Skoop is the beauty app for women with high standards
(And we mean that in a good way.)
Launching this fall, Skoop is the new platform for finding, booking, and sharing the best wellness and beauty services in New York City. From hair stylists to nutritionists…you name it, they’ve got it all in one place - your smartphone.
"Think of us as a sexy Yelp meets Resy meets LinkedIn.”
Their services are recommended by a community of like-minded members who know what’s worked for them and want to share it. We got the inside scoop on Skoop from cofounders Kristen Depowski and Riley Christopher…
What was the idea behind Skoop and the process of launching the app?
We worked together at our last company, a real estate tech startup. As the only two women on the team, we were tired of having to step off of our desks to book appointments. For our own friends, we have always been the go-tos for the best recommendations - think where to go for botox downtown, a massage in Chelsea, a facial near work, etc. Kristen even had an excel spreadsheet to track. So, we decided to create an app for finding and booking the best hairstylist, colorist, facialist, acupuncturist, nutritionist, or any other -ist in the world of beauty and wellness.
Kristen Depowski, cofounder and CEO (left), Riley Christopher, cofounder and president (right)
Skoop certified service providers from over 18 different categories represent the best of the best in NYC. Not only are they recommended by Skoop members themselves, but a certified board of experts vets each provider to ensure they meet our strict standards. Think of us as a sexy Yelp meets Resy meets LinkedIn.
What’s your favorite part of the Skoop app?
For us, it’s the ability to track everything related to our wellness and beauty in one place. The value proposition long-term is the ability to track past appointments and spend in one place that makes it easy to maintain a consistent personal care routine.
Was Skoop impacted by the pandemic and beauty services being limited?
Yes. Uncertainty around when people will feel comfortable enough to return to services at the same rate they were pre-pandemic has made it challenging to define the timing and our go-to-market strategy. Early on in the height of the pandemic, we had to be cognisant of how to keep our community engaged while taking into account that beauty services were certainly not top of mind for anyone in the midst of a global health crisis.
How do you foresee the future of beauty services changing?
Now more than ever, wellness and self-care are top of mind for everyone. We think adding holistic and alternative therapy services, like acupuncture and reiki, to monthly beauty and wellness routines will become the norm. We’re also seeing the death of the walk-in as salons and spas are moving to automated booking systems.
What’s next for Skoop?
Our mission is to change the beauty and wellness game with technology. We want to continue to grow our (small but mighty) community in NYC and create a space that cuts through the noise and delivers the latest and greatest advice on beauty and wellness to our members while allowing them to book their services in one place.