It seems as though every so often, the internet chooses one lucky creator to be the next big thing. If you are no stranger to social media, you would be familiar with influencers like Charli D’Amelio and Addison Rae, who rose to fame in late 2019 and have gone on to dominate the industry. Since then, the internet has gone from creator to creator, banding behind them and giving them millions of followers and support. Alix Earle- Tiktok’s newest “it” girl- has become an overnight phenomenon and everyone’s latest obsession.
Who is Alix Earle?
Earle, a 22-year old marketing major at the University of Miami, is taking the internet by storm. Born on December 16, 2000, Earle is originally from Monmouth County, New Jersey. She lives an aspirational life, from her lavish family home to all of the expensive products she shows off on her Tiktok. The up and coming influencer currently has 1.5 million followers on Instagram and 3.8 million followers on Tiktok. Earle’s mega-rise to fame has only been over a few short months, so what is it about her that keeps everyone hooked? Well, to many of her followers, she represents the perfect balance between being glamorous and relatable. Her approachable personality and “big sister” demeanor makes her appealing and keeps her following growing.
A “Real” Influencer
What sets Earle apart from other influencers is her genuinity. Whether it is sharing her wild college experiences or posting her messy room, she makes sure to always stay open with her followers. Earle helps others to feel more comfortable in their own skin by talking about her acne journey and her experiences with Accutane. She encourages her followers by sharing how she overcame her own insecurities: “Acne is normal…it’s not the end of the world,” she says in one of her videos. Earle also normalizes mental health by sharing how she has been on Lexapro for her anxiety since she was a freshman in high school. By doing this, her honesty is helping girls like her to face their own struggles.
Personal Life
Earle does not hold back from sharing about her personal life online. Most recently, she gained the attention from her public split from on-again off-again boyfriend and MLB player Tyler Wade. From the beginning of their relationship in September 2022, Earle featured him in videos and posted pictures of them on her socials. In December, Earle posted one of her most watched tik tok lip-syncing to an audio saying, “Damn, y’all broke up? Nah, she broke, I’m up.” After Earle confirmed their breakup and added that it was because he was hesitant to post her on his social media, girls everywhere stood behind Earle and gave her their full support. This also inspired a trend on Tiktok where girls talked about their self-worth after seeing how Earle ended things with Wade.
Earle’s Content
Aside from her candid personality and entertaining love life, it is Earle’s beauty, fashion, and lifestyle content that gets her the views. With hashtags like #AlixEarle and #AlixEarleEffect going viral on Tik Tok, her name is everywhere. Earle has been on the app since 2020, but due to the success of her most recent videos, her following has skyrocketed. She is known for her Day in the Life vlogs, Amazon finds, and Get Ready With Me (GRWM) videos. Her viral makeup routine has become so popular that certain products have been selling out. Getting your hands on Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush or the Drunk Elephant D-Bronzi Anti-Pollution Sunshine Drops has become almost impossible. Her GRWM videos sparked another trend on Tiktok where girls would ask themselves “What would Alix do?” as they got ready for the night. Whether it is sharing beauty tips or casually chit chatting with the camera, Earle always keeps her viewers engaged.
Influencers and the Media
At the end of the day, putting normal, everyday people on a pedestal comes at a risk. Influencers have become an essential part of our society, especially for Gen-Z. Social media can sometimes be associated with a lower self-esteem and can even lead to an unrealistic standard of beauty that impacts the way we see ourselves. For influencers like Alix Earle, it is important that they have a positive attitude and encourage their followers- not try to be perfect. Since so many people have spent time listening to Earle’s content, hopefully she continues to be a fun, positive light to social media.