Social Media’s new “IT” girl has taken over tik tok

Alix Earle has become all the rage on social media lately, but where did she even come from and why is everyone suddenly obsessed? Earle is influencing everyone’s lives from what makeup to buy to what people to like by posting a single video on Tik Tok. Teenage girls and young adults are living and breathing for everything Alix does, but why?

Although Earle’s platform is not necessarily negative, teenage and young adult girls are bound to compare themselves to influencers like her in this day and age of society. Earle is viewed as a very friendly influencer who makes you feel like you’re on FaceTime whenever you watch her videos, like she wants you to get to know her. But there are many other influencers who are very similar on social media, so why her? 

Earle is a University of Miami student studying marketing and also making a living off of Tik Tok. Her mascara routine, “get ready with me”, and haul videos have taken over tik tok receiving millions of likes and views per video. She was able to gain over 2 million followers in only a month. The answer to why society is so drawn to her is not simple, but there’s definitely a pattern. 

Influencers like Charli D’amelio or Addison Rae are just two examples of tik tokers that lasted a long time and eventually rose to fame as more than just a social media influencer. All of these people went viral for a reason. D’amelio and Rae are known for the infamous dances they have created and shared all over the internet. On the other hand, Earle went viral for basically her looks, which is a very different reason.

 It is not a surprise to see influencers gaining popularity through sharing makeup routines and beauty products because it really is the main thing girls care about. Because she doesn’t seem to be affecting girls negatively, it is not necessarily the biggest problem. Although this could change, currently, the comments on her Instagram posts are always supportive and cheering her on.

The only alarming detail here is that the only reason she gained popularity is because people care about what she looks like and what they look like. Her number of plastic surgeries including a breast augmentation, blonde hair, perfect makeup, and “perfect body” that fits all of social media’s beauty standards is all she gets the hype for at the end of the day. Even her seemingly perfect, bright blue eyes are just a filter. Not every girl is going to look like her and the more popular she gets, the more people will set unrealistic expectations for themselves. 

Alix Earle is a positive influencer for now, but her reason for popularity should raise awareness that not everyone can be as “perfect” as she is seen to be.