Jessica Simpson on the cover of the May edition of Esquire magazine

There was never any doubt Jessica Simpson's beauty regime was thorough.

But the blonde bombshell has just taken her primping to a whole new level.

The pop singer turned reality TV star has been pictured holding a razor to her face, which is covered with shaving cream for the cover of men's magazine Esquire.

Close shave! Jessica Simpson lathers up for men's magazine cover

The shoot is a recreation of a famous Esquire image of Italian actress and Marilyn Monroe lookalike Virna Lisi from March 1965.

The photograph was originally concieved by esteemed art director George Lois as a provocation on women's liberation.

He said in 2005: "I spoofed the upcoming woman's movement by slapping shaving cream on the beautiful blond Italian actress Virna Lisi [because] no American beauty had the [guts] to pose for it."

Jessica, 27, has now stepped up to the challenge, although given her well-documented struggle to differentiate chicken from fish on her former reality show Nick and Jessica: Newlyweds, it's unlikely to be an effort at any kind of social commentary.

The divorced star, who now dates American football player Tony Romo, follows in Lindsay Lohan's footsteps in taking on an iconic look.

In February Lohan posed nude for New York magazine to recreate Marilyn Monroe's last shoot.