Milk Make up Gym Bag Basics beauty sets $45 bucks save you money

Get three great products including 13 times award winning primer saving $23 dollars

Huang Lim

2025-07-26T07:50:25.1200000 2025-07-26T09:37:22.0370000

The head office for Milk Make up is ironically in the meat packing district in west Manhattan, but you can’t shop there, 450 W 15th St, Suite 200 (NY 10011) it’s just corporate head quarters.

And the Milk Make up studio where all the products are made is in Brooklyn, 67 North 8th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11249

My friend just sent me this picture from London. We were so happy to see our friends at Milk Make Up front and centre in NK Space flagship store in Covent Garden, London.

I’ve been using Milk Make up products for a few years now. The primer is the best.Goes on great, flawless finish and lasts all day and night literally. No touch ups required I swear down.. They only started the business out of Milk Studios NYC in 2016 with everything made on site, a complete commitment to vegan cruelty free and every product ingredient disclosed. This make up brand is completely transparent and customers clearly love the new approach the beauty.

Here are the credentials for the Ultra Hydro Grip Primer which has literally taken the beauty industry in the US by storm

-Hyaluronic acid hydrates for smoother, plumper-looking skin

-Niacinamide helps smooth texture so makeup goes on evenly

-Blue agave extract grips makeup to prevent fading, creasing, and patchiness

The viral jelly lip and cheek stain is the best too.

The best thing for me about the Milk Make up range is the products are designed for women with healthy outdoor and in the gym lifestyle yet still want to enjoy wearing make up and look dewy and fresh during and after your work out.

The days are gone when women don’t wear make up to the gym. Not in New York City anyway and Milk Make up checks all the boxes. The Hydro Grip primer will literally hold your foundation while you exercise, Pilates, yoga, even running on the treadmill.

You can find Milk Make at their boutique in SoHo or at any of the British beauty distribution company outlets of NK Space. They have a great concession in Bloomingdale’s if you haven’t been yet. I like it better than Sephora and I know everyone loves Sephora for price and selection.

I read Space NK's US wholesale division was sold to PCA Companies in June 2024. This sale included all of Space NK's US wholesale operations, systems, and employees, effectively ending Space NK's direct wholesale presence in the US. The transaction involved nearly 600 points of sale across the US, including partnerships with department stores like Nordstrom and Bloomingdale's, and a shop-in-shop presence at Walmart.

April 2024:

Manzanita Capital, Space NK's owner, explored a potential sale of the entire beauty chain, appointing investment bankers.

June 2024:

Space NK sold its US wholesale division to PCA Companies, a global beauty distribution platform.

June 2024:

The deal with PCA Companies included all of Space NK's US wholesale assets, including employees, systems, and points of sale.

July 2025:

Ulta Beauty acquired Space NK from Manzanita Capital.

It’s a little bit confusing as there appears to be no name change on the retail side of the business. So when you shop “NK Space Apocathary” now you are not actually shopping with the original British company.

So not sure if we’ll see NK space apothecary slowly disappearing from our stores anytime soon or if the stores will stay just owned and operated by a different company keeping the name. It would be a shame to see NK Space go completely from the US however if you live in NYC you can still buy Milk Make up from their studio and boutiques in person and for anyone else around the globe just get your butt online.

James Perse Made In The USA or so I thought

These days some production of garments has shifted to Asia

Huang Lim

2025-07-09T10:20:24.2230000 2025-07-09T10:49:43.4870000

Few items of clothing serve me better than a James Perse spaghetti strap vest. I wear one almost every day as a base layer under my clothes. The cotton elastane so soft yet stretchy and controlling I can wear it with or without a bra, and comfortable enough to wear in bed if I want to. Also long enough, critical for me as I have a long body, to wear with leggings and work out clothes. I hate T shirts and vests that ride up, or even worse curl up, I tried a Hanro cotton elastane vest, I paid about 50 bucks and the cotton kept curling up at the bottom and I was constantly pulling it down. But despite the high price tag of James Perse customers are happy to pay for good ethics and quality long lasting garments could this be a brand riding high on a reputation based on the past when you look a little bit deeper?

