Alix Earle, a social media influencer became America’s “it girl” within the last year, growing her platform to almost 6 million followers. Earle’s growth on TikTok accelerated in the summer of 2022, when she was affected by intense acne. At first glance many people were engaged by her and found her relatable, positive, and real. Earle is a young 22 year old, enjoying her youth by partying, connecting with close friends, and sharing stories on TikTok of many nights she spent going out while also honestly showing her struggles with insecurity due to her skin issues.
Alix Earle graduated from University of Miami with a marketing degree. This degree has really been a support factor in helping the young adult pave her way for her platform on social media, as she is able to understand how to market herself to a group of individuals to boost her following. Alix uses videos of 1 minute or shorter to keep people’s attention, getting straight to the point and staying relevant to topics appealing to a wide age group. She gained followers when she first started talking about her acne as many young girls found it relatable. Trying to pursue that concept of relatability, she continues to show what she calls a “hot mess”, when she shows her mornings after just waking up, such as her messy room, and her daily struggles.
How did Alix Earle grow such a big audience on TikTok? She told @HowardStern it had everything to do with posting about her acne. pic.twitter.com/yFglglho1G
— Stern Show (@sternshow) May 3, 2023
Many fans have found Alix to be a big sister to them. Alix recently started a podcast named “Hot Mess” where she gives advice to girls to help them be more confident. Girls have commented words of being thankful for her videos, such as, “thank you for being so raw and genuine,” and “Thank you for sharing your story you’ve helped me so much.” Whether she’s telling her story about her parents divorce, her own breakup, or how she overcame her acne, she’s helped girls know that everyone can overcome their insecurities and hardships.
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But, how relatable is Alix in reality? Arguments between fans who say “she branded herself as relatable but I can’t find her relatable when she lives a lavish lifestyle, dates NFL player Braxton Berrios, is constantly traveling with her wealthy family, and looks like a Victoria’s Secret model. How is that relatable?”
However, Alix does incorporate personal details about her life into her videos and podcasts to help relate her luxurious lifestyle to her supporters. Not only has she expressed her opinions on acne and insecurities but she also opens up about her parents’ affair when she was younger. During her interview on Call Her Daddy, Alix shared how after her parents’ divorce she felt like she didn’t have a “core” family. She went on to detail how it was hard to be strong for herself and her sister. Alix’s dad’s affair was with someone who was in the public eye, meaning it was the news in magazines and online sources. She explains how a teacher had made a comment to her regarding the affair and how all her classmates stared at her. Bringing up these very personal details and how they made her feel, Alix has been able to connect with millions of people around the world. Not only to tell her story, but to let people know how important it is to be comfortable in your own body and surrounding environment.
