Latest news with #TalkingShop
NBC News
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC News
Talking Shop with Chace Crawford
Talking Shop is our series where we talk to interesting people about their most interesting buys. Maybe you originally know him from 'Gossip Girl,' but in the almost 12 years since the show's final episode aired, Chace Crawford has been busy. He's starred in numerous movies and TV shows (including 'The Boys'), started working as the chief creative officer for Jiant Hard Tea and, most recently, founded American Dream Clubhouse, a menswear brand. To help him get through his jam-packed days on set and at home, Crawford relies on a few tried-and-true items (including a strong cup of coffee), which I talked to him in detail about below. Want more from NBC Select? Sign up When cafes were closed during the pandemic, Crawford discovered this Breville espresso machine to make coffee at home, which he drinks first thing in the morning. 'I learned how to use it on YouTube, and if you do it right, which isn't hard, you have a perfect cappuccino,' he says. 'It's one of my favorite rituals after walking the dog and while I read some morning news.' Crawford brews his warm beverages into coffee and espresso mugs from Loveramics, which fit perfectly under the machine's spout, he says. 'If I'm traveling for an extended period of time, and especially if I'm filming, I'll bring this coffee pour-over cup and the filters that fit it,' says Crawford. 'It's relatively inexpensive, cuts down on time and makes really good fresh coffee if you can get decent beans and grind them.' The dishwasher-safe dripper comes in ceramic and aluminum, and it has a 4-inch base, so you can put it over any compatible cup or carafe. Crawford often brews his pour-over coffee into this stainless steel, vacuum-insulated travel mug so he can bring it with him to set. 'I swear it'll keep liquid hot or cold for almost 24 hours, and it's great to have on set,' he says. 'It also locks well, so no spills.' The mug comes in 12-ounce and 16-ounce sizes, and you have to hand-wash it, according to the brand. 'I really like nice sunglasses — they make me feel better and look more stylish and 'adult' than I actually am,' says Crawford. 'Even though you run the risk of losing sunglasses, I always go to Moscot. I have a few of their sunglasses, but the Lemtosh are my favorites. I take them everywhere, and since I live in California, I need them all the time.' The sunglasses come in narrow, average, wide and extra-wide sizes, as well as over 20 colors. You can also customize the lens type (prescription or non-prescription) and opt to get them polarized. 'Something I consider a luxury item but I use all the time are the AirPods Pro,' says Crawford. 'I know that's pretty generic, but I still think they're one of the greatest inventions of all time. I'm not cool or hip enough to still use the wired Apple headphones like the cool kids. I always have my AirPods on me so I can cook, walk the dog or do whatever while having phone conversations or listening to music and podcasts at the gym.' These earbuds come with a USB-C charging case and have three listening modes: active noise cancellation, transparency and adaptive audio. 'On set in my trailer, the number one most used thing that I always bring with me — its key — is a Kindle e-reader,' says Crawford. 'It's great because it's strictly for books, so it has no other distractions, and it's light, it's backlit, you can download as many books as you want and it looks like you're reading an actual page from a book. I also always have my Kindle on flights and on my nightstand.' Crawford has a Kindle Oasis, which was discontinued in 2024 — 'I don't know why, the thing is incredible,' he says. But Amazon's classic Kindle is comparable, offering a similar glare-free display, weeks-long battery life and large storage capacity. 'I love to cook, and a lot of my favorite things revolve around the kitchen or grill because it's how I like to relax and it's challenging,' says Crawford. 'I absolutely love the Big Green Egg, which I have in medium. It's charcoal, so it takes some getting used to and to get fired up, but I can make the best steaks and whole roasted chicken at home. I'll buy good quality meat from a reputable place and can honestly make better steaks at home than going out. It's definitely a hit with guests, too.' Another cooking tool he loves is Hestan's nonstick frying pan, which he relies on in the kitchen rather than outside with the smoker. 'This is random, but so many people who notice my phone ask me about this, end up buying it and loving it,' says Crawford. 'It's a stick-on matte screen protector that removes the glare but it's really the feel of it that I love.' The fingerprint-resistant screen protector has a smooth, silky texture, and it comes with camera lens protectors, too. Why trust NBC Select? I'm a reporter at NBC Select who writes our Talking Shop series, interviewing people like Dorinda Medley, Jing Gao, Tiler Peck and Sara and Erin Foster. To write this piece, I interviewed Chace Crawford about his all-time favorite products and what he relies on every day.
