Why are you here? And why should you care about anything I have to say?
I’m so glad you asked (and so glad you’re here)…
To answer the first question, you’re here because you, like me, are curious. (I know you are or you wouldn’t be here, would you?) And I’m happy to tell you that you’ve come to the right place.
I’m Renée Reardin, a Paris-based beauty, fashion, and wellness journalist who’s been in the magazine industry for over a decade. My work has been published on websites like Allure, Best Health, Glossy, InStyle, Shape, and Teen Vogue (which you can check out here.) I started this Substack, called Curious Chat (which is a play on words. Curious Chat. Curious Cat. But, also, chat happens to be French for cat), for a place where I can explore the questions we’re all secretly wondering. You know the ones. The questions that pop up in your WhatsApp group chats, the ones broached only during a final round of drinks, the ones that rile you up on a call with your bestie. Here, I interview experts and dig around to find answers to help us feel a little less alone, be a bit happier, and make smarter choices.
I know what you’re thinking: why Substack? If I write for an assortment of magazines, why self-publish to a much smaller audience for no money, right? Well, this is a really exciting time for writers like me. We finally have this platform available to us so we no longer have to depend on large companies with large overhead fees to house our bylines (for, let me be honest, a significantly smaller amount of money than you’d probably think). We now have the freedom to write what we want, when we want, without having to filter ourselves so as to not anger an advertiser or potential one. Meaning, I can deliver more authentic—and sometimes, frighteningly honest—stories.
As for the money, the hope is that if you happen to really like my newsletter, you would consider becoming a paid subscriber for a tiny monthly cost that’s equivalent to a small latte (without the extra $1 for oat milk or the white-framed screen flipped to you asking for a 200 percent tip).
I understand that inboxes are a precious place and no one wants to add more clutter to theirs, so I appreciate you even considering subscribing to mine. Take a look around the Curious Chat archive, see if it’s right for you, and if it is, wonderful! You have the option to become a free or paid subscriber—no matter which you choose, I’m incredibly grateful to have you here.
I send out my newsletter every Sunday morning (EST). If you like what you read, please consider sharing it with friends—the more subscribers I get, the more likely I’ll be able to keep it going.
Thank you so much for your interest and/or support! Feel free to send me any questions or comments at renee.reardin@gmail.com.
xx Renée
