The Zoe Report

Jessica DeFino

Bio

Jessica DeFino is a beauty writer for The Zoe Report, covering skincare — especially that of the natural/clean/green variety — hair care, makeup, nails, and more. She’s never met a beauty supplement she didn’t like. As a freelance writer, she’s done a little bit of everything, from songwriting to ghostwriting Khloé Kardashian's sex column to editing a book on ancient symbology and copywriting for fashion labels. (Yup, everything.) But these days, she prefers to stick to her true loves: natural skincare and holistic health, with a dash of woo-woo wellness. Jessica’s work can be found on Vogue, Harper's BAZAAR, Fashionista, Cosmopolitan, HelloGiggles, New York Magazine's The Cut, and more. (See? Her Songwriting degree from the Berklee College of Music *totally* came in handy, Dad!) Jessica lives in Savannah, GA. You can get in touch with her at jessicalyarbrough.com, or on Instagram @jessicalyarbrough_.

Nutrafol Ads Are Everywhere — So Here’s What You Should Know About The Supplement

Anyone with hair and an Instagram account has likely come across an ad for Nutrafol, a natural hair growth supplement. The images are impressive: influencers flaunting long, shiny strands; before photos with bald spots and after photos with none.…
By Jessica DeFino

If Your Natural Deodorant Doesn't Work, You Need To Read This

Do you stink? Like, just a little, tiny bit? It’s OK, this is a safe space, you can admit it: You stink. I stink, too. It’s just part of being a human. Specifically, it’s part of being a human who recently switched from traditional deodorant to the…
By Jessica DeFino

The $36 Brow Oil That Grows My Sparse Hairs & Heals My Skin

There’s no easy way to explain this, so I’ll get right to it: My brows are nearly bald because I pick them out, hair by hair, when I’m stressed. It’s a condition called trichotillomania, or trich, a body-focused repetitive behavior disorder (BFRB)…
By Jessica DeFino

Why You Won't Just See Basic Braids On Natural Hair Models At This Season's Shows

Oribe Global Ambassador and high-fashion hairstylist James Pecis might just be the nicest guy in the industry. Despite a long, celebrated career styling backstage at Fashion Week, working on shoots for W Magazine and Vogue (all of the Vogues —…
By Jessica DeFino

6 New Models That You Won’t Stop Seeing This Season

Fashion Month, to state the obvious, is about fashion. It’s about innovation. It’s about spotting new trends, and swooning over street style inspiration, and celebrating creativity. But — let’s be honest — it’s also about discovering the new models…
By Jessica DeFino

The Secret Problem With Shimmery Eyeshadows, Glosses & Other Beauty Essentials Is This

There’s one beauty secret that’s managed to stay a secret for decades, and it’s not the key to the perfect winged liner or a trick for crease-free foundation. It’s the fact that much of the mica in cosmetics — you know, the natural substance that…
By Jessica DeFino

Why Hairstylist Eugene Souleiman Doesn't Do Anything Minimal: "I Work With Geniuses"

You’ll find almost every look imaginable in legendary hairstylist Eugene Souleiman’s portfolio: fishtail braids (he basically reinvented them), sculptural accents (see: the caged updos at Thom Browne last season), even a crimped bowl cut. The one…
By Jessica DeFino

OK, This Is The Deal With Detox Powders

What do you think when you hear the word “detox”? Maybe you think, “Ugh.” Or, “What a bunch of marketing B.S.” When Goop released its G.Tox Detoxifying Superpowder earlier this month, I knew there would be naysayers (as is the case with all things…
By Jessica DeFino

The Secret To Looking Well-Rested Is Actually Pretty Obvious

A few months ago, an ad appeared in my Facebook feed promoting one new glow-giving, skin-brightening beauty product or another. “Because who doesn't want to look like they sleep seven hours a night?" it read. This struck me as strange. I mean, if…
By Jessica DeFino

Taking Prenatal Vitamins For Hair Growth Is Maybe Not Such A Good Idea After All

A friend recently recounted a very funny story about prenatal vitamins. She — a not-pregnant 30-something — bought a bottle for the purported hair, skin, and nail benefits and left said bottle out on her kitchen counter, where her partner later…
By Jessica DeFino

I Stopped Using Shampoo — & My Hair Changed For The Better

I wish I could say that my chronically flaky scalp is my secret shame — but sadly, it’s not much of a secret. With dark brunette roots as its backdrop, my dandruff shines; set against an all-black wardrobe, the flakes positively pop. Well, make that…
By Jessica DeFino

Here's What's *Actually* In Those Trendy Pimple Patches

What the heck is hydrocolloid, and are pimple patch ingredients “clean”? These are the questions that keep me, a woman who theoretically has much better things to think about, up at night. For those not in the know, pimple patches are those trendy…
By Jessica DeFino

5 DIY Beauty Oils To Integrate In Your Routine, From Head To Toe

For decades, “cool girls” everywhere have mixed their own signature scents from a secret blend of essential oils… or something like that. You know the trope. French fashion editor Carine Roitfeld famously wore an orange blossom fragrance she…
By Jessica DeFino

This Acne Spot Treatment Actually Works — And Won’t Stain Your Pillowcase

When it comes to switching over to an all-natural, irritant-free skincare routine, some swaps are easier than others. Face oil? So many plant-based products to choose from. Cleanser? I'm good with rose water Manuka honey, thanks. Natural spot…
By Jessica DeFino

I Tried Overtone On My Hair For The First Time & I Have Thoughts: Review

Like all good stories, the tale of my Overtone conditioner review begins in a precarious situation. Well, my hair was in a precarious situation. And by that I mean, I put my hair in a precarious situation. Against all professional advice, I decided…
By Jessica DeFino

How A Reflexology Foot Massage Released My Tension From Head To Toe

I don't love my feet. They're big, with proportionally big, wide toes. I’m barefoot a lot, so they’re calloused and sometimes dirty. I even gave up nail polish in an effort to lower my body's chemical burden, so I can’t hide my not-very-nice-looking…
By Jessica DeFino

31 Easy Winter Hairstyles To Try When It’s Too Cold To Make An Effort

The term “vintage” applies to items or trends between 20 and 100 years old (after that, they’re “antique”). So with the arrival of 2020, your favorite ‘90s styles are technically vintage — including the face framing tendrils that seem to have made a…
By Jessica DeFino

8 Cool Nail Color Ideas For The New Year

How are your nails feeling about the new year? Ready for a fresh start? Not that into the whole “blank slate” thing? Anxious about your looming resolution to spend less on salon visits? However the impending arrival of January 1 (a new year and a…
By Jessica DeFino

Oat Milk Doesn’t Only Belong In Your Latte, According To Derms

Do you, like me, feel a little embarrassed asking your barista, “Um, do you have oat milk?” Here’s something that might help: the oat milk skincare movement has arrived. Now, instead of worrying that my proclivity for the coconut, almond, hemp, soy,…
By Jessica DeFino

The “Clean” Oil Cleanser That Actually Works

“Glowing, healthy skin starts with a clean canvas.” Allison McNamara, the founder of MARA Beauty, begins her email to me with this simple statement. It is, by all accounts, very true. But the pursuit of that “clean canvas” — one that’s not overly…
By Jessica DeFino