Mo Minks

Cosmetics shops in New York tend to cluster downtown, but the real demand lives uptown where subway stops thin out. Mo Minks sits on 3rd Avenue between 125th and 126th, a stretch where bodegas and barbers alternate with the occasional beauty counter. The storefront is small, easy to miss if you’re scrolling on your phone, yet it stocks the kind of staples that keep locals coming back—lipsticks that don’t bleed, foundations matched to deeper undertones, and brushes that actually hold their shape after a few washes.

You’ll find the basics here—mascara, pressed powders, setting sprays—alongside items that feel more like neighborhood secrets: cuticle oils in scents you won’t find at the drugstore, brow gels that promise twelve-hour hold, and a rotating selection of indie nail polishes. The address is 2293 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10035, a block where the sidewalk widens just enough for two people to stop and compare swatches without blocking foot traffic. No appointment is needed; the counter is set up for walk-ins who want to test a shade or ask for a quick demo.

Call (917) 557-6801 if you’re looking for something specific or want to confirm they still carry that one highlighter everyone’s been asking about. For directions, the map is here. Third Avenue between the trains doesn’t get the same foot traffic as Lexington, so the line moves fast.