Let’s go explore.

_

James Perse are definitely more expensive, if not the most expensive basics. A plain and simple cotton stretchy vest retails for around £90 I know it’s a lot but since you cannot buy great cotton staples anywhere anymore I find myself thinking I’d rather have one or two items that I wear love and do the job magnificently than keep buying cheaper garments that just don’t hit the mark.

Once you’ve invested you’ll understand what I mean. Like really well made underwear a few fantastic base pieces you wear everyday will transform the look and feel of all your other clothes.

James Perse garments in the past were predominately made in the USA. A brand signature. And yet there is quite a bit of discussion on forums about the fact it is now widely published online, manufacturing for James Perse has shifted to China.

I’ve read on different forums, Reddit: Quora and Purseforum customers discussing their expectation of James Perse is made ethically in the USA and even though they have 15, 20, 25 pieces they love all made in the US garments are slipping in saying Made in China or Made in Vietnam. I guess it was inevitable so I don’t know how long the beautiful textiles long term customers have become accustomed to will last. I guess the answer is to just be aware and check where your garment is made before purchasing. On the upside I’ve also read garments being made in Japan with luxury textiles being sourced from a Japanese textile manufacturer A Girls Co for specific items like their elevated lotus T shirt. And Japanese manufacturing is less risky and protects workers better than other countries human rights records. Japan definitely offers better protection for workers against discrimination and clothes manufactured in Japan today are considered higher quality especially when it comes to craftsmanship and precision and attention to detail. Although not the case in the 1950’s and 1960’s when “Jap Crap” was regarded in much the same way as Made in China is today. Japan has been an industrialised nation for a lot longer than China. So Made in USA still hold much greater appeal and something I am always on the look out when purchasing my James Perse spaghetti strap vest.

The answer may lie in buying secondhand and avoiding new James Perse garments altogether. Not just because they are considerably cheaper but because the older stuff is simply better quality with better heritage.

It may just be as word has spread of the amazing quality you’ll find at James Perse, greed and profit has taken over and the highest of standards customers absolutely love have been replaced by the constant quest to lower production costs and desire to improve commercial margins for more profit.

And we all know eventually this profit centric model is not sustainable. High prices for lower quality goods doesn’t endure in the long run.

The vest I just bought does say Made in USA on the label but I may have just got lucky or found an item of old stock.

Composition 94% supima cotton, 6% Lycra and the cost was $75 dollars. That 1% extra Lycra content makes a big difference if you like a snug fit. Not tight though still super soft and comfy. James Perse does get the balance just right. When it comes to sizing the tanks run quite big. I am about a 6 sometimes an 8 US and I buy a James Perse 1 which fits me perfect.

Interestingly they have stopped putting where specific garments are made on their website so if this matters you have to send an email and ask the question about the garment or what you like before purchasing. The customer service email for James Perse is assistance@jamesperse.com they assure us all a response within 24 hours.

FYI the reviews on Trust Pilot are not as glowing as this one with a lot of “loyal customers” reporting strict time guidelines and very poor customer service if you have a genuine issue.

Tencent Tech Giant and Super App We Chat

Huang Lim

2025-04-25T13:04:43.6630000 2025-04-25T14:46:42.0800000

I’ve not had a snoop for a while and then I was struck this week by the funeral procession like protest outside the Meta Headquarters in NYC after families came together with one shared agenda, to bring to the attention of social media giants like Meta their pain of losing a child to suicide and demand change.

And thanks to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex who organised an Art Installation in memory of the kids who took their own lives the pull of Harry and Meghan got the worlds press there too. In a separate event — The Lost Screen Memorial installation by the Sussexes' Archewell Foundation, something in place for only 24 hours, is made of 50 large smartphone replicas bearing the faces of children lost. So these two big things coincide in NYC.

