"When I was 17 and deciding on my career, I told myself I wouldn't want to wake up 80 years old in bed, wishing I took the chance. Anyway, what's the worst that can happen?"

Beyond her work as an actress and a familiar face on Singapore's local TV scene, Valnice is also the creative force behind ele tea, which she co-founded.

Our paths first crossed during the SLOW RITUALS days, and we later collaborated on an event hosted at The Yoga House in 2023, where I had my very first taste of her beautiful tea blend. 

I'm thrilled to welcome Valnice to our PORTRAITS series to share more about her journey both as an actress and entrepreneur, along with her personal thoughts and reflections.

All photos in this post are courtesy of Valnice, @valniceyek.

01. Hi Valnice, could you do an introduction about yourself?

I'm Valnice and i'm an actress and co-founder of a holistic tea shop - ele tea. In my free time, I love gardening and spending time with my cat. Nothing like a lovely slow day at home. I’ve also picked up pottery end of last year and just got back to it after filming ended a couple of months ago. I love nature so I suppose touching soil & clay just makes me feel grounded and connected to earth. 

02. I'm curious, how did your journey as an actress begin?

I was a theatre major from School of The Arts (SOTA) and at the age of 17 decided I was going to pursue acting full-time. I signed to an agency when I was 18 and started working from there. Extremely grateful, I was able to book my first acting role when I graduated me feel grounded and connected to earth. 

03. Are there any common misconceptions about your line of work?

I think maybe some people think it's easy but it's actually really long hours and a lot of grit and commitment. Rejection is an everyday thing and I think it's a job that's hard to commit to if you don't really have the passion for it. 

04. Could you share more about ele tea, and what inspired you to create it?

As my love for gardening grew, I also started learning about how nature provides for us in such beautiful and effortless ways. For example, simple plants that you can grow at home can feed you with so much nutrients. A lot of traditional ways of healing rely on herbs and roots too.

I wanted to create a brand that could echo my belief in intentional and holistic living and I felt that tea was the perfect medium to share that message. It is something people can easily do and while you may not think much of it, simply checking in with yourself on what your body needs at that time and then brewing a cup of tea, is on its own such a beautiful act of introspection and self love. I believe the act of brewing tea is also meditative.

05. What have been some unexpected surprises or challenges yo've faced while building ele tea? 

Till today I still pinch myself when people make a purchase. It's such a precious experience to attract people who believe in your vision and product. One of the main challenges would be that because only my partner and I are working on it on top of our other jobs, it's taking us a bit more time to expand our brand. I believe in doing things very intentionally and in a meaningful way so if I can't put my 100% into a new aspect of the brand, I'd rather not do it just for the sake of it.

06. With multiple hats to juggle, how do you navigate work-life balance? 

Balance for me is crucial and I guess it comes very innately from my belief in holistic living. Which is essentially doing all things at a good balance. It gets hard when I'm working on a show because most of my time and energy will be there. I was filming a super exciting project called《力挽狂篮》- Under The Net (coming out in November!!) earlier this year and my brand had to take a mini silent hiatus as well. Not in the sense that we stopped running but we were not actively working on it. Though now that filming is over, I am back to devoting my time in this area and I guess that on it's own is balance! I feel very blessed and thankful to get to balance these 2 aspects of life that mean a lot to me.

07. What does self-care look like for you, and how has your idea of it changed over time? 

Self care for me is taking care of myself even when it is hard. More than just the aesthetic and relaxing parts of it, I believe self care is doing what is good for you - e.g. exercising. I'm not naturally a very active person so this is something I have to push myself to do.

08. Are there any daily rituals that help you stay balanced and nourished in both your personal and professional life?

Gardening for sure came straight to the top of my head. In a world that is rushing by day after day, gardening is an activity that grounds me in stillness. Watching my plants grow slowly and steadily is a reminder that we all grow at a different pace. I love to create a good atmosphere when I'm showering at night too so aromatherapy, some soothing music and dim lighting.

09. Having experienced some of Eartha's rituals, was there a particular product or range that has resonated with you?

For my shower routine, I love Eartha's essential oils. The scents, my goodness, teleports me straight into a spa. Post shower, I love me some good and natural body oil so i've been using Eartha's. I love how lightweight and moisturising it feels on my skin. It’s really such a treat. 

10. Is there a quote or mantra you live by?

Definitely. I would say 2 main ones. First, "What is meant for you will find you" and "The universe is conspiring in your favour". I am a strong believer in the law of attraction. What we think affects the lens in which we use to see the world, so take care of your thoughts. Be light and you will attract light.

11. For anyone dreaming of chasing their passion, what advice would you offer?

Never make decisions out of fear. If you want to live and create an extraordinary life for yourself, you will have to make decisions out of the ordinary. When I was 17 and deciding on my career, I told myself I wouldn't want to wake up 80 years old in bed wishing I took the chance. Anyway, what's the worst that can happen? There is no right or wrong decisions in life. Just the decision and what you make of it. If it doesn't work out the way you would like, you can always pivot and find a way around it. Trust yourself, you are capable of change.