Fran Drescher Believes She's 'Soulmates' With Ex-Husband Peter Marc Jacobson Despite Split: 'We're Both Happier Because of It'

Fran Drescher knows her relationship with her gay ex-husband Peter Marc Jacobson is unconventional — but she wouldn't have it any other way!

"I think we're soulmates, without question. Even though our marriage ended, the strongest parts of our relationship remained. Marriage itself was more difficult. We got married when we were 21, and as romantic as that sounds, we really didn't know ourselves yet. We became very codependent. We wanted to do everything together, and that's just not healthy. We're different people. There are things I'm passionate about that don't interest him, and vice versa," the actress, 68, who is the long-time brand ambassador of Laura Geller, which just announced that its bestselling Spackle Skin Perfecting Primer: Hydrate has earned the National Eczema Association (NEA) Seal of Acceptance™️, becoming one of the first makeup primers to receive the designation.

"Now that we're happily divorced, we give each other space. We don't work together all day, sleep in the same bed, eat every meal together or have to compromise over every little thing. Back then it was always, 'What do you want to eat? What movie should we see? Should we go for a walk or take a drive?' It became too much. I felt suffocated. I needed to figure out who Fran was outside of being someone's daughter and someone's wife," she continues of the romance, which ended in 1999.

The former flames were married for over 20 years but later divorced, and Jacobson came out as gay. Despite their split, they remain on good terms. They also co-created Happily Divorced, a TV show based on their real-life experiences.

"Even though Peter was angry when I left because he didn't want the marriage to end, it gave him the opportunity to figure out who Peter really was. Now he lives a much more authentic life, and we're both happier because of it. We still travel together, spend time together and work together. But if we start getting on each other's nerves, we simply say, 'Let's take some space.' Maybe couples who meet later in life, after they've done therapy and really know themselves, can create that kind of healthy balance within a marriage. We never knew how to do that. Then, of course, Peter also had to discover and embrace his true sexual orientation, and that has made both of us happier people," she explains.

Fortunately, the brunette beauty and Jacobson are better off as friends.

"You don't have to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Sometimes the marriage simply wasn't right, but that doesn't mean the friendship can't survive. When you marry someone, there are expectations that don't necessarily exist in friendships. Maybe we put those expectations on each other, and maybe that was part of the problem. We learned how to remain friends. Ironically, one of the silver linings of my cancer diagnosis was that it brought us back together. Peter was angry when I left, but when he found out I had cancer, he just cried. He wanted to be back in my life in whatever way he could. That was a relief for me too. We've worked our way back, and I think there are creative teams who can work separately with other people, but there's something magical about what they create together that can't really be replicated. That's us," Drescher, who was diagnosed with stage 1 uterine cancer in 2000 after experiencing a two-year ordeal of being misdiagnosed by eight different doctors, says.

These days, Drescher, who rose to fame in 1993 as the creator and star of the hit CBS sitcom The Nanny, is living her best life — and looking good while doing it!

"I sleep with a cool-mist humidifier every night. I think it's really important for hydrating your skin and your hair while you sleep. I also try to sleep on my back because I think 90 percent of wrinkles come from the pillow. If you put a pillow under your knees, it actually makes it easier to sleep on your back. Those are two things I do religiously. I'm also all organic, which is really important. You are what you eat, and you are what what you're eating is eating. Read labels and make sure what you're buying is organic. It's better for you and better for the planet," she says.

"Everything you put on your skin should be mindfully manufactured so you're not putting toxic chemicals on your body," she adds.

One of the starlet's biggest pieces of advice is using products from Laura Geller.

"I always use the original Spackle Skin Perfecting Primer. Nobody doesn't love it. It also recently received the Seal of Acceptance from both the National Psoriasis Foundation and the National Eczema Association, and I think that speaks volumes about the quality of the product. I could never be an ambassador for a product I didn't believe in. I've turned down a lot of opportunities, even for a lot of money, because I've earned my audience's trust over the years. It's important to me that I walk the talk," she quips. "I feel very proud to represent Laura Geller. My girlfriends love it. My mom loves it. I wouldn't have started talking about it if the people closest to me hadn't given it two thumbs up. I'm going to Italy in July for work, and it'll be very hot there. I'll definitely be bringing their SPF 50+ tinted product. During the day. I won't want to wear much makeup, so I'll use that, fill in my brows a little, put on one of their sheer gel lipsticks and maybe use one of their Kajal eyeliners. They're like big crayons that work beautifully as eyeliner or all over the eyelid. I also love Laura Geller's brushes. They make so many different ones, and I use one of their short angled brushes to soften my eyeliner and even deepen the crease sometimes."

"I tell everybody this: I try to keep my liver very clean. I do whatever I need to do to have a clean liver because your skin reflects your liver. When people have skin problems, they need to look at the liver. All too often in medicine, they're not looking at the cause. They're just trying to suppress the symptom. At Cancer Schmancer, which Laura Geller generously supports, we obsess over causation. People compliment me on my skin all the time, and I tell them I use Laura Geller and I keep my liver clean," she adds.

On July 14, Laura Geller announced that its bestselling Spackle Skin Perfecting Primer: Hydrate has earned the National Eczema Association (NEA) Seal of Acceptance™️, becoming one of the first makeup primers to receive the designation. This recognition underscores Laura Geller's continued commitment to creating gentle, high-performance beauty products that are accessible and suitable for a wide range of skin types and concerns.

To acknowledge the accolade, the brand is launching an exciting new campaign, with with longtime ambassador Drescher as the face of the launch.

"I've actually been talking about this product for about five years already. I only have it here because I brought my makeup bag. I always use the Spackle Skin Perfecting Primer: Hydrate because it goes on like a lotion. Not only does it hydrate your skin, but it contains squalane. I don't know exactly what that does scientifically, but I know it's good for your skin. I put it on before my foundation; I find that it really grips the makeup and keeps it in place. I rarely have to touch up my makeup when I'm out. I can go from day to night without worrying about it, and I think Spackle has a lot to do with that," she shares.

"I also don't touch my face very much. A lot of women touch their faces constantly, and I've trained myself not to because the oils from your fingers can really affect your makeup. I also love the Filter Finish Radiance Setting Powder. I use that all the time."

The Nanny star is "really happy" with Laura Geller products — so much so, she's turned her friends and mom onto them.

"Now, after five years, everybody I know uses them and loves them. They keep coming out with wonderful new products. I'm going to Italy in July, and it's going to be very hot. I'll be working there, but I always make time to explore wherever I go. They recently came out with a FlashProof Anti-Hot Flash Setting Spray. I don't think you have to be experiencing hot flashes to enjoy it. I never went through menopause because I'm a cancer survivor and had a hysterectomy long before I reached menopause. I always try to find the silver lining. Obviously, it wasn't worth getting cancer, but one silver lining is that I never experienced menopause. I still love the mist because when it's hot outside, it keeps my skin hydrated, fresh and dewy. I even spray it on my hair," she says.

She concludes, "Your skin is so much happier when you're not putting toxins on it. That's something I'm very passionate about. I try to detox my home, too. It's a big part of Cancer Schmancer's mission. What you put in your mouth, what you put on your skin and what you surround yourself with in your home all matter. Those mindful choices really make a difference in how you feel, how you look and ultimately how you live."

The NEA Seal of Acceptance™️ is awarded to products that meet rigorous standards set by the National Eczema Association, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of the more than 31 million Americans living with eczema. Products bearing the Seal have been evaluated and found suitable for people with eczema and sensitive skin. More information about the program can be found at the National Eczema Association website: https://nationaleczema.org.