Kim Lim opens new business In London while caring for her newborn baby: ‘It’s a total balancing act’

Back in August 2024, billionaire heiress Kim Lim announced her second pregnancy with an impressive drone show in Bangkok, Thailand.

Fast forward to today, and the 33-year-old is not only a new mum (Lim told 8days.sg she gave birth to her second kid four months ago), but she also found the time to grow her beauty empire, which includes illumia Therapeutics and hair care brand Papilla.

This time, the expansion heads to London.

In March, Lim announced that Papilla is opening a new branch in the UK, specifically along Grosvenor Place, near Buckingham Palace.

Why London? "It just felt right," she said. "It’s such a big city, lots of people dealing with hair issues — especially because of the water there. And there’s also a big Asian community, and let’s be real, Asians are always hunting for Asian-friendly treatments and brands they trust. So everything kind of aligned, and we just went for it."

“It’s a total balancing act,” said Lim via text when 8days.sg asked how she juggled her business and having a baby at the same time.

She continued: "I’ve learned that experience and a solid team really matters. I’ve also gotten better at prioritising and delegating, even when juggling a million things, I still manage to get stuff done... somehow!"

Lim, whose dad is billionaire Peter Lim, described the experience as “chaotic but meaningful”.

"I was literally growing a baby and a brand at the same time! It wasn’t easy, but it also gave me so much purpose. I felt really driven during that period — even though I was also super tired, not gonna lie," she added.

Lim shared that her recent pregnancy wasn’t easy. While she admitted that “some people around me did not make it easier too”, she is grateful she is past that.

She suspects she experienced postpartum depression in the first three months. "I fought with my weight and breast feeding but I'm happy to share that I lost 25kg in 3 months. It wasn’t easy," she said. 

She's now battling post-partum hair loss, which is where her Papilla hair treatments come in, adding that she tests any treatment on herself first before introducing it to her businesses.

On her London business, Lim cited challenges such as time zone differences and unexpected paperwork and said that compared to Bangkok (where she opened her second Papilla outlet last year), shipping takes ages.

“But I think the biggest challenge was just letting go a little, and trusting that things would fall into place, even when I couldn’t be hands-on all the time,” she said.

So how is Kyden – her son who turns eight this year – adjusting to having a sibling?

“Kyden has been the sweetest big brother,” said Lim. Kyden is Lim’s son with her first husband Kho Bin Kai.

"I honestly didn’t know he could be this sweet," she said. "The way he looks at his sibling just melts my heart. He even asked me why we didn’t have another one earlier and if we can have more!"

Hey, her son is just asking on our behalf.

Now, if you haven’t already noticed, details about Lim’s newborn, including the gender remain private.

No photos have been shared online, and Lim said this protective approach wasn’t a deliberate decision at first.

“I think with time, comes perspective. Eight years ago, with Kyden, everything was new and exciting, and I was so eager to share,” she said. 

"With my second child, I feel more protective — perhaps wanting to keep a part of this journey more private and intimate. It wasn’t a conscious decision at first, but it’s what felt right for us. For now."

However, she assured us that she will share more when she is ready.

"We’re just enjoying the quiet moments as a family for now," she said.

This story was originally published in 8Days.

For more 8Days stories, visit https://www.8days.sg/