Candise LIN, a California-based social media influencer, is becoming the unexpected bridge between Westerners and the vibrant universe of Chinese internet culture. In a twist that almost sounds like a plot from a rom-com, she woke up one mid-January morning to find that a flood of so-called TikTok refugees had found their way to Red Note, a Chinese social media app that LIN uses to share the latest Chinese trends and memes. LIN isn’t ready to claim credit (modesty is great and all), but her videos have become essential viewing for anyone curious about the bonkers world of Chinese social media.

With more than 2.3 million followers across TikTok and Instagram, LIN has something of a knack for going viral. Her recent series of videos introduced Western audiences to Red Note (known as Xiaohongshu in Chinese), a haven for brutally honest makeover suggestions. What’s not to love about a no-holds-barred appraisal of one’s hair, right? When whispers about TikTok’s potential ban surfaced, beauty gurus quickly pivoted to Red Note, thanks to Lin’s recommendations.

Lin’s rise to fame wasn’t just about cute makeup tips and viral dance forms, she’s essentially handed a lifeline to a world that many in the West know very little about. Lucy White, a 22-year-old from Scotland, described Lin’s content as a