Erasing the distinction between public and private life, Alix and Ashtin Earle have built an entertainment and beauty empire by inviting audiences backstage. Alix didn’t invent “get ready with me” content, but rather than focusing solely on makeup or clothes, the then-University of Miami student turned those rituals into entertaining confessionals, discussing her personal life, nights out, and skin insecurities with the public. Now 25, she’s gathered more than 13 million followers across TikTok and Instagram; launched a podcast called Hot Mess; and started her own wildly successful skincare line, Reale Actives, which has transformed her into a bona fide entrepreneur. Ashtin, 23, was studying to become a physician assistant before content creation took over, and has since carved out a separate path from her sister, with her sights set squarely on fashion. Together they now have their own Netflix reality series, Earle Meets World, formed by the producers behind The Kardashians. The Earle sisters have become fluent in the language of self-documentation, their ascent stemming from a rare ease with putting their private lives on display: a gift that requires no acting ability in the traditional sense, but rather a near-total willingness to be vulnerable in public. For their cover story, we let the Earle girls grill each other on everything from eyeliner and reality-TV regrets to which of them will be the “crazy aunt” two decades from now.

MATHIAS ROSENZWEIG: It’s so nice to meet both of you! We’d love for you to interview each other, but I’m here to help and ask a few extra questions. Alix, maybe you can start with Ashtin?

ALIX EARLE: Ok. Who is your favorite sister, and why is it me? Just kidding. What’s the most useful thing you’ve learned from me? Make it a good answer.

ASHTIN EARLE: I was gonna say how to do eyeliner.

ALIX: Really?

ASHTIN: It is useful. You taught me how to do most of my makeup, and that’s like—

ALIX: In 23 years of me being an older sister to you, eyeliner is the most important thing I taught you?

ASHTIN: Yes, and how to stand up for myself. Is that better?

ALIX: That’s better.

ASHTIN: Okay, what’s the most useful thing you’ve learned from me?

ALIX: Because we’re polar opposites, you’ve helped me a lot to think before reacting, to calm down, to center myself a little bit more. You’re my walking spiritual guide, and anytime I’m having a problem or I’m being delusional about something, you ground me and bring me back to reality. I think that is the best quality you have.

ASHTIN: That’s a really sweet answer.

ALIX: Yeah, better than eyeliner. What do you think my life looks like from the outside versus what it actually is?

ASHTIN: You post a lot of you having fun with your friends and going out, and a lot of people online are sometimes just like, oh, she’s just a party girl. But I don’t think people realize how hard you actually work. You’re never not working. I’ve never met someone so crazy, I guess, besides Dad. I don’t even know how you do it. It stresses me out seeing your calendar. Sometimes I’m like, holy shit!

ALIX: Thanks. You present online as very edgy, bitchy, confident, and in real life you’re shy. A little awkward.

ASHTIN: Yeah.

ALIX: And not that you aren’t confident, but I just love how if I were to find you on Instagram, I would think you had no emotions at all. Like, ‘Oh, this girl is just the shit, and doesn’t give a fuck what anyone thinks’. In real life, you’re just the kindest little caring human, and you just feel so deeply.

ASHTIN: Essentially, what we do online is based on people’s opinions of us, and our success is based on what people think—if they like us or not, or engage with what we do. It can be taxing when people are being negative. That’s why it’s good to have real people you love centered in your life.

ALIX: Everything comes in such waves. When I first started, and when anyone does, you’re filled with so much love, and it’s a feeling you’ve never experienced. You feel on top of the world, then you hit a point where not everything is always going to be that positive. Then they start to nitpick you and find little things to focus on and hate on. Weirdly, this past year, especially this summer, there was a very big shift, and it felt very negative. There was a time where I felt like I needed to take a break from social media, which I’ve never done. It was affecting me, being filled with so much negativity every day. Then it got to a breaking point, and I reached this new level of letting go. Going into our TV show [release], I was so concerned about opening up not only my life but our family’s lives to so many more opinions. To do this, you have to let go and understand that you are putting your life out there for entertainment. People are going to have opinions, and you’re not going to be able to correct every single narrative out there about yourself. I mean, people think I [actually] don’t know how to read a fucking book. I used to want to correct every single narrative, and it would drive me crazy. And then I was like, whatever. [Next question:] we’re used to documenting our own lives already, but doing so with an entire production crew for a reality TV show is much different. How was that transition for you?

