Lifestyle Style Jessica Simpson on Sharing Her Eczema Battle: 'I'm Always Open About My Insecurities and Flaws' The superstar tells PEOPLE why now was the time to reveal her skincare struggles — and what has helped her heal By Brittany Talarico Brittany Talarico Brittany Talarico is PEOPLE's Deputy Style Director, where she oversees the brand's digital Style and Beauty coverage. This includes running lead on the Met Gala, which is among PEOPLE.com's top-trafficked red carpet events every year, interviewing the industry's top influencers (including all the Kardashian-Jenners), and breaking A-list celeb news (a New Jersey shore native, it is no surprise that her favorite interview ever was with Bruce Springsteen). Brittany is a style contributor to People Every Day Podcast and has represented the brand on national TV programs including Good Morning America and The CW's two TV specials on the British Royals. She joined PEOPLE from Cosmopolitan in 2013, where she was an Associate Editor. People Editorial Guidelines Published on September 2, 2020 05:35 PM Share Tweet Pin Email Jessica Simpson is an open book. (Anyone who has read her memoir knows just that.) So it's no surprise she's revealing yet another journey with her fans — her battle with eczema. Simpson has been spending quality time at home with husband Eric Johnson, 40, and their kids Maxwell, 8, Ace, 7, and Birdie, 17 months, during the pandemic. And in between homeschooling, cooking and running her fashion empire, she's also partnering with eczema ointment brand Eucrisa to help others who may be suffering from the same skin condition. "I have had eczema since I was a kid," Simpson tells PEOPLE in our exclusive Zoom interview above. "I experienced it in junior high and high school, and after cheerleading I would just put on my letter[man] jacket or a sweatshirt because people would hug me and be like, 'What is that on your arm?' And I'm just like, 'Ah, it's the weather. It's Texas. It's a heat rash.'" Kristin Burns Jessica Simpson Shows Off Her Toned Abs and Legs in Two-Piece Activewear Set from Her New Line Simpson said her eczema cleared for a while, before coming back after she gave birth to her youngest daughter Birdie Mae. "After I had Birdie, I had an eczema flare that was a lot more intense than I had ever experienced before," she says. "Eric was taking pictures and I was like, 'You cannot send those to anybody. I cannot believe the bumps on my arms.' And I called my doctor immediately. He prescribed Eucrisa. And I will say that in two weeks it worked incredibly. I used it for three months and now I've noticed here and there I'll have a flare up and I'll just put Eucrisa on for a week or two and it will be gone." Jessica Simpson and daughter Birdie Mae. Jessica Simpson Says Her Daisy Dukes Set a ‘Gold Standard’ for Her Body That She Couldn’t Escape For Simpson, becoming the spokesperson for Eucrisa has allowed her to not only gain confidence back, but also connect with people who are going through the same thing. "We're all on Zoom. We're all really up close and personal, but holding my daughter and not being able to share those photos, it made me really insecure. So now I get to hold her and not have to filter anything and be excited about sharing my photos," she shares. "I am always open. I'm open about my insecurities and my flaws, and if I can help inspire anybody to feel better about themselves, that's why I'm here. I'm always out to empower women, empower people to feel better about themselves."