NBC News
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC News
Talking Shop with Peach & Lily founder Alicia Yoon
Talking Shop is our series where we talk to interesting people about their most interesting buys. Glass skin — you've either used the phrase yourself, seen TikToks about it or Googled how to achieve it. Rooted in K-beauty culture, 'glass skin' refers to a smooth, clear, practically poreless complexion, and while it's a concept that's been around forever, it wasn't trendy until a few years ago. Alicia Yoon, founder and CEO of Peach & Lily, is partially responsible for that. When the brand's Glass Skin Refining Serum came out in 2018, it sparked what she calls the glass skin movement. 'It went so viral, to the point where I actually had to write an e-book on it,' says Yoon. Just because you're the mastermind behind glass skin doesn't mean you're automatically blessed with it, however — Yoon struggles with eczema, keratosis pilaris and sensitive skin just like the rest of us. I talked to the esthetician-turned-entrepreneur about what products she keeps in her skin care (and hair care) routine at all times, in addition to her go-to Peach & Lily products. Want more from NBC Select? Sign up for our newsletter, The Selection, and shop smarter. 'Joanna Vargas is a fellow esthetician, and she was the one person I actually really trusted before my wedding many moons ago to do my skin care,' says Yoon. 'She's very custom in how she does things, and she approaches things in a way that I knew my eczema-prone skin would be safe with her.' Yoon adds Joanna Vargas' The Daily Serum to her skin care routine occasionally, which she says is calming and hydrating since it's made hyaluronic acid. 'Because I have eczema, my body hydration situation is pretty intensive,' says Yoon. 'If it's super humid in Miami, I'll skip some of it, but most of the time, I need to lean into different things for different parts of my body.' She uses a handful of Peach & Lily's moisturizing products, as well as Nécessaire's The Body Lotion. 'It's fragrance-free and no-frills, so I use it head to toe,' says Yoon. 'These days, I've been using Live Tinted's Hueguard, which is a mineral SPF, daily,' says Yoon. 'It's lightweight, matches my skin tone and wears well throughout the day.' The broad-spectrum sunscreen is orange when you dispense it, which prevents it from leaving a white cast. It acts as a moisturizer and primer as well, and makes skin look glowy after application. 'The Soft Services Comfort Cleanse Body Wash is no-frills in the best way, especially when you have eczema' says Yoon. 'It doesn't smell, it doesn't irritate, it's mild, nothing hurts and I feel clean. The body wash has this little oil slip in it, which also helps with shaving. It acts as a two-in-on in that way.' 'When I talk to my friends about Osea's Undaria Algae Body Oil, they say it's too heavy for them, but my body just soaks it up,' says Yoon, who applies it to dry patches as needed in addition to her other favorite lotion. The body oil is infused with seaweed and helps moisturize and improve the look of skin elasticity, according to the brand. 'On beach days, I use the Ultra Violette Future Sunscreen, which is a mineral formula and makes me look glowy,' says Yoon. 'I've layered it over and over and it's quite nice.' The Australian brand's broad-spectrum, lightweight formula (which is one of our team's all-time favorite face sunscreens) is made with zinc, hydrating squalane and calming vitamin E. 'I was honestly a little bit skeptical about this at first because I haven't had great luck with a lot of the waterless shampoos out there, but this one actually leaves my hair very shiny and soft,' says Yoon. 'There's a learning curve because you only need to use a little product at a time, but it's really great, and it's creamy instead of watery. The packaging is sustainable and looks like a little aluminum paint tube, so it doesn't take up much room in your shower and it's easy to travel with.' 'I have naturally wavy hair that gets tangled very easily, and it's fine and brittle,' says Yoon. 'This conditioner is amazing because it gets all my tangles out before I air dry, and it leaves my hair behaving well no matter what the weather is. There's no fragrance in it — it's more like essential oils — so it's very light, airy and beautiful.' 'I've tried so many hair oils and serums because my hair is on the frizzier side, and ever since we moved to Miami last year, it's been out of control,' says Yoon. 'This is one of the most popular hair serums/oils in Korea, and it helps me control my hair without making it look heavy or greasy. The serum has argan, olive, coconut and apricot oils in it, but it doesn't feel oily. It leaves my hair looking shiny, and a little goes a long way. I also don't love heavily fragranced products, and while this has fragrance, it's very light, subtle and doesn't linger.' 'Living in Miami, we go to the beach a lot, and I love how my hair looks after that, so I try to replicate it,' says Yoon. 'When I want to add a little bit more texture to my hair and get that beachy wave, I'll use The Crown Affair Texturing Air Dry Mousse. It doesn't make my hair feel crunchy at all, so I get the look and feel I want.' 'I don't know if it's just me, but when I'm pregnant, my legs will start cramping — I'll literally wake up in the middle of the night because the cramping gets so bad,' says Yoon, who is currently expecting her third child. 'I massage this cream into my calves, which really minimizes cramping since it's made with magnesium chloride, and there's a peppermint version for your feet, too. It's very hydrating, but it's a little oily, so I use bed sheets I don't care about or apply it right before bed to give it time to absorb into my skin.' Why trust NBC Select? I'm a reporter at NBC Select who writes our Talking Shop series, interviewing people like Dorinda Medley, Jing Gao and Sara and Erin Foster. To write this piece, I interviewed Alicia Yoon, founder of Peach & Lily and Peach Slices, about her favorite skin, hair and body care products.