ASHTIN: I think it was a little scary for me at first, just because the way I would post online, I normally only talk to camera or post things when I’m alone. You’re better at having other people around, but I get kind of nervous to talk to the camera when other people are around, so having an entire crew—especially the first day we filmed. It was just in my apartment, and all of a sudden it’s me and Sally, and then all the cameras just go up, and we’re like, ‘Oh my god, what do we do right now?’

ALIX: Well, it’s really hard to pretend like there aren’t people standing by you, and you can’t look at them.

ASHTIN: You have to just do your normal life and pretend there aren’t 20 people surrounding you, watching you, listening to you at all times. But I kind of got the hang of it and got kind of comfortable towards the end.

ALIX: We all in the beginning had to get used to it and used to the other people in the room with us with the cameras. It’s not that I’m afraid to share my life or be vulnerable in front of other people, because that’s what I’ve been doing for the past however many years. But it’s more so ignoring that they’re there. There are so many moments where I accidentally just look deadpan into the camera. We all did that at some point. But I think it was really, really fun. And I would say, going into it, neither of us—or none of us—knew how we were gonna feel about filming a show. I loved it. I really did.

ASHTIN: I think I was one of the most reluctant people in our family going into it. Now that I’ve seen how everything’s come together, it was kind of fun. I kind of miss it.

ALIX: Is there anything you said [on the show] that you regret?

ASHTIN: No, did I say anything bad about anyone?

ALIX: Calling yourself a nepo sister was really cringy.

ASHTIN: Oh my god, that was really bad. I do regret saying that.

MR: I thought it was funny! You shouldn’t regret it.

ASHTIN: I thought it would be funny, but watching it back, it’s so hard to watch yourself on camera like that.

ALIX: I cringe at us all the time. We actually didn’t watch a lot of reality TV growing up because my mom always said that it was trash, so we could never do that. And I mean, look at where we are now. I think she changed her mind now.

MR: For example, you find out it’s a lot of work, right? I mean, it’s not easy breezy.

ASHTIN: I don’t know. I don’t talk that much normally, but I would always feel very mentally drained after a full day or few days of filming.

ALIX: The biggest thing for me is realizing how much gets cut out. We could make three or four more seasons based on what we filmed that didn’t make it into the show. I think from an outside perspective now looking in, there would be a conversation between me and Ashtin that’s shown that’s three minutes in the show, but it was a 45-minute conversation in real life. I think you have to take everything with a grain of salt, knowing of course that there are better and worse moments in the conversation. They’re probably going to show the worst conversations because that’s the most entertaining.

ALIX: The fashion world is famously a bit standoffish. What has it been like breaking into that world on a professional level?

ASHTIN: I kind of love that it’s a bit standoffish because it feels like this exclusive club that I want to be a part of that I can work to get into. I’ve always loved the idea of the fashion world since I was a kid. It’s so exciting now that I get to go to fashion weeks—it’s full circle for me. 

ALIX: I feel the complete opposite. The fashion space has been so confusing to me. It’s an environment I feel so insecure in.

ASHTIN: I don’t necessarily. There’s so much industry history to learn about. The more you learn, the more you evolve in the world—it’s all one big universe. I love learning about what’s happened in the past.

ALIX: I mean, I love fashion. I love the art, I appreciate it, I like purchasing it and wearing it, but I also feel like I don’t appreciate the hostility at times. Maybe that’s an internal feeling and a feeling of insecurity.

MR: I understand that from both points of view. It’s a fun world, but it is a bit intimidating. You meet these fashion diehards who know everything about everything, and you’re like, ‘Oh, I don’t know, I just thought that dress was beautiful.’

ASHTIN: I think in that sense, it’s a little much, but overall, there’s just a lot of respect that I have for people that do know and have put a lot of work into the entire industry. I think maybe that’s why I have a different perspective. I’d like to learn more and maybe I don’t know everything, but tell me about it. 

ASHTIN: You’ve had success in the world of makeup and skincare so far, despite it being a very oversaturated market. Why do you think that is?

