Skoop is the leading booking platform and app connecting members with NYC’s BEST beauty and wellness services. It offers the newest, trendiest, and most unique services available like Japanese gel manicures, vampire facials, a scalp detox, and more. Featuring providers, experts and services in a multitude of locations throughout the city, users can choose the times and locations that are most convenient for them. See more HERE.
Skoop is the trusted friend that always knows the best of everything, and the entire network is based on referrals and trusted reviews. It was founded by two former co-workers, Kristen Depowski and Riley Christopher while they were working at a real estate startup. They found themselves constantly swapping beauty and practitioner recommendations, to each other, everyone in the office, and even helping to book services for male co-workers’ female partners. Deciding it was more beneficial to add more people to their network, and knowing that this is a service so many people need, Skoop was born.
We talked with Kristen and Riley to find out more about Skoop, their services, and how it all came to be.
Who originally came up with the name Skoop? We were sitting together in a conference room brainstorming about names. We liked “scoop” for the “inside scoop” but changed the “c” to “k” for “skincare”, our first true love. Also, we wanted to follow suit in the double o’s – google, goop, yahoo, Facebook… it’s good luck!
You have such a wide range of services, which are the most commonly booked? Given the last two years and the “zoom boom”, we’ve definitely seen a ton of facial treatments and injections booked. Facials, laser treatments, peels, injectables, botox, you name it. Next would be hair – especially specialists in whatever type of hair a client has – so we get questions all the time for blonde specialists, long hair pros, balayage, and textured hair. Gel manicures are popular, that’s where reviews are important. People want to know where to go for manicures and pedicures that last.
Do you personally make visits to locations when vetting services or do you have a particular person(s) that are a part of the vetting process? Either one of us (Riley or Kristen) has visited a majority of the skoopcertified salons on Skoop, especially in the early days. We meet with the owner, tour the space, and experience a treatment (if they made the cut, we “skoopcertified” them). We’ve built incredible relationships with these owners, especially since a majority of them are small business owners and female founders. These days we take recommendations and referrals from our close network of beauty editors and execs in the space. We also rely heavily on our experts, like Dr. Brauer in dermatology and Dominique Bossavy for permanent makeup.
Tell us about your board of experts? We started all of this by sending an excel survey to about 300 women in our NYC network. We combed through the responses and interviewed each provider and tested their services. Then most of those providers started sending us their favorite salons and spas in the city. From there, we were introduced to “experts” in each field who agreed to be our “go-to” when we had a question about who to “skoop certify” and what treatments to feature. We always go to them for questions around whether a buzzy treatment is actually skoop worthy or just a fad (ie – a threading facelift – we’re torn!!!)
What kind of trends do you see for 2022? We think our members are interested in non-toxic/healthy treatments that actually deliver results. Japanese gel manicures and nail art are becoming more and more popular. Facial workouts that tone and contour your face with zero surgery (hello Face Gym!!!). Body tightening treatments are huge – but consistency is key. We see more people buying packages and looking at their beauty treatments as a routine and long-term plan. People are looking for the glow from the inside – so energy healers, acupuncture, and CBD treatments.
I think this whole notion around how “beauty starts within” – as everything starts in the gut. The gut-skin connection. So – getting colonics, detox sweats, etc.
Different sorts of facials – hydrafacial, LED light, microcurrent
Hair loss treatments for men and women – PRP injections
Brow design services – microblading, micropigmentation
Body scrubs / scalp scrubs – it’s not just your face that needs exfoliation.
You are currently in NYC, Do you have plans to move into other markets? YES! Our dream from day #1 (which was pre-COVID) for Skoop was to be the app you open up when you’re traveling and need to find a manicurist, blow out, acupuncture, massage, etc. you can TRUST. Yelp doesn’t cut it. We want to be there for you whether you’re traveling, visiting a new city for work or for pleasure, or embarking on a new move.
What does the future look like for the company as Skoop grows? As we continue to build our brand in NYC, we’re excited to grow our community and to improve the user experience inside the app. We want it to be educational AND easy. We’re excited to see more and more members leave reviews and refer their friends. For us, it’s all about the community and the mission to make it easy for people to find and book a recommendation they can trust.
To stay up to date with Skoop, download the app HERE, and follow along on IG @bookskoop
