I’m back with a 360 Photo Tour of an OG K-beauty store in Chinatown, New York called oo35mm or “oh oh 35 millimeters”. oo35mm has been around since 2009 but they had sold more stationery, Sanrio items, and cute knick knacks from Asia. They sold skincare too but it was a much smaller selection and mostly within Japanese Beauty. The current store offerings has expanded with amazing selection within Korean, Taiwanese and Japanese Beauty – there are cult French and American brands too. Ever since K-beauty exploded in popularity over the last two years, oo35mm pretty much converted into an Asian Beauty skincare destination. They’re really on point with getting trending items and brands like Pyunkang Yul, and even stocking The Ordinary! Prices are reasonable and their stock is never boring. Take a peek in my photo tour and you can decide!
Getting There/Location
oo35mm
81 Mott St, New York, NY 10013
oo35mm (written with two O’s, not zeros) is located in one of the main touristy streets in Chinatown, Mott Street. The 35 millimeters references the classic 35mm film – they kind you used to go to a photo store to get developed pictures before digital cameras were affordable for masses. The store front is not instantly recognizable because it’s on the second floor above a Chinese restaurant but you can spot their display window. The easiest landmark to reference is the Chase bank on the corner or Canal and Mott streets. There’s a oo35mm store banner but I find it hard to read since they use the O’s as eyeballs in their logo. Use the stairs on the left side to walk up one flight.
Go up the stairs on the left side.
Display window with popular products.
Banner is a bit outdated. It features things they used to sell instead of skincare.
360 Photo Tour
The store isn’t that big but click the play icon and use your mouse to view around. On a phone browser or a webVR enabled desktop browser, you’ll see a VR button in the bottom right — select it and your viewer will render the content in full 3D mode inside your VR gear. Go ahead and turn your phone around in a 360 circle! You’ll move around to see a full view of the store!
Photo Tour and Recommendations
Space is tight at oo35mm but each nook and cranny is used to a maximum, with testers to boot. They are able to pack a lot into each cube and I love how each product has CLEAR price labels! Staff will walk around every once in a while to make sure you’re finding things okay and they won’t breathe down your neck or “follow you” around the store like The Yeon that closed next door. Generally staff is knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. There is a oo35mm loyalty program as well and all you need is your phone number to log in new purchases so there isn’t an annoying card to carry around. You get 10% off on your birthday but I forget what the loyalty milestones are. Look around the store for helpful signs on what the Staff Picks are and which products are new. There are little helpful descriptions taped to the walls on what the product is so be sure to look around for new ideas.
Browsing on their online site is also helpful in getting an idea on what you need! If your order is over $65, there’s free shipping!
Typical Japanese cosmetics.
Dolly Wink lashes but I prefer Darkness lashes more.
Innisfree, The Ordinary (close to Deciem retail prices), Elizavecca.
Most popular Etude House makeup and skincare.
More Etude House, Missha BB creams, Peripera lip products, and other misc makeup (with TESTERS!)
More of the most popular brand in Asian Beauty: Benton, Pyungkang Yul, Chacott, and Skin79.
Lots of Mayo Factory, Ciracle, SUM:37, IOPE cushions, Bioderma, and haircare on the bottom.
Mediheal cleaning foams on top, Mizon (tons of snail stuff), cleansing waters and oils from Innisfree, My Beauty Diary, Bifiesta, DHC. More Innisfree cleansers, Merbliss, Tosowoong’s popular Ensyme powder wash, Laneige, Naruko, gel eye patches on the bottom.
COSRX lined on the top shelf, Namerakahonpo Japanese line, Hada Labo Japanese line, tones of Skinfood cult products, 23 Years Old on the bottom and the beginning of Sheet Mask row where you can buy individual sheet masks.
I want to buy these pre-made modeling masks from 23 Years Old.
Tony Moly egg series (priming balm and tightening pack), banilaco White Wedding line, Rohto CC Cream, Chica y Chico Beta Salic 2.0 Miracle Cream, Lion Pair Acne Cream, April Skin cushions and Magic Stone Soap, Neogen Wine Peeling Pads, AHC, Papa Recipe skincare line in addition to their cult sheet masks.
Asian Beauty Tools! Face rollers, facial blades for dermaplaning, pore extractors, nose strips, black head clearing kits, dry sheet masks, Daiso and A’Pieu silicone mask covers (face condoms), and boxes and boxes of My Beauty Diary sheet masks. To the right side, you’ll see peekings of the Hanaka face mask tubs and Too Cool For School Pumpkin Sleeping Packs.
They sell my precious Lovemore Taiwanese masks! $2.49 each or $11.99 for the box. More My Beauty Diary regular and special series to try individually. There’s even a Horse Oil version I didn’t notice until now, $1.99 for one.
They have Klorane at the very top, Alpha Skincare, Tokyo Love Soap, and a ton of Merbliss products.
I forgotten to take a horizontal shot of ALL the sheet masks on the bottom shelf that you can buy one at a time. These two from Jayjun and April Skin appealed to me because they are new. I bought the Jayjun one and left the Mermaid one because I can always come back for it.
Another one from 23 Years Old that I started to see around. It’s a carboxy mask that I’ve done a review on the blog before.
Store Experience
oo35mm has been my local go-to before K-beauty was ever a thing in the states. It’s located in convenient street where you can go down a couple stores to eat at my favorite Shanghainese restaurant, 456 Shanghai, grab a bubble tea from Ten Ren and pick up frozen dumplings and cheap fruits/produce/seafood for your frig. They are always bringing in new products and most things are priced reasonably. They still sell lifestyle knick knacks that you can find online if any cute tea infusers, cell phone cases or stationery items but this isn’t really their bread and butter anymore. These items are found near their cash register/front of the store that are worth a quick look. I visit frequently since work quite close (and Chinatown is in my soul and blood). oo35mm is one of my favorite shops mostly because you don’t have to drop a lot to shop here. There sheet mask selection always draws me in because you can buy them one at a time and only spend $2 if that’s all you want. I was so surprised to see The Ordinary and all priced close to their retail prices from around $8 – $18! If there’s only one store you have time for, come here on your visit!
