Miomia

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A self-described beauty product junkie, Katie Chang was often more interested in the latest facemasks and lip glosses than her burgeoning career in graphic design. After a stint in graduate school—she wrote her thesis on the grooming habits of the American male—Chang decamped to Brooklyn and opened Miomia—it was then known as MirrorMirror—in late 2005. Calling itself the area’s first unisex beauty and grooming shop, the slickly designed, one-room space features products solely from independent brands, many of which are made locally. Displayed on white Cubitec shelving, the wares are primarily men’s and unisex; there’s nothing overtly girly here. Chang grants an exception to that rule with two distinct lines for which she is known: the cult cosmetic brand Julie Hewett and the Histoires de Parfums fragrance (which she is one of the only retailers in the country to sell.)  Funky, accessible shaving lotions from Brave Soldier and Baxter dominate shelf space, but it’s lesser-known brands like McBride and Chef Yossi—a handcare line for home cooks—that have attracted beauty connoisseurs from Manhattan. This being Williamsburg, Chang makes a point of stocking items with her hard-partying neighbors in mind: Kima’s Sea Clear eye gel (an aloe-based antipuffiness/circle-reducing treatment that takes the edge off the morning after) is the store’s top seller. — Carolyn Murnick

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