oo35mm is a local beauty store in Chinatown that focuses on the latest Korean and Japanese skincare and beauty trends. Opened by a sister duo, oo35mm has been serving the Chinatown community since 2009. They opened their first shop in a hidden alleyway in Chinatown between Bowery and Elizabeth street. They later moved to Elizabeth Center before settling on their current location.

When they first started, the sisters had no prior experience in the skincare industry. They just wanted to share the things they enjoyed with the Chinatown community. They chose this neighborhood as they used to live in the Lower East Side. Chinatown was like a second home for them.

At first, the sisters focused on selling cute stationery, Sanrio toys, and novelty gifts from Asia. Skincare was an add-on to their primary business. However, they soon realized that there wasn’t a high demand for a gift shop and soon pivoted to becoming a beauty store.

At the time, Asian skincare products were not very popular. They started with Taiwanese skincare brands and later branched out to include Japanese and Korean brands. As their store is not very big, they only introduce brands that they’ve researched and love! The whole team tests every product before including it in their store.

Over the years, they have amassed many loyal customers due to their focus on providing high-quality and budget-friendly products. In addition, the oo35mm team acts as skincare consultants by listening to their customers’ concerns and helping them build a personalized skincare routine. There are testers for each product and even a loyalty program!

In the future, the sisters plan on expanding their product selection to include Asian snacks, continuing their mission to make hard-to-find products from around the world more accessible.

Fun fact: oo35mm’s logo was designed by the younger sister, who was inspired by the idea that film could take you to places you’ve never been before. The “oo” in “oo35mm” symbolizes the eyes, while “35mm” represents the classic 35mm film. There are two eyes above the 35mm, which represent her and her sister.

📍 oo35mm
81 Mott St, Fl 2, New York, NY 10013