what's in their bag #003: Valerie Estrina
we talk cosmetics, art, writing, and what’s touched her lately with its beauty <3
If you’ve ever stumbled into Club Reticent, you’ll know that Valerie doesn’t shout to be heard. She writes like someone who remembers the quiet glamour of noticing.
Time bending, perspective shifting. The way a certain film lingers like perfume oil on our skin, and like the tiny rituals that keep us stitched together. No wonder nearly 20,000 readers tune in, she writes like someone who remembers how to make the ordinary feel cinematic.
After adventures in Scandinavia and Paris, she’s currently based in Amsterdam. A perfect reason to open up her bag. What is she carrying lately? And as a multi-layered embodiment of beauty, how does she interact with beauty? We’ll talk cosmetics, culture and the rituals of care! <3
hi Valerie! what’s in your bag?
from left to right:
1. 2 EUR lip pencil from Etos haha. one of my favorites!
2. PREDUBEZHDAI hand cream
3. Milk Makeup Sculpt stick in the shade Toasted
4. Clinique black honey lipstick! my holy grail
5. Guerlain Rouge G lipstick in the shade Le Beige Amande
6. Dior Pump'n Brow in Dark Brown
The rings are from Rigido Jewelry and La Manso!
The supplements are omega 3, a multivitamin, and zinc
What's the most surprising item in there?
I think the contents of my bag are pretty normal, but probably this humongous keychain that literally takes up ⅔ of the space. It has all these fun little trinkets, some of which are Chinese brand names I’ve never tried or heard of. It was a gift from my dear friend who moved to China a while ago. We rarely get to see each other – every time I look at my keychain, I think about her :)
Tell me about your favourite products and/or beauty habits!
I keep it cheap and simple – my beauty habits are informed by my love for French drugstores and my long gone Accutane days (if you know, you know!). When you’re on Accutane, your skin becomes so dry and sensitive you have no choice but to rule out most ingredients and double down on the simplest formulas. The medication goes, but the habit stays. I’d say my loyal holy grail is Cicaplast Baume B5+ by La Roche Posay and the Cerave Facial Moisturizing Lotion (which they recently reformulated from SPF 30 to SPF 50 – we’re so blessed!) Also love K-beauty and almost everything from Dr Jart+.
my best beauty habit has been learning how to read the formula list on a product, and using that knowledge. I think once you learn the basics of best dermatology practices, what each ingredient is supposed to do for you –what to look out for, what to stay away from– you’ll never waste money on skincare again. So many gimmicks out there.
Do you have a secret hair tip or trick?
Honestly, not really. I have really fine, curly Jewish hair (3a/3b texture) that I straighten routinely. I know my ancestors are side-eyeing me... But using a good curl cream and heaps of heat protection certainly helps stave off the guilt. I’ve gotten keratin treatments before but honestly? Regretted them. Because as the hair grows out, you can spot the curly root just as you would with dyed hair, which just makes the whole thing look really weird and messy. My goal for this year is to leave my hair alone – I want it LONG!
What does your morning look like?
My weekday mornings –especially if I’m going to the office– are boring, but my weekend mornings do have a little je ne sais quoi to them. One thing you have to know is I’m an EARLY riser. I don’t remember the last time I slept past 9 – even on vacation. I like the feeling of getting stuff done before noon. I’ll have my high protein breakfast, coffee, and a gym session (I’ve been A+ with my weightlifting journey this year) followed by a hot shower. If I’m lucky and not feeling too lazy, I’ll squeeze in an hour of reading – but of course, that’s a luxury. It’s really important for me to optimize my time with working full-time and writing, so I try to avoid going on my phone before lunchtime. No doomscrolling in this house!
Do you have favourite beauty/wellness spaces or treatments in Europe?
Do workouts count? When I lived in Paris, I loooved going to RIISE Yoga. It’s this little hip workout center that’s definitely gentrified yoga (sorry) but it’s fun, with locations across the most beautiful arrondissements. As for wellness, I recently tried Renessence in Amsterdam and loved it. I’m not yet in a tax bracket where I’d be able to go regularly, BUT. Watch this space…
When you travel, what's in your bag?
Two books – one for the soul, one for the brain. My iron supplements, ibuprofen, and about a thousand stickers I steal from counters of every coffee shop I ever visit and never unpack. But honestly, just the basics – I’m an incredibly light packer, and very proudly so. I only do carry-on. Overpackers (most of my family) are my biggest pet peeve. Like what do you MEAN you need seven outfits for a 3-day trip? I know I sound like a pick me right now, but seriously, packing light will change your life.
