Aug 14, 2023·edited Aug 14, 2023Liked by Jessica DeFino
Jessica, THANK YOU for your take on SPF moralizing (/everything else). I just had a basal cell carcinoma removed at 31 and your writing has truly kept me out of the shame/self-flagellation pit. I am not a bad person because I've had some bad sunburns!
While your newsletter has taught me to not be surprised by capitalist beauty projects, I let out an audible gasp when I got the the armpit concealer. Also, not sure if it's just me, but I can't open the link to the article about smiles lines and Black joy. Thanks :-)
I think shifting the focus from “growing up” to “glowing up” is doing a serious disservice to girls and teenagers. I remember my mom telling me as a preteen not to wear foundation or lots of makeup generally because I “already had great skin” and that I was too young to wear a full face of makeup. I thought she was such a bummer, and that she didn’t understand that I “needed” makeup because of the flaws I saw in my face. Looking back, those “flaws” I thought I saw probably came from a distorted self view that I got from reading Seventeen and Vogue. As an adult, I can say that she was correct! I did NOT need makeup as a child, and I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to normalize the idea of girls and teenagers investing so much of their time, money, and energy into their appearance. Let’s teach girls that their real value comes from their personality, character, and talents versus their appearance.
oh god, so many fucked up things they’re trying to make us feel bad about. armpit concealer??? sigh. i am a SAG actor and i’m not surprised about the uptick in surgeries. as far as turning women into objects, it’s amazing how some folks have spoken about me while i’m present, particularly in hair and makeup trailers. “make sure you do lifting makeup on her.” “i wonder where you get your dark circles from, mom or dad?” etc etc. for awhile those types of comments made me really self conscious about everything. it’s been a long journey to get to where i am (and i’m definitely still not infallible; people can say some cruel things, but luckily it affects me less) but with youth/youthfulness being such a valuable currency in my industry, i get why people are using injectables at like 18 in my industry. unless you have the self esteem or knowledge to combat these kinds of comments, you get sucked in. you just want to work, when, in my opinion, people with more interesting (ie less perfect) faces are better to watch, anyway (and often i think better actors because the focus isn’t on how they look but the work they do). anyway, i really did miss the dont buy list!
The caption on that Kylie photo- a serum for your veneers…veneers are already fake & perfect looking, how much maintenance could they require? Unless you’re chewing on wood shavings??? I can’t comprehend this lol
The baby beauty/gen alpha piece also made me think about the endocrine disruptors in all those products and how that could interfere with teens' hormonal health. Of course endocrine disruptors are harmful to everyone, but I'm thinking it could possibly be even worse when your body is still developing. For example, phthalates are what makes it possible for scents to linger. The makeup products probably contain pfas and siloxanes. And so forth. I have noticed positive changes in my body and cycle since I cut out make-up and fragrance. Of course this could be due to other factors, but it does make me wonder. Does anyone else have any thoughts on this?
I have been into/aware of this probably since my early thirties (now mid-forties) and 100% agree. Unfortunately I think maybe the internet has led to a proliferation of brands and beauty concepts that number so many it's hard to keep track of. The terms 'organic' and 'natural' mean pretty much nothing too. I have never worn perfume (I think the body sprays of the early '90s that I was obsessed with very much destroyed my tolerance for perfumed scents) but definitely notice in the last five years barely being able to get through the make-up counter or walk past Sephora without holding my breath. I think Europe has a better handle on the ingredients than the US and other countries.
Yes almost all the Barbie conversations seem to leave out the two main dishes. Oppressive beauty standards and unbridled consumerism. Anyway. I suppose it reignited some important conversations. Sigh.
Miss Jessica, you should take July off more often! Every issue of The Unpublishable is a feast, but this issue is a full Indonesian rijstafel! Thanks for the never-ending richnesses, and welcome back.
Thanks for this. Man, I’m beyond thinking the beauty industry has any sort of moral fiber but marketing to actual children and getting them on the early train to beauty anxiety is really awful.
