Xiaohongshu’s top 10 beauty KOLs

Born as a UGC-powered “grass-planting” app, Xiaohongshu has matured into one of China’s most influential beauty ecosystems. With more than 350 million monthly active users and an estimated valuation north of $30 billion, the platform’s edge lies in unusually high retention and stickiness — driven largely by millennial and Gen Z women who come to browse, learn, and increasingly, buy. Beauty creators anchor the platform’s commercial gravity. But what’s striking is not just follower counts — it’s the diversity of influence models now coexisting: hyper-rational ingredient educators, ASMR aesthetes, celebrity “emotional buyers,” and lifestyle-first slow-livestreamers. Together, they sketch a more nuanced future for beauty marketing in China — one that prizes trust, texture, and time spent. Below, Jing Daily breaks down Xiaohongshu’s top 10 beauty KOLs — and why each matters. Austin Li/Li Jiaqi @李佳琦 (Lipstick King) 11.1 million followers As one of China’s earliest beauty livestreaming icons, Li Jiaqi represents the industrialization of beauty influence itself. Rising alongside the first wave of e-commerce livestreaming, he turned product demos into cultural catchphrases — “OMG buy it (哦买噶 买它)” became shorthand for conversion power — while gradually repositioning himself as a rational-consumption advocate in a market increasingly fatigued by over-selling. On Xiaohongshu (also known as RedNote), Li’s presence extends beyond pure sales. His self-produced variety show All Girls’ Offer, now in its fifth season, reframes brand negotiations as entertainment, turning pricing battles with executives into viral moments that humanize both sides of commerce. Even his dog family IP, Never, has evolved into a brand-collaboration asset. Despite past controversies, Li remains unmatched in scale — and increasingly influential in shaping how brands justify value, not just discounts. Luo Wangyu @骆王宇 4.34 million followers Luo Wangyu has built his following on a simple but powerful proposition: helping users avoid wasting money. In an ecosystem often dominated by aesthetic aspiration, his account is grounded in ingredient literacy and functional comparisons — positioning him as a trusted decision-filter rather than a trend amplifier. Known for demystifying whitening actives such as niacinamide, tranexamic acid, and 377 (SymWhite 377), Luo’s content reflects a broader shift on Xiaohongshu toward “educated consumption.” His warnings around aggressive A-acid routines — and his emphasis on gentler combinations — resonate with consumers who have been burned by over-exfoliation trends. For skincare brands, Luo represents credibility in a crowded efficacy arms race, where saying no can be more persuasive than hype. Ma Baoer @马宝儿 3.62 million followers Ma Baoer occupies a rare intersection of beauty, ritual, and sensory storytelling. Best known for her immersive ASMR skincare videos, Ma often appears almost silent on screen, letting the sounds of tapping bottles, running water, and textured application take center stage. Her content rose alongside China’s ASMR boom in 2020, but its longevity lies in emotional utility: viewers describe her routines as both instructional and therapeutic. Under the hashtag “immersiveskincareroutine,” Ma consistently ranks among the most-liked creators on Xiaohongshu. Her aesthetic — often paired with vintage makeup, ethnic dress, or cosplay — positions skincare not as performance, but as private ceremony, making her particularly relevant for brands exploring emotional value and slow beauty narratives. Annie Yi @伊能静 3.51 million followers Annie Yi’s transition into Xiaohongshu livestreaming marked a new chapter in the platform’s evolution: from product-centric selling to emotion-centric storytelling. As a celebrity buyer focused on anti-aging, wellness, and “inner and outer nourishment,” Yi offers something rarer than discounts — emotional reassurance. Her debut livestream drew nearly 800,000 viewers and generated 50 million RMB ($7.24 million) in sales, but the true differentiator was tone. Yi frames consumption as self-care and self-belief, weaving personal reflections into every recommendation. Lots of fans says that she’s not selling products but hope. For brands, Yi exemplifies top-tier narrative commerce, where resonance precedes conversion. Teresa Cheung @章小蕙 2.62 million followers Zhang Xiaohui is the archetype of the aesthetic buyer: slow, articulate, and unapologetically high-end. Her 2023 Xiaohongshu livestream debut — six hours, over 150 SKUs, and 50 million RMB ($7.2 million) in sales — helped define the platform’s early e-commerce identity, elevating “slow livestreaming” into a credible alternative to hard selling. Although her subsequent move to a dual-platform strategy with Taobao diluted her Xiaohongshu frequency, her influence didn’t evaporate. The rapid rise of her brand account “Roses are roses” (@玫瑰是玫瑰) — reaching 39 million RMB ($5.6 million) in monthly sales by January, 2026 — underscores how her aesthetic authority can be transferred, scaled, and institutionalized beyond her personal account. Nana doesn’t like durian @不爱吃榴莲的Nana 2 million followers Blending campus life, romance, and cinematic cosplay, Nana represents Xiaohongshu’s entertainment-first beauty creators. Her short videos often reenact iconic Western film and TV characters, using makeup as a storytelling device rather than a standalone tutorial. While her signature leans toward Western glam, Nana frequently experiments with Chinese traditional looks, reflecting Gen-Z’s fluid cultural identity. Her participation in reality shows like I Am an Influencer expanded her reach beyond the app, making her particularly attractive to brands seeking pop-culture crossover and younger audience penetration. Yours Xiaoyi: @是你的小仪 2 million followers A professional makeup artist by training, Xiao Yi has built her influence on one core promise: accessibility. Her viral series — “ordinary people can do this rose smoky eye,” or “early-morning office makeup” — strips glamour down to replicable steps. Her content thrives because it respects users’ constraints: time, skill level, and real-world scenarios like weddings or workdays. For brands, Xiao offers a bridge between professional endorsement and mass usability, particularly effective for complexion, eye, and base products. Karena Ng @吴千语 1.82 million followers Wu Qianyu’s ascent into Xiaohongshu’s top livestreaming tier marks a pivotal shift: lifestyle credibility converting into blockbuster GMV. Her 11-hour livestream in December 2025 generated 150 million RMB ($21.7 million) — a non-festival, non-promotion milestone that earned her the title of the platform’s new “top buyer.” Unlike rapid-growth newcomers, Wu’s influence was built patiently. Since 2018, she has published over 600 posts covering skincare, fashion, food, fitness, and travel, crafting a coherent image of relaxed luxury and cultivated taste. That long-term authenticity now translates into extraordinary trust — and conversion — across beauty, fashion, and home categories. Jing Tian @井甜 1.12 million followers Jing Tian describes herself as an “unserious” beauty blogger — and that irreverence is precisely her appeal. Her videos place makeup in unexpected, often comedic scenarios: applying foundation on high-speed trains or staging shoots in five-star hotels. By embedding technique into narrative chaos, Jing lowers the psychological barrier to learning makeup. Her content prioritizes joy over perfection, making her especially popular with younger users who value humor and relatability as much as skill. Jin Dadi @金大迪 1 million followers Jin Dadi approaches beauty from an educator’s lens. Having struggled with acne for over a decade and operated makeup schools for years, his tutorials focus on problem-solving rather than transformation. His comment sections function like open classrooms, with followers actively seeking advice on facial asymmetry, acne coverage, or eye shape correction — often demonstrated on his own sister. In a space increasingly saturated with aspirational visuals, Jin represents Xiaohongshu’s enduring demand for practical expertise and interactive learning.

Top 10 beauty KOLs on Xiaohongshu

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Top 10 beauty KOLs on Xiaohongshu