NBC News
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC News
Talking Shop with prima ballerina Tiler Peck
Talking Shop is our series where we talk to interesting people about their most interesting buys. As a dancer for over 30 years, Tiler Peck has figured out a hack or two that make her professional life easier: For example, she's become an expert at sewing her pointe shoes with dental floss. By now, she also firmly knows what products actually make her look and feel performance-ready, as well as ones that are helpful for recovery. Below, I talked to Peck, a principal dancer at the New York City Ballet and author of the forthcoming book, ' XO Ballerina Big Sis ', about her go-to hairspray, moisturizer, protein bars and more. Want more from NBC Select? Sign up for our newsletter, The Selection, and shop smarter. 'This serum feels like an overnight lift, and it's like a recovery for my face,' says Peck, who wears layers of makeup for performances. 'I've been using it for about four months, and I go to bed with it on, wake up and my skin just has this glow.' The serum comes in a dropper bottle and is made with ingredients like peptides, hyaluronic acid and antioxidants that hydrate, firm and plump skin, according to the brand. 'I've been lucky with not so much acne, but my skin is very sensitive, so I need to use products that are hypoallergenic,' says Peck. 'This face wash has been the most gentle on my skin, which can get pretty dry because of my stage makeup and how much I'm taking it on and off. Using this cleanser is the best way to keep my skin at its calmest.' The gel cleanser foams as you lather, and it's made with hydrating hyaluronic acid, ceramides to protect the skin barrier and calming niacinamide, according to the brand. 'First of all, I love the way this lotion smells — it's like there's perfume in it,' says Peck. 'But more importantly, my skin just soaks it up because it's so moisturizing, and I always put it on under makeup. It's really good for sensitive skin.' The moisturizer has a velvety feel and can make wrinkles look smoother, pores look smaller and skin look glowy, according to the brand. As its name implies, this lip tint really is 'super stay,' according to Peck. 'That's the aspect I love most about it. When I'm picking lipstick for a performance, I go for color first. But if it's a long ballet, like 'Swan Lake' where you're on stage for a long time and don't get to come off to fix your makeup, you need something you can count on.' It has a blurred, matte look, doesn't transfer during wear (making it ideal for costume changes, says Peck) and lasts for up to 12 hours, according to the brand. 'This has always been the trusty hairspray that gets me through my shows,' says Peck. 'I know I can count on it and that it will hold, so it's one less thing for me to worry about during a performance.' The hairspray also protects against frizz and humidity, according to the brand. 'I've never found a foundation that I like as much as this one,' says Peck, who wears the linen shade. 'It doesn't look like you're wearing anything, but it completely covers you. It doesn't have a matte feel, so you still have a little shine and glow. It's just enough to give you confidence to feel like your skin is completely even.' Peck wears this foundation in her day-to-day life, not on stage or in rehearsals. 'I typically don't wear makeup when we're rehearsing since we're sweating, and I feel like it's the one time to give myself a little break since our stage makeup is so intense,' she says. 'This foundation is what I wear whenever I'm doing something that's not on stage.' 'RxBars and Oikos Greek yogurt are my go-to snacks for getting protein in between rehearsals. I know that they'll sustain me, and I have them once a day,' says Peck, whose ballet rehearsals are often about six hours long, plus classes beforehand. 'RxBars don't have any additives, so they're just made with good ingredients, and the peanut butter flavor is my favorite.' Peck often goes from ballet classes to rehearsals to performances, and at the end of a long day, she craves a sweet treat. 'This licorice is very dangerous,' says Peck. 'Every night I tell my fiance, 'I think I need to get the licorice,' even when I say I'm not going to.' She stumbled upon it at the grocery store and added it to her cart on a whim, even though she's not typically a licorice person. 'I don't know what it is about this one, but it's very good,' says Peck. Why trust NBC Select? I'm a reporter at NBC Select who writes our Talking Shop series, interviewing people like Dorinda Medley, Jing Gao and Sara and Erin Foster. To write this piece, I interviewed Tiler Peck, a principal dancer at the New York City Ballet and author, about her favorite products to use on and off stage.
