I, like many other teens, spend multiple hours a week weaving through every corner of every social media app, specifically TikTok. TikTok, for me, acts as an attention trap. While I’m not necessarily proud of my overconsumption of media, it’s certainly allowed me to see the world from a different perspective while also offering me immense entertainment. One of the most notable things I’ve noticed in the past year is the slow and steady incline of the “Get Ready With Me”(GRWM) trend. On what seems to be every other swipe, I’m greeted by a girl uttering the phrase “Get ready with me to…” followed by a, sometimes reasonable and other times completely outrageous, clause. As bewildering as some of the stories are, they just seem to hold my attention. These short clips have come to make up about 50% of my For You page, and I follow plenty of creators who utilize this video style, one being the iconic Alix Earle.
As a Jersey girl myself, I was immediately entranced by Alix Earle, a beach town high schooler turned Miami club rat. How could someone not be intrigued by this lore? I know myself and understand that I couldn’t sustain this lifestyle; however, I was so infatuated with Earle’s routine and her stories that every time she appeared on my TikTok I felt it almost necessary to watch. Her videos felt as if I were on Facetime with a friend watching her rush to get ready for a night out.
While Alix Earle may initially present herself as just another stereotypical influencer, I’d argue that she does in fact use her platform for good reason. I’ve seen many judge her based on appearance, saying she’s superficial and only on social media to make money. However, my impression is that Earle is truly genuine and wishes to use her platform to encourage positivity throughout the world. For example, in sharing her personal struggles with acne, she humanizes herself and makes herself more relatable than other big creators tend to be. My observation is that the driving force of her fame was her ability to be transparent about her struggles with her appearance, a message I find particularly vital to share in today’s online environment.
With girls of all ages watching her content, it’s very important that Earle notes that not everything she posts is real. Her skin isn’t porcelain, and neither is anybody else’s. She’s been honest about her use of the beauty filter and frequently updates her followers on the state of her skin and any remedies that have worked for her. Additionally, Alix Earle isn’t a subscriber to the “clean girl” aesthetic. The influencer shares her messy and disheveled room quite often and levels with her audience, expressing that she isn’t the neatest person by nature. Earle has even built a brand off of her messy habits, naming her podcast Hot Mess. This isn’t only something to capitalize on, but I believe this just showcases that, at the end of the day, she’s a human being.
While we tend to idolize influencers and celebrities, it’s critical to remember they’re truly just people experiencing life for the first time as well. Some may go on social media and feel pressure to be perfect, and this is exactly why I appreciate Earle’s commitment to not sugarcoating reality.