Xiaohongshu (小红书) originated as a cross-border e-commerce site, but inadvertently became a massive repository for user-generated content (UGC) owing to its reputation for authentic reviews. Its mobile social media platform combines elements of YouTube, TikTok, and Medium, allowing users to post videos that run for one to five minutes, accompanied by longer posts. Like Pinterest, it also encourages users to save videos as part of curated personal collections.
Xiaohongshu thrives on quality product notes which accompany posts—not just bells and whistles. This ostensibly cuts through the whirling dervish of marketing, with cross-checked information helping consumers make decisive leaps of faith when investing in unknown brands. This focus on richer, more educational posts is especially important for skincare products.
Xiaohongshu’s demographic coincides with the main user base for beauty products. According to Xiaohongshu and Ipsos’ 2020 Beauty Industry Report, nearly 90% of its users are female, with 74% of them aged between 19 to 32. The majority of its users—42%—live in tier-1 and tier-2 cities, and tend to spend more on beauty products.