NBC News
22-04-2025
- Lifestyle
- NBC News
Talking Shop with Blueland founder Sarah Paiji Yoo
Talking Shop is our series where we talk to interesting people about their most interesting buys. When it comes to following an eco-friendly lifestyle, Blueland founder Sarah Paiji Yoo doesn't just talk the talk. She's fully committed to making all parts of her family's life as 'green' as possible — in fact, she used to concoct her own toothpaste tablets using an at-home press. You don't necessarily need to do that, but if you're interested in reducing waste and cutting back on single-use plastic, Yoo recommends making small changes that add up long-term. 'The swaps are so sneaky,' says Yoo. For example, ditch paper towels and plastic bags and opt for reusable alternatives instead. Yoo tackles sustainable cleaning and body care using her Blueland products, but for everything else, she swears by a handful of essentials she's discovered over the years. I talked to Yoo about her all-time favorites below, including the water balloons that keep her kids entertained for hours and her go-to white button down. Want more from NBC Select? Sign up Mioceo Reusable Paper Towels 'These are a replacement for paper towels and napkins, and I use them every day, multiple times a day,' says Yoo. She even had one sitting next to her and held it up for me to see during our video interview. 'They're the first ones I found about six years ago and I've been using them ever since. We really don't use any paper towels or napkins around the house. Once you make the switch, it's just the new baseline.' Yoo keeps stacks of reusable paper towels in her bathrooms and kitchen so it's the first thing she and her family reach for. She also uses them as a replacement for wet wipes. 'A lot of parents carry wipes around, but all you need is a cloth that won't break down and a liquid like water.' Yoo throws the reusable paper towels in the washing machine with her laundry whenever she's doing a load. Maria McManus Cropped Oversized Shirt Maria McManus Cropped Oversized Shirt $380.00 Maria McManus 'I shop pre-owned and pre-loved when I can, even for my kids. If there's anything I need or see that I want, I always check The Real Real, Poshmark or eBay first. I'm always surprised by what I can find in really great condition at incredible prices,' says Yoo. 'It can be harder to find things like a crisp white button down that's pre-owned, so one of my favorite brands is Maria McManus. Her brand revolves around creating responsible, sustainable clothing and using fewer chemicals, less water and really minimizing waste during the production process. I find that all the details and materials she chooses to use are thoughtful, and she encourages customers to purchase less and wear their garments more.' 'Both of my sons play baseball, and gum and baseball go hand in hand. It's tough because I know the facts: gum is plastic, that's why it doesn't break down when you chew it over and over,' says Yoo. 'But there are brands out there like Simply Gum, which is petroleum-based and plastic free. Obviously [my son] still chews regular bubble gum at games, but we make sure that plastic-free gum is readily available at home.' Simply Gum is available in flavors like peppermint, cinnamon, coffee and maple. Soppycid Reusable Water Balloons 'When it's warm out, the kids use reusable water balloons, which keeps them busy for hours,' says Yoo. 'You fill them with water and they have a magnetic closure. The kids throw them at each other and throw them at things, and you're not wasting anything since the balloons aren't single-use.' These multicolored reusable water balloons are made from soft silicone and they come with a drawstring storage bag. Blueair Pure 511 Air Purifier 'I'm a big believer in using an air purifier, especially knowing what I know about microplastics in the air and synthetic fabrics that are in most rugs and clothes,' says Yoo. Her favorite models are from Blueair. She has the brand's Pure 511 for small rooms like her office, as well as the 211i Max for large rooms like bedrooms. 'It's so easy to replace the filter every six months or so. Some brands out there tell you to replace the filter every month or so, which is a lot,' she says. GIR Reusable Silicone Straws 'Reusable straws are something that's always been a staple in our home, especially with kids,' says Yoo. 'For many adults, a straw is not always necessary, but for kids, I find that they drink a lot more when they're using one.' She buys these silicone straws from GIR, which her family uses for hot and cold beverages. They come in a pack with a cleaning wand and a travel case. Stasher Bags You won't find single-use plastic bags in Yoo's home. Instead, she opts for reusable silicone bags from Stasher. Yoo fills them with almost anything that fits, especially snacks for her kids. The bags are oven-safe up to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, as well as dishwasher- and microwave-safe. Why trust NBC Select? I'm a reporter at NBC Select who covers topics like health, fitness, home and kitchen. To write this article, I interviewed Blueland founder Sarah Paiji Yoo about her favorite eco-friendly products ahead of Earth Day.
