Where do you get your product recommendations these days? If like many of us, you're finding yourself wary of navigating the paid-post heavy content landscape of beauty influencers - you're not alone - and there is a new (ish) app, Cherie, to alleviate some impending stress around your next purchase. Endorsed by none other than model Teddy Quinlivan and Ru Paul's Drag Race winner, Shea Couleé, the app aims to provide a melting pot of authentic product reviews at your fingertips from paying customers without bias.
Founded by one of the first executives at TikTok, Kelly Chen, the app was launched last year, motivated by Chen's own frustration at sifting through brand bias' and paid posts just to find a beauty product that worked for her skin type.
With a built-in scanner on the app dubbed 'Cherie Skin Report', the user is able to scan a picture of themselves which will detect potential skin concerns and recommend a plethora of products to target and combat said concerns, which are backed up by reviews from real product users.
"As somebody who’s dealt with problematic skin since my early 20s, I’ve definitely learned that it’s a process. I’m getting opinions from real people. And when I say real people, I mean people who are paying for products out of their own pockets and then giving very unbiased opinions and reviews. It’s really great to have a community where you can connect with people with similar skin qualities, whether they are dark-complected or have oily skin, and share information." Couleé explained her reasoning behind endorsing the new beauty app in a recent interview with The Cut.
"People share their experiences with products, and they’re allowed a platform and a space to be authentic. It doesn’t feel like it’s curated. I feel like I have a voice now in the beauty industry." Quinlivan added. Finding my voice came through my experience working in fashion and having a platform to express myself through outfits and makeup in a very public way. My love for beauty isn’t just part of my career but an authentic part of who I am. I’ve always used beauty to express my identity, whether it’s expressing my gender identity or just expressing the mood that represents me that day."
Chen's ethos towards Cherie has always been inclusion-forward, stating that "We believe that "beauty norms" are outdated AF and that beauty should be defined by the beholder. We believe your next great discovery can come from anywhere—not just from those with the biggest followings, loudest voices, or most conventional looks. That's why we've 100% devoted to showcasing product reviews created entirely by real people, with honest, uninfluenced opinions."
Much like TikTok, the app learns about your skin type and creates a feed tailored to your needs and wants, championing all users and ensuring that the reviews you'll want to know about aren't hard to find, meaning that every user has a fair chance of being seen and heard.
"I’m standing for inclusion. I want everyone to understand that they are inherently beautiful and that they deserve to feel represented regardless of how they look. There’s so much emphasis on Euro- and skinny-centric beauty standards. It’s about time we dismantle that and create a beauty industry that’s more inclusive for everyone." Couleé told The Cut.
Cherie is free and available to download from the App Store.
Image credit: @teddy_quinlivan