Also, I’d love to think what anyone thinks of Vogue’s current cover showing 4 of the original supermodels who are all Photoshopped to the hilt.
As a child of the 90s, can we please, please move on from the deification of these models who caused me and so many others countless hours of body loathing?
Oh God the recommended reading has me steamed! There should really be a Surgeon General's warning on a big old sign (in multiple languages) in every office that does cosmetic procedures, from fillers to plastic surgery. "No procedure is truly reversible. Side effects may include permanent damage, suicidal thoughts, and death."
Well this was the post that did it Jessica. I finally succumbed and have subscribed to your Substack because your writing is both hilarious and insightful and as the mother of an 8-year-old girl I am wanting to be at least a little clued in on what's going on in the realms of beauty/internet so I can give her some sane guidance. Loved all the free articles I have read so far so now need to revisit the paid ones!
As usual I loved all the pieces you shared and your brilliant insights. To the Elle piece on baby beauty I wanted to say- I have a 13 year old daughter. People have always commented on her beauty since she was a newborn. It used to make me really uncomfortable because I was afraid it would become something she felt was her only asset to the world. I didn't need to worry though. She wears makeup but it's minimal. She's curious about beauty, but she's also riding her bike in the mountains and swimming in lakes and experiencing her self outside beauty. I think social media is creating an environment where users are asked to define themselves by ONE thing, instead of being the complex, multifaceted beings we are. Your substack and pieces like the Elle piece make me so much more thoughtful about asking her open ended about the choices she's making and whether she's thought about why she's spending mone on the products in the first place. So appreciate your insights always.
Jessica, THANK YOU for your take on SPF moralizing (/everything else). I just had a basal cell carcinoma removed at 31 and your writing has truly kept me out of the shame/self-flagellation pit. I am not a bad person because I've had some bad sunburns!
While your newsletter has taught me to not be surprised by capitalist beauty projects, I let out an audible gasp when I got the the armpit concealer. Also, not sure if it's just me, but I can't open the link to the article about smiles lines and Black joy. Thanks :-)
Ahhh the link is broken! Thanks for flagging :) Here it is: https://www.allure.com/story/inclusive-skin-procedures
Of course and thanks
I think shifting the focus from “growing up” to “glowing up” is doing a serious disservice to girls and teenagers. I remember my mom telling me as a preteen not to wear foundation or lots of makeup generally because I “already had great skin” and that I was too young to wear a full face of makeup. I thought she was such a bummer, and that she didn’t understand that I “needed” makeup because of the flaws I saw in my face. Looking back, those “flaws” I thought I saw probably came from a distorted self view that I got from reading Seventeen and Vogue. As an adult, I can say that she was correct! I did NOT need makeup as a child, and I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to normalize the idea of girls and teenagers investing so much of their time, money, and energy into their appearance. Let’s teach girls that their real value comes from their personality, character, and talents versus their appearance.
oh god, so many fucked up things they’re trying to make us feel bad about. armpit concealer??? sigh. i am a SAG actor and i’m not surprised about the uptick in surgeries. as far as turning women into objects, it’s amazing how some folks have spoken about me while i’m present, particularly in hair and makeup trailers. “make sure you do lifting makeup on her.” “i wonder where you get your dark circles from, mom or dad?” etc etc. for awhile those types of comments made me really self conscious about everything. it’s been a long journey to get to where i am (and i’m definitely still not infallible; people can say some cruel things, but luckily it affects me less) but with youth/youthfulness being such a valuable currency in my industry, i get why people are using injectables at like 18 in my industry. unless you have the self esteem or knowledge to combat these kinds of comments, you get sucked in. you just want to work, when, in my opinion, people with more interesting (ie less perfect) faces are better to watch, anyway (and often i think better actors because the focus isn’t on how they look but the work they do). anyway, i really did miss the dont buy list!
also would like to add that when i talk about these things people are like, well it’s the career you chose. i didn’t choose dehumanization. sigh.
also less perfect = adhering to the toxic beauty standard
The caption on that Kylie photo- a serum for your veneers…veneers are already fake & perfect looking, how much maintenance could they require? Unless you’re chewing on wood shavings??? I can’t comprehend this lol
Lolll that's just a meme I made!! I'm glad the absurdity is coming through though!
