You probably know her as the woman who finally made "The Bachelor" star Ben Higgins delete his dating apps for good. It’s a catchy headline, sure. But honestly, if you only see Jess Clarke Higgins as a "Bachelor wife," you’re missing the most interesting parts of her story. She didn't even watch the show before they met. Imagine that. One of the most famous men in reality TV slides into your DMs, and you have to Google him to figure out why he has a blue checkmark.
That’s Jess. She is remarkably un-Hollywood.
While most people in the reality TV orbit are busy chasing the next sponsorship for hair gummies, Jess has been quietly building a career that actually requires a license. She is a certified esthetician. She’s an acne specialist. And as of February 2025, she is a new mom to a baby girl named Winona "Winnie" Elane.
Beyond the Bachelor: The Real Jess Clarke Higgins
Jess didn't just fall into the public eye; she was sort of catapulted there. Before the Denver move and the high-profile wedding, she was a college athlete at the University of Mississippi. She ran track and cross country. That’s a grueling life. It requires a specific kind of mental toughness that most people don't see in her Instagram curated photos.
She graduated in 2018 with a degree in integrated marketing and communications. Shortly after, she was living in Nashville, working a regular 9-to-5 selling postage meters. Yes, postage meters. It’s about as far from the "influencer" lifestyle as you can get. She’s been open about those "post-grad woes"—the feeling of being lost, crying in her car before work, and wondering if this was all there was to life.
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Then came the DM.
Ben Higgins saw a photo of her at a Nashville Predators hockey game with her dad. He took a screenshot, waited a few months (which is kind of a weirdly long time, let's be real), and finally messaged her around Thanksgiving.
The Skincare Pivot
A lot of people think she just opened a "wellness space" because she had a platform. That's a common misconception. Jess actually struggled with severe acne through high school and college. She’s talked about how prescriptions felt like a temporary fix and how she wanted to find a better way.
She went back to school. She became a licensed esthetician. She didn't just put her name on a brand; she opened Just Skin Den in Denver. She treats real people with real skin problems. Her philosophy is basically "feel good in just your skin," which sounds simple but is actually pretty radical in an industry that sells a thousand ways to hide it.
The Reality of a Public Marriage
Living your life in the shadow of a show like The Bachelor isn't all roses and dates in helicopters. Jess had to navigate a lot of "Bachelor Nation" baggage. For one, she and Ben chose to wait until marriage to live together or be intimate. In a world that prizes instant gratification, they spent years doing long-distance between Nashville and Denver.
They bought a house together before the wedding, but they didn't live in it together until they said "I do" in November 2021.
It wasn't always easy. Ben has mentioned the "learning curve" of their first year. There’s a certain pressure when the public expects you to be the "happily ever after" for a guy who had a very public heartbreak on national TV. Jess handled it by staying in her own lane. She doesn't really engage with the show's drama. She’s focused on her business, her faith, and now, her daughter.
Motherhood and a Scary Delivery
In early 2026, Jess is entering a completely new era. The birth of Winona in February 2025 was a major turning point, and it wasn't exactly a smooth ride. During labor, the baby's heartbeat was lost for about ten minutes.
It was terrifying. Doctors rushed in. Jess was flipped onto all fours in a frantic effort to get the baby stable. Everything turned out fine—Winnie is healthy—but that kind of experience changes you. It grounds you.
What We Can Learn from Her Path
Jess Clarke Higgins represents a different kind of "modern fame." She used the visibility she got from her relationship to fuel a career she was already passionate about. She didn't let the "Bachelor" machine swallow her identity.
If you're looking to follow her lead in terms of skincare or even just finding your footing after college, here are the takeaways:
- Expertise over Hype: If you want to start a business, get the credentials first. Jess didn't just "like" skincare; she became a licensed professional.
- The Power of "No": She doesn't say yes to every brand deal. You'll see her talking about iS Clinical or Clearstem because she actually uses them in her clinic.
- Boundaries Matter: Whether it’s waiting for marriage or keeping her daughter’s earliest moments private, she sets limits on what the public gets to see.
- Embrace the Pivot: It’s okay if your first job out of college (like selling postage meters) isn't your forever career.
She’s more than a sidekick in someone else’s reality TV story. She’s a business owner, a former athlete, and a mother who survived a traumatic birth. Honestly, the "Bachelor" part might be the least interesting thing about her at this point.
If you’re struggling with your own skin journey, you might want to look into her "Just Skin Den" protocols or check out the specialized acne treatments she champions. It’s less about the "glow" and more about the health of the skin barrier.
Next time you see her on your feed, remember there's a lot of work behind that "effortless" Denver life. It took a lot of grit, a few car-crying sessions, and a very bold career change to get there.