The Newsletter 'The Beauty Industry Fears'
Hello! Welcome to The Review of Beauty.
Welcome to The Review of Beauty! (Formerly known as The Unpublishable.)
What people are saying about this weekly(ish) newsletter:
“The woman the beauty industry fears.” - the Herald
“A fierce critic.” - the Financial Review
“Innovative and Visionary … helping to shape culture while breaking new ground.” - Adweek
“Jessica DeFino is really good at her job.” - Emily Sundberg
“Living icon.” - Moira Donegan
“Yanking consumers out of the matrix made by the beauty industry.” - HuffPost
“Acerbic.” - the Financial Times
“Terrifically smart.” - Slate
“Jessica DeFino is who you should be reading if you want to really understand the existential vertigo of the beauty industry right now.” - Catherine Lacey
“DeFino’s [work] is a reminder to question our relationship with beauty. Why do we do what we do? Is it being defined by society or driven by our authentic self?” - Dua Lipa
“Subscribe for witty, BS-free content.” - the Sunday Times
What is The Review of Beauty?
Hi! I’m Jessica DeFino, a former editor for the Kardashian-Jenner Official Apps (I’m sorry!) turned award-winning beauty journalist (the New York Times, the Sunday Times, the Guardian, and more). This is The Review of Beauty, a weekly(ish) newsletter taking a critical look at beauty culture.
Because The Review of Beauty is reader-funded, I can skip the spon-con for cosmetic corporations and product-pushing affiliate links. Instead, I cover what traditional beauty publications don’t, won’t, or can’t — whether that’s to appease advertisers, preserve brand relationships, or cling to the conventional wisdom, outdated ideals, and marketing myths that keep consumers consuming. (Trust me, it all influences what information makes it to the mainstream.) Expect practical, political, philosophical explorations of beauty; don’t expect retinol recommendations.
The beauty industry reviews products. The Review of Beauty reviews the industry.
All of my reporting is free, but anyone interested in extra insight can become a paying subscriber for $5/month.
Paying subscribers get:
The Don’t Buy List: a twice-monthly curation of beauty news, current events, and trend reports + my personal commentary
Bonus episodes of The Review of Mess podcast
Access to the comment section and subscriber chats
The joy of supporting the culture-shifting work of The Beautywell Project, Slow Factory, and Transgender Law Center, where a portion of subscriber proceeds are donated each month
My endless gratitude for funding independent beauty reporting that isn’t beholden to brands, advertisers, algorithms, or affiliate sales
Paying subscribers say:
“This remains the best $5 I spend all month.”
"Your work has been better for me than any product I have ever purchased.”
“My therapist suggested your writing.”
“As a proud retired hot girl, this publication has done so much for me in terms of unlearning beauty bullshit and taking my time back. I have saved hundreds of dollars in products, maybe hundreds of hours of self-obsession, thanks to Jessica’s work. I truly cannot recommend reading this newsletter enough.”
“YOU MAKE THE INTERNET BEARABLE.”
Have a hot tip for The Review of Beauty? An unsettling ad, a new celebrity brand, exec-level intel? Submit it anonymously here.
The "aesthetic" fitness industry seems to be leaning more and more into the model of the beauty industry through class descriptions that promise to: slow our brainwaves down, , re-pattern old memories, expand human consciousness, to purify, release tension so that we live in harmony with Earth, shed layers that hold you back, shift your focus to feel better in your own skin. Simple language doesn't seem to cut it anymore. And, of course, beauty products are often promoted as part of the package.
https://youtu.be/8Fmhs-oIdg0
Ms. Jessica Defino, this may appear as a shameless plug - it's not, it's to show how much we are on the same page and introduce myself at the same time.
(I haven't launched my substack yet.) Also, to tell you how much I appreciate the work you are doing. This is one power place where our power lies as women and we need to use it to pivot the planet back to balance.
I have been having some good laughs for the last month as well from Unpublishable - this is a compliment. Knowing just how close comedy and tragedy tango. I'm a fan! Happy Holidays! LA from Flying Bra.