.”
For Stella, ZORYVE became a daily staple, especially after discovering the brand’s foam formulation for the scalp. “ZORYVE is part of my skin care—it’s my first priority, even before makeup,’” Spelling shares. “It’s non-greasy, absorbs quickly and she uses it daily.”
The mother-daughter duo recently joined the “Free to Be Me” campaign, a movement dedicated to normalizing eczema and empowering those living with chronic skin conditions. “For years, it was a silent, emotional journey for us,” Spelling says. “Stella was bullied badly in school. In fifth grade, kids would point and ask what was ‘wrong’ with her arms or if they could catch it. It was heartbreaking. So to finally find something that worked for us—and to be part of a campaign that helps others feel seen—means everything.”
Like many teens, Stella loves a beauty haul. “She’s at that age where she wants to go to Ulta and Sephora,” Spelling laughs. “But, we’ve learned that not every ‘pretty’ brand is right for sensitive skin. We look for clean, gentle products that won’t trigger a flare-up. It’s all about mindfulness.”
For Spelling, managing eczema also means managing stress. “I used to literally wait for it…knowing that when something big and stressful happened in my life, a flare-up wasn’t far behind,” she says. “Now, I have the peace of mind that I can manage it when it comes. That alone eases so much anxiety.”
Despite their shared challenges, Spelling and Stella make sure to focus on the joyful parts of their bond as well. “We share more than a skin condition!” Spelling says with a smile. “We’re both foodies. We love to cook and bake together. She’s the baker in the family. We also love sushi dates and, of course, shopping. Fashion has always been our thing.”
And yes, some of that fashion is straight out of Tori’s 90210 pop-culture past. “People used to tease me for keeping all my clothes from the ’90s,” she laughs. “My friends all said, ‘Juicy Couture will never come back!’ Well, Stella is very grateful I didn’t listen to that advice! Now, she wears my original sweatsuits, True Religion jeans, even my old bikinis. It’s full-circle, and it’s so fun to share that with her.”
For Spelling, this chapter is about healing and she’s more than willing to talk about it. “I think eczema is one of those conditions people don’t talk about enough,” she says. “So many people struggle with it daily. If sharing our story helps even one person feel less alone, then it’s worth it.”
The Dermatologist’s Take
“Eczema and seborrheic dermatitis are chronic, relapsing conditions that can significantly impact quality of life, especially when they affect visible or sensitive areas like the face or scalp,” says professor and chair of dermatology at George Washington University, Adam Friedman, MD. “What impresses me about ZORYVE is that it delivers meaningful, steroid-free control of inflammation through a targeted mechanism, without compromising the skin barrier. Its cosmetically conscious, water-based formulation makes it suitable for long-term, anywhere on the body use, even in the most delicate areas. As a dermatologist, I value having an option that’s both effective and well tolerated, one I can confidently recommend for my patients who need a long term, ongoing solution.”