ALIX: It is a very oversaturated market, and there are so many people coming out with different makeup and skincare lines by the day. For better or worse, I was really passionate [about it] because I always struggled with my skin. Being able to turn something I was insecure about into a whole company and something that hopefully can help fix other people’s insecurities has just been a really big passion project for me. I think I’ve been able to have success because people can feel that authenticity with this entire company. It’s been a natural evolution over the past few years, starting with me talking about my skin struggles online, going on Accutane for the third time and what that looked like, then evolving into me learning more about skincare, to then developing and building out the world of Reale Actives. I would say more than anything I’ve done in my career, building Reale Actives has been the most rewarding and invigorating because I’m able to actually help people with something. That’s come down to the root of my content as well, which is why I always liked oversharing and storytelling. At the end of the day, [people are] like, ‘I related to that moment you had’, or ‘I also was going through a breakup, felt like shit, and have been crying for five months’. Those human experiences, [and] giving people something to relate to, have always motivated me. 

ASHTIN: That was a really great answer, Alix. People can tell you feel passionately about this. So many people now are just starting brands to have a brand. You’re doing this because it means a lot to you, and I think it resonates. I also think the products are awesome because I use them every day, and they actually work.

ALIX: Thanks! I didn’t even force her to say that.

ASHTIN: I’m so proud of you.

ALIX: Thank you. I’ve gotten a ton of offers to swoop in and be the face of a company and brand, to look like I built something from the ground up when I haven’t, just putting my name on it and taking that credit. That was never something I wanted to do, and I did want to build something from the ground up, be there every step of the way, and be in the weeds with every decision. I’ve always wanted to start a company, and I never thought that would happen by the time I was 25 years old, but I did start working on other projects I got offers on before skincare. I cut the projects off because I was not passionate about them, and I knew this was going to take a lot of work and time, and be something I’m so dedicated to for the next 5, 10, however many years. I wanted to wake up every day, want to work on it, and love what I’m doing—no matter if it’s succeeding or failing.

ASHTIN: Also, I was gonna say, I saw this TikTok and they were like, ‘Obviously Alix Earle isn’t doing all the marketing behind her brand, she has a team for that’. I was like, ‘Alix is an evil genius’. Obviously you work with other people, but you always have the craziest ideas, and I don’t know how you do it with all of your marketing. You really do everything.

ALIX: Thanks. I obviously have an amazing team, and not every single thing we do is always my idea. I’m not going to take credit for every single thing, but a lot of it is. Nothing goes by without my stamp of approval or my tweaks or changes to things. I feel I’ve owned that authority because this has been mine from the beginning. If I was to step into someone else’s world or project, I don’t think I would have the confidence to nitpick things apart in the way I do with Reale Actives, because I know that it’s my baby and the concept that started in my head. I think it gives me a lot more confidence in a business sense to have ownership and make those changes, those decisions, and be able to trust my gut, because it did start from me.

ALIX: Where do you see yourself 20 years from now?

ASHTIN: I don’t know.

ALIX: What is 43-year-old Ashtin gonna be doing?

ASHTIN: I have no idea. I don’t even know what I’m doing tonight. I haven’t booked my flight. I’m supposed to go home tonight.

ALIX: Ashtin doesn’t plan ahead at all. Do you think at 43 and 45, hopefully we’ll have kids?

ASHTIN: Whoa! I don’t know if I want to do that.

ALIX: Yes, you do.

ASHTIN: Well, we’ll see.

ALIX: Who are my kids gonna hang out with?

ASHTIN: Me. I do think it would be so much fun. If we were both married with kids one day, and we all go over to Aunt Alix’s house and all hang out.

ALIX: I hate that I already know I’m gonna be the crazy aunt.

ASHTIN: You will be the fun aunt.

ALIX: I know. Which means crazy.

MR: Where do you think you guys would live? Would you imagine it in L.A. or New York, in the middle of nowhere?

ALIX: This is where I struggle.

ASHTIN: Because we live everywhere.

ALIX: I don’t know where I would want to live in 20 years. Realistically, I would probably be in Florida or California. But then again, maybe I’m in Italy.

ASHTIN: I’m at a villa in Tuscany. Sipping on wine.

ALIX: I hope that. Yeah, and I hope that I’m hot at 45.

ASHTIN: Oh, you will be. Are you kidding me?

ALIX: That will be where I peak.