NBC News
14-04-2025
- Business
- NBC News
Talking Shop with Fly By Jing founder Jing Gao
Talking Shop is our series where we talk to interesting people about their most interesting buys. When Jing Gao founded Fly By Jing in 2018, she had one goal: help people bring their favorite Asian flavors home. Prior to starting her company, she ran an underground supper club with a similar intention, and after developing a handful of sauce bases for recipes, she started bottling them to sell. One of those sauces might be in your refrigerator or pantry right now — I practically add Fly By Jing's Sichuan Chili Crisp to anything savory I eat, and use its Sichuan Gold chili oil when I really want to amp up a dish. Of course, Fly By Jing's products are staples in her kitchen, but Gao relies on many others when hosting or cooking dinner for her family. I talked to her about the kitchen essentials she can't live without, plus the food item she used to stuff her suitcase with before flying home from Singapore. 'Zojirushi is the Rolls Royce of rice cookers,' says Gao. 'I use it pretty much every day in my kitchen, and I have a small one because it's just me, my partner and my baby. You just press a button and it makes perfect rice every single time.' Beyond using it for rice, Gao also cooks congee in it. When she's using a wok to boil, steam, stir fry or braise ingredients, Gao's utensil of choice is long wood or bamboo cooking chopsticks. 'They give you more precision when you want to pick things up, and they're really good for separate noodles,' she says. 'Since they're so long, it prevents you from getting your hand all up in the steam and oil that might be splattering.' 'I have a lot of hot pot at home, and whenever I host, I love making it because it's the most simple yet impressive food that just looks beautiful,' says Gao. 'It's such a communal, wonderful experience where you're cooking and eating with friends, and it goes on for hours. It's a huge spread, but all you really did was wash some vegetables, chop some tofu and lay out pre-sliced meats from H-Mart or 99 Ranch.' 'With hot pot, you basically need some kind of a stove on your table,' says Gao. 'I love the Iwatani because you don't need to mess with cords since it runs off gas. You can put it in the middle of your table with your hot pot over it, and it's great for camping, too.' Diaspora Co. Aranya Black Pepper 'I swear by and only use Dispora's black pepper,' says Gao. 'It's the best black pepper and it will make you feel like every black pepper you've had in the past is awful. It's that good.' She also uses the brand's other single-origin, ethically-sourced spices, all of which are 'beautifully packaged' so Gao recommends gifting them to the home cook in your life. Toiro Donabe Steamer Mushi Nabe 'You can make hot pot in any type of pot, but I prefer a donabe, which is a Japanese clay vessel,' she says. 'They've been using it for thousands of years in China and Japan, and there's something about the clay that really holds the heat when you're cooking and amplifies the flavor.' Gao's favorite donabe is from Toiro, a Los Angeles-based brand. 'Toiro's artisan-crafted clay pots are just incredible and their donabe is such a versatile vessel. I cook hot pot in it, but I also use it to cook rice, steam vegetables and make Japanese curries.' Gao has this large donabe from Toiro that comes with a steamer attachment. She often makes soup or rice on the bottom, and salmon and vegetables on top in the steamer. 'It's all about convenience,' says Gao. 'I love making fresh rice, but sometimes, I just do not have the time,' says Gao. 'Having ready-to-eat rice in a bag that you just microwave for a minute is so easy.' She often uses Lundberg's 90-second rice to make fried rice, and adds vegetables and eggs to it. Irvins Salted Egg Salmon Skin Chip Crisps 'The most popular snack brand from Asia is Irvins, which is based in Singapore. I would literally go to Singapore and stop at the airport just to grab these chips,' says Gao. 'They're most famous for their salmon skin chips. Somehow, the way they fry it makes it super crispy and delicious, and they coat it in all kinds of flavors, like salted duck egg.' Why trust NBC Select? I'm a reporter at NBC Select who covers topics like health, fitness, home and kitchen. I interviewed Jing Gao, founder of Fly By Jing and cookbook author, about her favorite products to cook with at home.