It’s Thursday, the 24th of April 2025 and all of a sudden grieving families start filing past outside. They were holding a vigil that stretched through the streets of the East Village in Manhattan to outside the offices of meta in New York City. The purpose to demand greater protection for their children from the social media tech giant.

Slowly they walked silently through the Village near my apartment holding photographs and placards of the kids they’d lost. 45 families in total including 6 from the UK. It was extremely moving.

The families hand-delivered a letter to Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg. More than 10,000 people had signed it.

Like many others I abandoned Instagram and Facebook ages ago in favour of the one password super app We Chat.

It’s great. We can do everything in one place, one password and WeChat mission is to enhance the lives and experience of it’s users not the families involved in the meta protest in NYC experience, where parents accused meta of prioritising profits over public safety.

I heard a few of the stories on the news, unnecessary suicides triggered by inappropriate harmful content unmonitored on social media platforms and purposely targeted at young impressionable children.

As a younger woman, I have seen the self harm content, the encouraging suicide content, the degrading women and girls content, on these platforms. I have had the algorithms push terrible content to me. Content so bad it was an education for me, things I don’t want to detail here, things I didn’t believe know existed, so bad I knew I had to step away from Facebook, delete my account. To be honest it wasn’t that difficult. Most of my friends had already done the same.

The downside of WeChat from Chinese tech giant Tencent only a few of my American friends use it outside China although the international version is available in over 200 countries including the USA it’s mainly used to connect with friends and family in China and other parts of Asia. There is definitely something to be said for a one password super app that combines Fintech, social media, e commence and chat messaging community all in one place. I now spend most of my online time divided between Poopsnoop and WeChat.

We chat is frequently used by expats, international students, like me and anyone else who need to communicate with people in China or other regions like India, Brazil, Indonesia, the US and Mexico where WeChat is dominant. 

I prefer a company where social responsibility is at the core of all their products. This is the most important thing for me when it comes to the technology I choose.

The HolidayThe Movie

Huang Lim

2024-12-23T11:53:11.7600000 2024-12-23T12:58:16.3500000

This year I came off Instagram. After 10 years or so posting, commenting, trying to build a network I gave up principally because I have two broadcast feeds I didn’t want to be disturbed by anymore and no matter how hard I tried I could not get rid of them. I don’t know how I subscribed to E! entertainment but they post so much, I am so sick of the notifications, I cannot switch them off so I gave up.

It’s the Holiday so I did take a cheeky peak at Instagram to be poked by E! to be asked if I’d watched “The Holiday” and yes

I watched the last third last night.

For anyone who hasn’t watched “The Holiday” (I don’t know how that would be possible if you reside in the western hemisphere (it’s the kind of feel good Christmas/Hannukah movie you can watch over and over again. Think It’s A Wonderful Life, Scrooge (the Alister Sims version) White Christmas, Shrek. It’s a comforting, easy to watch familiar movie, beautiful people, beautiful setting, good clothes and the ultimate cheesy love story happy ending even for the ultimate people pleasing drip of a female Iris played to Oscar worthy perfection by Kate Winslet.

The attraction for so many of us, I believe, whilst we watch publishing assistant Iris internalising her missteps as she is mistreated by a lathario in the office and makes the bold move of spending Christmas alone in a strangers home (a house swap) half way across the world in Los Angeles, we women, see ourselves being the same complete idiot in some form another.

The other female lead Amanda Woods played by as willowy as she is beautiful, Cameron Diaz, shows us ladies, the other side of our female failing, being successful in life. Amanda is a creator of Hollywood movie trailers, works 30 hours a day and after discovering her gorgeous beau played by Edward Burns has slept with someone else decides on spending Christmas alone, in Iris’s idyllic commuter belt cottage in England.

The best part of the movie for me is the chance meeting of Iris and decorated Hollywood screen writer Arthur Abbott played by Eli Wallach and the fresh way an unusual friendship forms from mutual desperation and brutal honesty. There’s something super real and touching. And no one can act feeling stupid better than Kate Winslet. When she slaps her own face I think it’s one of the funniest scenes I’ve ever watched.

