CULTURE
The Age Of The Influencer Side Hustle: Which Brands Are Worth The Hype
14 Oct, 22
TikTok has to be the most influential app on our phones right now. It can sell a product out in seconds, ruin someone’s reputation, or send the lucky few into superstardom. Had their music not gone viral on the app, artists like Megan Thee Stallion and Doja Cat may never have been revealed to us.
This phenomenon isn’t necessarily new; Vine’s video format is partially responsible for the likes of Shawn Mendes becoming popular. Yet, somehow TikTok eclipsed all social media in terms of influence and popularity.
It all comes down to the era of the Hype House. During the pandemic, everyone was at their lowest scrolling through this new TikTok app…ready to purchase whatever Amazon storefront popped on their feed and ready to love any new characters who showed up along the way.
Which is how we got to know influencers like Charli and Dixie D’Amelio, Addison Rae, Josh Richards, Bryce Hall, and Blake Gray. They began with the classic dancing videos, where Charli quickly became the most followed person on the platform. No matter what they posted, the younger crowds were obsessed.
Addison Rae attending the Kenzo Front Row Menswear Spring Summer 2023 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on June 26, 2022 in Paris, France.
Domine Jerome/ABACA/Shutterstock
They began to form “Houses” where content creators would live in Los Angeles together to create content for TikTok and build their brands. Influencers who dominated the app soon were all under one roof, intermingling.
Fans of the new generation of influencers began to ship couples like Noah Beck and Dixie D’Amelio, Charli and Lil Huddy. They rose to a level of superstar influencer status that has them in rooms with some of the most famous people in the world. Addison Rae was Kourtney Kardashian’s best friend for a moment there.
But TikTok and internet celebrity is not enough for these guys…entire brands had to be built. Whether they chose to delve into the music industry or fashion and beauty, it seems like every influencer has a brand now in some way, shape, or form.
Celebrity brands are constantly falling into question for whether or not they are just there to take your money. I mean, there’s no disrespect in getting that bag, but it would be nice to know when I should just save my money.
Although I haven’t been one to closely follow The D’Amelio Show on Hulu, I am easily influenced. My For You Page is mostly product recommendations, trend-casting, and my favorite faces in Hollywood; I have bought into many celebrity brands and failed for no reason other than “TikTok told me to do it.” There are some influencer side hustles worth your cash…and others worth the skip.
Item Beauty by Addison Rae
When diving into Addison Rae’s Item Beauty brand, I was skeptical. I am aware that influencers know what a consumer wants a little more than a brand at times…but I can still feel wary when I hear TikToker Addison Rae has a makeup line at Sephora.
Overall, the brand is solid. A few glitchy products like the Powder Hour Clean Blurring Powder and Hey Hi Halo Liquid Highlighter are skips. But, everything else is worth your money.
My personal fave is the Lip Quip Clean Moisturizing Lip Gloss in the shade Hey Ya’ll, which is a sheer raspberry pink reminiscent of Addison’s classic look.
Chamberlain Coffee by Emma Chamberlain
One of the only influencers who I genuinely trust with my entire life…Miss Emma Chamberlain. She’s been on YouTube for years now and isn’t really a TikTok influencer like the rest, but her coffee brand is always worth a mention.
Emma’s known for her coffee recs and finally made her own line with Chamberlain Coffee. Making coffee and matcha at home can save you hundreds of dollars on coffee runs a month.
My choice? The Matcha Starter Pack to have everything you need for Starbucks-level matcha.
Morphe 2 by Charli & Dixie D’Amelio
Morphe 2
Morphe is known for their high quality, yet affordable makeup. The D’Amelio sisters teamed up with Morphe to create Morphe 2, multipurpose makeup for a simple yet glamorous look.
The Hint Hint Skin Tint has almost a five-star rating at Ulta and is perfect for the trending minimal coverage makeup look. Almost anything from the Morphe 2 collection is worth your money.
With all of these celebrity brands popping up, it’s no surprise I want to try them all…even if they are mildly disappointing.