Given the general ridiculousness of the Kardash family, I never know anymore! 😂
The baby beauty/gen alpha piece also made me think about the endocrine disruptors in all those products and how that could interfere with teens' hormonal health. Of course endocrine disruptors are harmful to everyone, but I'm thinking it could possibly be even worse when your body is still developing. For example, phthalates are what makes it possible for scents to linger. The makeup products probably contain pfas and siloxanes. And so forth. I have noticed positive changes in my body and cycle since I cut out make-up and fragrance. Of course this could be due to other factors, but it does make me wonder. Does anyone else have any thoughts on this?
I have been into/aware of this probably since my early thirties (now mid-forties) and 100% agree. Unfortunately I think maybe the internet has led to a proliferation of brands and beauty concepts that number so many it's hard to keep track of. The terms 'organic' and 'natural' mean pretty much nothing too. I have never worn perfume (I think the body sprays of the early '90s that I was obsessed with very much destroyed my tolerance for perfumed scents) but definitely notice in the last five years barely being able to get through the make-up counter or walk past Sephora without holding my breath. I think Europe has a better handle on the ingredients than the US and other countries.
I can’t wait for the full-on Silvia Federici aesthetic labor strike. I may start without y’all.
“apparently hyperpigmentation is only acceptable if you can buy it” got me. 💀
Yes almost all the Barbie conversations seem to leave out the two main dishes. Oppressive beauty standards and unbridled consumerism. Anyway. I suppose it reignited some important conversations. Sigh.
Jessica, I was not prepared for the feelings that tooth serum nonsense stirred up. What. In. The. Actual. Fuck.
Miss Jessica, you should take July off more often! Every issue of The Unpublishable is a feast, but this issue is a full Indonesian rijstafel! Thanks for the never-ending richnesses, and welcome back.
Thanks for this. Man, I’m beyond thinking the beauty industry has any sort of moral fiber but marketing to actual children and getting them on the early train to beauty anxiety is really awful.
Also, I’d love to think what anyone thinks of Vogue’s current cover showing 4 of the original supermodels who are all Photoshopped to the hilt.
As a child of the 90s, can we please, please move on from the deification of these models who caused me and so many others countless hours of body loathing?
Oh God the recommended reading has me steamed! There should really be a Surgeon General's warning on a big old sign (in multiple languages) in every office that does cosmetic procedures, from fillers to plastic surgery. "No procedure is truly reversible. Side effects may include permanent damage, suicidal thoughts, and death."
Well this was the post that did it Jessica. I finally succumbed and have subscribed to your Substack because your writing is both hilarious and insightful and as the mother of an 8-year-old girl I am wanting to be at least a little clued in on what's going on in the realms of beauty/internet so I can give her some sane guidance. Loved all the free articles I have read so far so now need to revisit the paid ones!
I was horrified when I read that piece in the print version of Elle. And saddened.
As usual I loved all the pieces you shared and your brilliant insights. To the Elle piece on baby beauty I wanted to say- I have a 13 year old daughter. People have always commented on her beauty since she was a newborn. It used to make me really uncomfortable because I was afraid it would become something she felt was her only asset to the world. I didn't need to worry though. She wears makeup but it's minimal. She's curious about beauty, but she's also riding her bike in the mountains and swimming in lakes and experiencing her self outside beauty. I think social media is creating an environment where users are asked to define themselves by ONE thing, instead of being the complex, multifaceted beings we are. Your substack and pieces like the Elle piece make me so much more thoughtful about asking her open ended about the choices she's making and whether she's thought about why she's spending mone on the products in the first place. So appreciate your insights always.