I was about to say it’s the type of film Nancy Meyers would write, It’s Complicated and Something Gotta Give and then when I went to look who actually wrote it, surprise surprise it was Nancy Meyers.

Rufus Sewell plays a brilliant slippery love interest for Iris, Jasper who she finally deals with after “Gumption” training from Arther. Jack Black plays Miles a friend & movie trailer colleague of Amanda’s who like Iris is the people pleasing Hollywood creative, not the best looking, but definitely the most talented being walked all over by his drop dead actress girlfriend Maggie, and crying on Iris’s broad and super tolerant shoulders.

And not forgetting the love interest for Ms Diaz, the equally edible Jude Law playing delectable Graham, Iris’s brother who turns up unannounced to crash on Iris’s sofa after a skin full down the pub and encounters ball busting cannot cry Amanda in stead. A few twists and turns, there is a surprise I won’t spoil when Amanda jumps to the completely wrong conclusion.

There are some very cute scenes between them which reminded me of being on a movie set as a kid in 2001 Vanilla Sky starring Cameron Diaz and Tom Cruise. I wanted to meet the stars and remember noting how tall she was and how short he was especially when they had to kiss. And I wondered if Jude Law had to stand on a box to kiss Cameron too.

Regardless, it’s a Hollywood illusion in all its glory, a lovely film. It’s cheesy, with a side of mozzarella but hey Nancy Meyers is America’s answer to Richard Curtis. If you like Notting Hill, Love Actually, Four Weddings you’ll love the Holiday.

P.S. Anyone who can help removing a broadcast feed on Instagram, I’ve already read and tried from online instructions with no success.

Wollman Rink Central Park

Huang Lim

2024-12-02T13:32:11.2370000 2024-12-02T13:59:51.2700000

It’s a New York City bone of contention at this time of year like the Knicks or the Nets, do skaters prefer Rockafella Center or the Wollman rink.

Skating at Wollman is $60 for a 2 hour afternoon slot, I know high right, it’s NYC I can get it as low $15 with skate rental if you shop around and you can stay on the ice as long as you like, at Rockefeller it’s more like $80 (they say between $21 and $114 and it’s time restricted, you only get 1 hour and very strict, although I do love skating Rockefeller at night. And you get the shopping and the dining and not forgetting the cute festive music to skate to. It does get everyone in the spirit.

For Wollman rink, a NYC must visit, it’s a wonderful experience, the deal through Viator is the best, (please be advised Viator is part of Trip Advisor) you get to stay on the ice as long as you like once on.

You get : Timed entry ticket to Wollman Ice Skating rink

Wollman Cafe (food and drink items for purchase)

Booking fee

You can get a locker but that is extra. I take my pocket book that’s it and wear in across my body while I skate.

Before I lived in NYC my parents would take a trip into the city at the holidays and a walk down 5th Avenue, a small gift from

Macy’s and the day wouldn’t be complete without a skate in Central park.

Everything you need is available to hire, skates etc, dress warm and I’d recommend daytime for beginners and children, the experts come out later and the rink can get busy/a little scary is you are less than sure footed, it’s dark and you have a speed skater taking you on the inside.

Now I live in the city I visit the rink a couple of times a month in the winter and always always take my out of town visitors.

So much fun, beautiful, great exercise and what can 15 bucks buy you these days? If you decide you really love it season tickets are also available. Twice a month isn’t enough so me it works out better to pay as I go.

Elemental Herbology Hair Care

Huang Lim

2024-11-20T11:01:12.9830000 2024-11-20T11:51:44.2370000

This brand was founded in 2008 by a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner and it was this that first attracted me to try the skin care radiance and vitality cell nourish. At $46 it’s a bit more affordable than other nourishing serums I have tried and I love it on my skin. Everything used from ingredients to packaging maintains the highest integrity, no parabens, no sulphites, not tested on animals and now over 20 vegan products in the range.