Which books are you currently reading?
I’m currently reading Henry Miller’s Tropic of Cancer (for the soul) and Susan Sontag’s Against Interpretation (for the brain).
Are there any beauty or wellness rituals you've inherited from your culture or family - maybe passed down from your grandmother or other women in your life?
My mom is Mongolian, and that whole side of the family eats a lot of meat and offal. They’re also very big on bone broth and fresh dairy. I grew up on broth, lamb, veal, because I was told it was good for me, but it wasn’t, shall I say, trendy – I hated it! It was so frowned upon, especially during the rise of veganism and ‘clean’ eating in pop culture. The green juices of it all. Today, it’s really funny to see various carnivore diets increase in popularity so rapidly with bone broth suddenly being seen as a beauty elixir, because I’m looking at the whole thing and thinking wow, the whole zeitgeist really switches up every few years. Suddenly we’re all into butter and raw meat? Fascinating stuff. East Asians have been on their game since the beginning of time, give credit where it’s due.
What has touched you with its beauty lately?
1. Nan Goldin’s photography, specifically the Cookie Mueller series currently displayed at Rijks
2. Anna Weyant’s art! i love her work so much. she really captures what i call the Eerie Feminine incredibly well
3. this Clarice Lispector interview
4. Annie Ernaux work
5. I’m Still Here (2024) touched me in ways I can’t begin to comprehend. Just a truly beautiful film in every sense of the word.
Could you share writing/poetry on beauty that you've read and loved?
One of my favorite lesser known gems is Earnestly by Berlin-based artist Monilola Olayemi. It’s a book on her journey from body dysmorphia to self-acceptance, depicted with stark honesty and featuring beautiful imagery. So grateful to have discovered this incredible story on a random bookstore stroll in Antwerp last year. I’m now mutuals on Instagram with Monilola, which just makes everything x1000 better. Dead Weight by Emmeline Clein is also really, really good
I want to talk a bit about your own writing. I think it's absolutely phenomenal, very poetic and at the same time so relatable. How do you brew this magic? Any intentional preparations to get in a certain headspace?
Thank you so much! This is a tough one – I never know how to answer the writing process questions. I don’t have a process because I don’t think the ‘process’ is mine to begin with. I’m only a vessel for the information that is communicated through me to an audience. If I were to see myself as the sole generator of the ideas I put out into the world, I’d probably go insane. I’m just a translator, I think. Not only does this approach take the pressure off, but it also lets me interact with my creative flow humbly and compassionately. If I can’t get a word out of me on a particular day for whatever reason – no big deal, I’ll just get back to it when I’m more in tune with the information source. There are no intentional preparations of any kind, I just do my best to take care of my mind and body. Eat enough, sleep enough, move enough. The engine runs better when it’s oiled up, you know. I gotta take care of the vessel.
So true! On that topic: lately I've been more interested in intentional rituals & detours as opposed to strict routines and efficient ways from A to B. Could you tell me about rituals or detours in your life?
Love detours! Convenience is killing us. I love riding my (non-electric) bike in the city –especially since biking wasn’t a thing for me prior to Amsterdam– it’s been like genuine therapy, so I take the longest possible route from point A to point B. It’s the same with cooking: I don’t meal prep. I understand that it’s a privilege to say this, but I enjoy the art of cooking too much to cook in batches and put things in tupperware to reheat later on. So unromantic. What if the vibes of the day don’t match the vibes of the food? Really makes you think… Anyway, I like to savor every mundane task I get to do. Taking care of my space, cleaning, watering my plants, doing grocery shopping. I don’t want to outsource any of this to “optimize” my life.
And finally, can you share images that have inspired you lately?
I’ve been really into archival Margiela lately, I think it’s just perfectly my aesthetic, so I’m immersed in that imagery.
Obsessed with Sue Sasha’s nails here (and her Instagram in general):
This Viv (author of The Molehill on Substack) post on Severance outfits:
Vivian Wilson for Teen Vogue:
Finally, this (so true):
Thank you Valerie <3
next time we’re diving into the world of laser treatments, the newest skincare drops, topical skincare delivery technologies AND how to spot marketing fluff because unfortunately some (many!</3) beauty brands still love to play that game.
Until then ! xoxo, soft glow.
🤍🌸
love you so much Romy! thank you for having me!