For Jessica Simpson, The Early 2000s “Never Stopped”

In the early 2000s, Jessica Simpson was the poster child of the era’s most memorable fashion and beauty trends: chunky blonde highlights, low-rise jeans, a perpetual deep tan. She also achieved the latter in a very early-2000s way.

“I didn’t know what sunscreen was,” she tells me over the phone, laughing. “I was using baby oil. And I’d lay out next to my mom, who was using Crisco.”

These days, the singer’s a “reformed sun sinner” and fronting a new campaign with Kiehl’s for its Better Screen Miner-All UV Serum. She says she loves the formula because it doesn’t leave her looking pale. (Hey, some habits never die.)

And while she still enjoys having a tan, she has sun protection down to a science. “I’m the type of person that’s like, if I’m going to lay out, I’ll put sunscreen on my knees that’s like an SPF 50,” she says. “But on my thighs, I’ll put an eight. On my stomach, a 15. My chest is closer to the sun because I’ve got big boobs, so I’ll spray those down with a 30. But my face is always a 50. It’s mathematical.”

Ahead, Simpson, 45, reflects more on the early 2000s, her former edible beauty brand, and what it’s like seeing her daughter wear low-rise jeans.

How are you? I was just watching the “Irresistible” music video.

Oh gosh, that’s funny. My daughter just turned 7, and she wanted to roller-skate. We were all outside this weekend and laughing because, out of nowhere, an “Irresistible” remix came on — but it wasn’t the Jermaine Dupri and Lil’ Bow Wow one that I know of. It was so sped up, I sounded like a chipmunk. I was like, “Where is this coming from? Why have I never heard this?”

I’d love to hear that one. Which beauty habit from the early 2000s do you look back and laugh at?

I’m from Texas, so I was always by the pool. I was always tan — and as I mentioned, I didn’t use sunscreen.

I remember going to the tanning bed back then and wearing those little stickers that show you how tan you got.

I know. Oh my gosh — that was like your tattoo. Those were the days.

If you used baby oil and your mom used Crisco, do you have a sunburn horror story that made you rethink sun protection?

Yes. My dad was a pastor and a youth minister, and he took all of us to Belize one year — I think I was 15. We were working in the jungles with these adorable kids doing Bible school. It was overcast, but I have never been so sunburned in my entire life. I got the kind of blisters where your skin peels over and over for weeks. I was like, “How many layers of skin do I have?” That’s when I started wearing sunscreen.

What do you teach your kids about sun protection? Do you share that cautionary tale with them?

Yeah, they know about that. My son’s not great at it, but I’ll run around spraying [sunscreen] at him and make a game out of it. And if I have to put glitter in sunscreen for my oldest daughter and say it’ll make your skin glow, she’s in.

What would you say is the defining trend of your early-2000s days?

Low-rise jeans, which I am still a fan of. My daughter just tried some on the other day. I was like, “Do they feel weird?” But she has the best butt. I had to wear butt pads as Daisy Duke. My girl would not have to. I’m like, “Oh gosh, I would’ve loved to have been you in junior high.” But yeah, I think low-rise jeans still look great.

It’s funny because with my [Jessica Simpson] collection, I have to follow trends, and I feel like my closet has come staring back at me. I was in an approval meeting, and I realized, “I have that, I have that. That’s up in my storage.” The early 2000s never stopped for me in a lot of ways. I never stopped wearing flare jeans. I’ve never stopped wearing slip dresses.

With all this talk of low-rise flare jeans, I’m having a flashback to True Religion.

Heck yeah.

Iconic.

I can’t wear whatever’s happening right now. Personally, I can’t do the mom jean ever again. It’s not to say that people don’t look beautiful in them, but I can’t do the camel toe. I actually ask guys all the time, “What’s your favorite jean on a girl?” And it’s always a throwback to the early 2000s — a low-rise jean and a flare.

I’m curious, who was your beauty inspiration in the early 2000s?

I always looked at Sienna Miller. British girls are always cooler — they just have an edge to them that us American girls can take a little bit of and put a spin on.

Which pop star today do you think has a cool beauty look?

I like people who lean into their personalities. Sierra Ferrell is unreal. Her music and her looks really connect. I think she has a boho-chic hipster renaissance vibe about her that’s modernized. And I think Olivia Dean is adorable. And she’s British.

Looking back, do you think that your edible beauty brand was ahead of its time, or do you think it was purely a Y2K moment?

I think that it was in its time, but it’s of its time now for me in my life. I would love to have that back, to be honest. I mean, now that I’m trying to show off in the bedroom all over again, being single and sh*t, why not have it all be edible? I’m like, “Gosh, everything’s got to taste and smell good. Eat my kiss!”

Bring it back!

I know, I know.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.