After the skin care I went on the try the hair care. I bought Shiny locks shampoo and hair soufflé conditioner. I also bought the mandarin hand and body wash which smells absolutely divine. And the mandarin and geranium body moisturiser and for anyone who gets dry skin but doesn’t like a lot of cream residue after use this is wonderful.

What I love about the haircare: first of all you don’t need loads of product for my hair to feel squeaky clean and boy do I mean “squeaky” clean.

I am an Asian American so my hair is straight and thick. These products make my hair extremely glossy and shiny.

To sum up this brand checks all my social responsibility boxes and have managed to produce the most luxurious product suite.

Lots of other things to try. Not sure what’s next for me. Something I absolutely appreciate from Elemental Herbology, on there more expensive skin care there is almost always a 5ml or 10ml starter option so you effectively get to try it before you invest. Maybe I’ll give the the facial oil a go. Beauty Shortlist Awards 2023 Winner - Best Facial Oil for Acne-prone/Oily skin.

My skin can get a bit greasy and spotty. I’ll update once I’ve tried it.

Le Labo Candles rating J Lo favourites Calone 17 to Cedre 11

Founded in New York City Le Labo Fragrances have captured the hearts of customers globally

Huang Lim

2024-10-16T10:52:50.7130000 2025-12-10T15:25:39.9470000

Le Labo have announced a partnership with Singapore Airlines SIA. Their new “amenity kit” will now be afforded to business class passengers. The partnership is in collaboration with New York’s artisanal fragrance house, Le Labo Fragrances. (Owned by Estee Launder) The exciting launch on Dec. 24, 2024, was hailed a great success, apparently, the cleverly designed kits are said to give “a super blend of personalised craftsmanship and elevated hospitality” I haven’t seen the kit myself. The idea is to offer travellers a more refined, artisan and sensorial in-flight experience.

I started buying these candles from a little shop in Nolita must be 15 years ago now. They weren’t anywhere near as expensive. But boy were they amazing, like nothing we’d smelt before. Le labo had originated in Grasse, on the cote D’Azur, but was certainly raised in New York City.

Edouard Rishi and Fabrice Penot opened the store the die hards still love, including me on Elizabeth Street, number 233 and get this, the really impressive gorgeous store, paper labels, simple printing, cardboard box packaging but without investor backing or any advertising. If was simplicity, quality, homemade, New York Lifestyle all rolled in to one.

I remember the first few times I went in, the fragrance was captivating, beautiful unique blends inthe simplest of packaging made me spend more on one candle I had ever done in the past. I remember burning it for a bit in my small studio apartment and the scent being so overpoweringly beautiful I’d not only blow it out to conserve my investment but my neighbours would comment on how beautiful the hallway in our building smelled.

When I read Jennifer Lopez was buying 100-200 candles a month (according to The Cut) from them I knew it wouldn’t be long before the prices skyrocketed and I would no longer be able to afford them.

In 2014 the inevitable happened and Le Labo was swallowed up by Estée Lauder and today I am still a customer. I am not sure eco sustainable and vegan cruelty free labels are still relevant or accurate though as animal testing is legally required for sale of goods in China.

I couldn’t find out if the founders stayed with the company, several articles written post sale to Ester Lauder 2014 say they still are involved in all product development.

I don’t visit the store as often anymore, the fragrances are still magical, no doubt about it and I am still an occasional customer, but for me, like J Lo, I am now on the look out for the next Le Labo.

Any independent candle makers out there with a product as good I am a customer for you. Candles are big business Estée Lauder’s fragrance category now includes, Tom Ford, Jo Malone London and Le Labo.

Le Labo is a really big niche brand for the make up giant, because even if you’ve heard of Le Labo you probably wouldn’t know who owns it. I like to believe it’s an artisan product for conscientious consumers but I know that’s clever marketing these days and $87 for a 245g candle is really daylight robbery, as artisan large scale is an oxymoron.

I burn a lot of candles. You could say I am a purveyor of room fragrance, diffusers and candles. I have been known to cook oranges and lemons at the holidays for the scent, on a budget.

I am for sure on the look out for the next Le Labo.