ASHTIN: I’m really excited to turn 30, because I feel like 30 is when it’s gonna get really good for me.

ALIX: Really?

ASHTIN: Yeah.

ALIX: We’re in our 20s, being a mess, figuring it out. It’s really important that we give ourselves this time in our 20s to be—

ASHTIN: A mess.

ALIX: Be a mess, figure things out, make good decisions, bad decisions, and then—

ASHTIN: No, I’m having fun. 

ALIX: Then one day we’ll settle down and figure out what’s the best path.

ASHTIN: I hope I’m surrounded by all my friends and family, and I’m just happy. This is so stupid, but every time I manifest, I just want to manifest being happy, no matter what that is.

ALIX: Are you not happy? 

ASHTIN: I just always want to be happy because that’s all that matters.

ALIX: I would say my biggest thing for myself in 20 years is having a big healthy family.

ASHTIN: Mama Alix.

ALIX: Three or five.

ASHTIN: Whoa!

ALIX: But I have to give birth once and see.

ASHTIN: You have to give birth once and see.

ALIX: How does living our one-time dream of being content creators compare to the fantasy we had a few years ago? I don’t think this was ever your dream.

ASHTIN: When I started doing this, I was like, I’m just gonna try to make some money while I’m in college, and now I do this full time. It’s really crazy, but honestly, it’s so much fun.

ALIX: What you’re really passionate about is fashion, maybe modeling, and I see you light up in a different way when you have those opportunities and you get to talk about it. For content creation to be able to give you that platform to do those things, I think is where your passion comes in.

ASHTIN: Especially—when I started doing content in college, I literally was like, I’m studying to go to physician assistant school, and I want to try to make money while I’m studying. I never really saw this as a way for me to connect with the fashion world, that it was something realistic for me to be a part of. I never expected starting to make content could bring me those opportunities. That was very unexpected, but I’m super grateful to have these opportunities and be where I am today. I really had no idea. How has this been for you? Your dream of being a content creator.

ALIX: I never thought I would actually be at this level of success in this world. I was just posting, editing, making fun videos, sharing my life because I loved it. Of course, I wanted to see success in that. But if I was a tenth as successful as I am now, I would have been over the moon. When everything shifted so fast, I couldn’t believe what was in front of my eyes. But because it’s something I have loved, I knew for me longevity was the most important part. I wanted to make it last and make it work, and I wanted to make something out of it. Of course, there is posting these videos online, but how could I use that to amplify myself so I could do other things I’m passionate about? I was in school studying marketing, and seeing my dad start a company of his own was inspiring. Having this platform and then building something like that for myself at the same time as connect[ing] with people, which just brings me so much joy, I think is just beyond what I could have ever dreamed of for myself in this space. I didn’t know how much I would have loved and enjoyed connecting with people. Sometimes I’m like, I recognize this is embarrassing. I recognize this is a lot. I recognize maybe I don’t need to be putting this all out there, but I really do it for having that connection. That’s what makes it all worth it to me, and makes those moments not as scary. I didn’t know that was something I was really passionate about. I just thought I was passionate about editing and posting these videos and having fun with it. It’s been beyond a dream. This is not something I take for granted, which is why I will always put in the work for it and show up every day as my best self, and take care of the people that I work with, and who are able to help make this happen for me, because it’s something that I don’t ever want to go away.

This cover story appears in the pages of V163: now available for purchase!

Photography Cass Bird

Fashion Anna Trevelyan

Creative Director/Editor-in-Chief Stephen Gan

Hair Maranda Widlund (Home Agency) using Oribe

Makeup Lisa Storey (The Wall Group)

Manicure Michelle Tran (Home Agency) using Dior Le Baume

Text Mathias Rosenzweig

Editor Kev Ponce

Fashion Market Editor Gabby Buchan

Executive Producer Kevin Warner (WAK Creative)

Associate Producer Nick Lambrakis (WAK Creative)

Lighting Director Clay Howard-Smith

Production Assistant Aleks Patergin

Photo Assistants Adrian Adrid & Micah Harrison

Digital Tech Anthony Miller

Fashion Assistants Damien Lloyd & Jacquelyn Veliz

Hair Assistant Brandon Mayberry

Makeup Assistant Michiko Saito

Manicure Assistant Claire Jansson