Depending on your age, your point of reference for Kimora Lee Simmons is probably pretty different. You might know her as the youngest model to walk a Chanel show (she was only 13!), as the mastermind behind streetwear brand Baby Phat, or—if you’re a Gen Z baby (hi, me)—as the over-the-top diva boss in her reality show Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane. But no matter when she hit your cultural consciousness, you without a doubt know one thing: Kimora Lee Simmons is an icon.
I’d always wondered if the fabulous persona she embodied on the show was an act, but mere minutes into our phone call, it became clear that’s just her. She’s 100 percent devoted to glamour and beauty but also incredibly real. For example, after explaining how difficult the pandemic has been with five kids in the house (ranging from kindergarten to college), she gave me this advice when I responded that I don’t have any: “Live your life, spend your money, save your money, then think about it. And wear your Baby Phat lip gloss when you're doing it! Some sexy gloss goes a long way.”
Clearly, in addition to being a mom and a fashion legend, she’s a savvy businesswoman. Her latest move is further cashing in on today’s 2000s nostalgia by expanding into beauty after relaunching Baby Phat in 2019. Like the clothing line, she helms the beauty brand with her two daughters, Ming, 20, and Aoki, 18. While Simmons is no stranger to the beauty world—Baby Phat has had multiple fragrances, and she ran KLS Cosmetics in the mid-2000s—this time she’s taking a more streamlined approach and launching with three sets. Each has a lip gloss, a shimmer spray, and a body lotion in three scents inspired by her and each daughter.
I caught up with Simmons to learn more about the launch and run through a speed round of Glamour’s Big Beauty Questions. Read on for what’s keeping her calm in the pandemic, the ’90s beauty trend she wants to make a comeback, and what it’s like running an empire with her daughters.
Instagram content
Why did you decide to expand Baby Phat into beauty?
Baby Phat has been around for 20 plus years, so we look at it as a legacy brand. It’s important that it represents a lifestyle. I think something like this is a good offering of a few key glamorous items—it’s a good entry into beauty without diving into the full color palettes and all of those things. I think it touches on a little bit of everything.
Girls want lots of pizzazz for a good price. So I think it speaks to that, especially now that we’re at home, we’re shopping at home, we’re working at home—or at least we’re trying to. Trends are changing. For Baby Phat, we’ve seen an uptick in athleisure and casual clothes, and certainly beauty has sort of paired back from those elaborate treatments and is coming back to the basics. So I think it’s important for that girl to have a little sexy spray on her décolletage, with her bikini on by the beach, and a little lip gloss.
It’s probably like picking a child—impossible—but what’s your favorite product in the line?
The lip gloss, because a little goes a long way. I believe in all things glamour and beautiful, so we always have a little tube of lip gloss. I probably have like 50 of them in every bag at any given times in all different shades—and I know other girls do too. Some are plumping, and some are shimmery, glittery, or smoothing. So that’s definitely my favorite. It’s high shine, it’s super-sexy. We always need a luscious pout.
What’s it like running the brand with your daughters?
It’s great. They’ve been with me on the runway and at castings and behind the scenes, really they’ve been in the fashion business—building a brand, doing the TV show—that’s kind of the life they’ve grown up in.
They’re always going to tell me what they look for in a product and what they want out of it. As consumers and young women entrepreneurs and women of color, these are all very important things to point out. They bring a different attitude than me, you know, who created the brand and has been with it for 20 years.
Plus, they’re Gen Z, so they bring a certain amount of flair and youthful flavor and all that fun drama. They know social media; they know how to get the messaging across. It’s important to have that representation.
Instagram content
What’s your favorite throwback beauty trend?
Lower lashes. Even though I didn’t do it, I like it. Another one I love is a glossy lip, but the liner is a little bit darker. Kind of Lil’ Kim, kind of like Sophia Loren, it’s just a little bit darker around the lip line. It’s very ’90s/’00s.
What’s the most expensive product or treatment you love?
One indulgent thing I love is a Korean scrub. I go to a spa in Beverly Hills called Pellequr, and they do a high-end Korean scrub in your own individual marble room, with Vichy showers. It’s so luxe. And I’m Asian, so it’s my heritage.
What about the cheapest?
Vaseline. I use it on my lips, my eyelids, on my elbows, on my heels with socks. You can use it on chapped cuticles, for split ends in your hair, just a very, very little. It’s a pageant queen staple. And you can use it for pool photos. Also, a little bit on your teeth will go a long way for your smile.
What’s your go-to getting-ready music?
Drake and Post Malone.
What have you been doing for self-care during the pandemic?
I’ve been using a lot of CBD oil for relaxation and inflammation all over my body, like for aches and pains. And I have a little CBD pen, also from Pellequr, that’s super-cute. I think self-care comes in a lot of ways, whether it’s beauty treatments and rituals like spa treatments, working out, going to the gym, having a hot bubble bath, having wine on the balcony…but we can’t go too far! We have families, we all have people in the household crammed in there, so you have to steal away your moment. A little meditation helps.
Do you mediate every day?
I try. We do a lot of yoga, working out, meditation, and a ballet bar. That’s sort of what the girls and I have been focusing on. A little gym time. All of that is self-care.
What’s your favorite emoji?
I like the double hearts 💕, the kiss 💋, and the money bag 💰.
What’s the last Instagram hole you went down?
Oh, good question. I just looked at what I last searched, and I don’t even recognize this page. But right at the top it says “well-being guide” and underneath it are things like back to school, mental health, and managing anxiety.
Who are women who are inspiring you most right now?
Kamala Harris. I think she’s leading a group of young people at a time where it’s very important to use your voice. And that’s most important. It doesn’t matter if you’re left or right, up or down—everyone should be seen and heard; everyone should have that right. When I think of her, I think of how she’s speaking to young people as a political movement. It doesn’t matter what you like or what you believe in—go for what you want, but use your voice. You have that, and as young people, particularly young women, you haven’t always had that right, so use it.
Instagram content
What’s the best beauty advice you’ve ever gotten?
Always take your makeup off at night. It’s going to give you wrinkles.
You’re stranded on a desert island. What three products do you bring?
Sunscreen—I like Clear Choice—lip gloss, and CBD oil.
You have $20 and free roam of a drugstore. What do you buy?
Candy! SweeTarts. And we like Hi-Chews. And I’m gonna get something for my nails, like nail polish or a cuticle nipper or oil, something like that.
If you could change one thing about beauty perceptions, what would it be?
One thing about beauty I wish people would understand is that when you}re discussing trends for plastic surgery, or for cosmetics, everyone has to remember that no one face or feature is going to be the same. And it’s usually never going to be symmetrical. We were not intended to look alike. So when you think of beauty standards, I would like people to consider that diversity is key. Respect the differences in all of our faces. Embrace your own differences as you go about your beauty journey.
Bella Cacciatore is the beauty associate at Glamour. Follow her on Instagram @bellacacciatore_. This interview has been edited and condensed.
