Get Ready for Her: The Influencer Is Moving Outside Her Comfort Zone

If ever there was a poster child for what it means to be a modern-day mogul, it is Alix Earle. Not familiar with how this content creator and entrepreneur rose to cultural dominance? Here are the CliffsNotes: She recorded her first TikTok video in 2020 as a 19-year-old college student, posting sporadically about things like what she was wearing to parties or videos of herself dancing—without much success.

“When I first started, I tried to present this perfect image online,” she says. “I figured the more perfect I seemed, the more followers I’d get.” (Spoiler alert: That did not work.) Then, on a whim, Earle posted an emotional video talking about her struggle with acne and the views started rolling in. After that, her signature “Get Ready With Me” videos, where she does her makeup or skincare routine while discussing everything from bad breakups to the cosmetic procedures she’s had done, rake in millions of views. By the time she graduated from the University of Miami with a degree in marketing, Earle was well on her way to social media stardom. To date, she has amassed over 14 million followers across platforms and more than a whopping 1.6 billion likes on TikTok alone.

Her candidness has earned her a loyal following. If she talks positively about a product, it sells out instantaneously. This, of course, has led to her being one of the most coveted content creators out there—with brands being willing to shell out major money to work with her. Marketing veterans have even given her impact a name: “The Alix Earle Effect.”

Alix Earle was photographed by Ruven Afanador in Botswana. Swimsuit by Andi Bagus. | Ruven Afanador/Sports Illustrated

While she still works with other brands, Earle recently launched her own. Her new skincare line, Reale Actives, debuted in March and comes from a place of deep passion. “My skin has been such a pain point and my biggest insecurity,” she says. “I’d have to use products that weren’t pretty—they felt clinical or boring. I wanted to create the thing that I was missing.”

Whether she’s running her beauty brand or taking on new experiences to expand her reach, Earle isn’t afraid to dive in headfirst. “I’ve learned to push myself out of my comfort zone—in fact, I’d say that getting uncomfortable is how you start feeling more comfortable,” she says. “I think that willingness to try—even if it’s something that scares you—is the only way to reach your full potential.”

Take, for example, her participation in Season 34 of Dancing With the Stars last fall. She had enjoyed watching the show but says she was terrified she’d fail. But she pushed herself to do it—and wound up being an audience favorite, making it to the finale.

Another instance of Earle stepping outside of her comfort zone is posing for the cover of SI Swimsuit. Asked if she was nervous before the shoot, she quickly responds. “Of course!” she laughs. “I doubt myself, I worry ... I’m human.” Despite that trepidation, Earle felt a calling. “I often feel like I am a big sister to my audience. I’m being honest and hopefully showing that it is O.K. to embrace exactly who you are,” she says. “And that’s exactly what SI Swim does. It’s not about presenting this perfect picture. It celebrates women, not because they are flawless, but because they are fully themselves—the good, the bad, everything.”

Earle says she is incredibly grateful for the positive responses she gets from others whenever she does something new. She loves that she has built a sense of community with the people who follow her. As much as she values that relationship, she doesn’t let what others think of her sway what she does or how she feels. “I’ve come to realize that you have to focus on being your true self and you also have to be your own biggest fan,” she says. “No one is going to have your back the way that you can for yourself.”