Xiaohongshu

Xiaohongshu, known in English as RED, is a lifestyle community built on first-hand posts: a photo or short video plus a written account of actually using something.

That format gives it unusual influence over purchase decisions in China, particularly in beauty, fashion, travel, home and parenting. People search it the way they might search a review site, and its recommendations often carry more weight than advertising.

It has become a required channel for brands entering China, but the culture penalizes obvious promotion — posts that read as advertising get ignored, and undisclosed paid posts are actively policed. Working with genuine users tends to outperform polished brand content.