It’s hard to imagine Jessica Simpson without the voluminous extensions, glossy lips, and heavy bronzer that helped make her famous in the early 2000s. But behind that blonde bombshell persona is a woman Simpson is ready to share with the world — starting with a dramatic make-under for the cover of Glamour.
Simpson, who guest edited Glamour’s Honesty Issue to promote her new memoir, Open Book, appears on the cover with minimal-to-no makeup and simple, brushed-back hair — an intentional move meant to strip away the glamour that is often associated with growing up in the spotlight.
Instead, she uses her platform to reveal the more painful details of her past, from her struggle with addiction to the sexual abuse she suffered as a child. “I knew I was falling apart but I had to look like a good mom who was present for her children,” she wrote in an excerpt from her book. “I have grown into myself and come to a place where I want to be honest about my flaws. If I can do that in front of the world, then I can remain honest with myself.”
In the excerpt, Simpson goes on to reveal that her close circle of friends, as well as her longtime colorist, Rita Hazan, were instrumental in helping her toward sobriety. “As Rita wrapped foils around my hair, Stephanie, CaCee, and Koko explained that they had been planning for this moment for more than six months,” she wrote. “Lauren already had a doctor lined up, one who specialized in getting celebrities in-home treatment for addiction.”
After getting the help she needed, Simpson says she is looking forward to this next chapter — and hopes her memoir and new public image helps other people who are struggling. “I wanted people to know how vulnerable I was and how caught I felt, because so many people get caught in that web,” she says to Glamour. “I’m not perfect by any means. But I’m walking into this very secure, because the book is my heart, and that is my story and it’s nobody else’s.”
Simpson’s fans quickly took to social media to express their admiration for the singer’s cover and what her new look represents. “Kudos to Jessica, because she OWNS her TRUTH!” one person commented on Glamour‘s Instagram. “Her honesty is so raw & unexpected,” another fan wrote. Full glam or not, Simpson’s photos are proof that few things are more beautiful than vulnerability.
If you have experienced sexual violence and are in need of crisis support, please call the RAINN Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). If you are struggling with substance abuse, please call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for free and confidential information.
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