When it comes to numbers, Yusur Al-Khalidi’s are staggering. Dizzying heights, unexpected twists and turns, and speed–especially speed–accurately describe the 22-year-old influencer’s rise. Nearly 8 million on TikTok, 5 million on YouTube, 4 million on Instagram, and another 500k on her gaming channel.
Her concise yet captivating lip-syncs, inexplicably made mega-viral by her unrivalled cosplay outfits, have cemented her status as a multi-hyphenate creator. Like many influential TikTokers, Yusur mostly posts tutorials, parody videos, daily vlogs. Where she’s differentiated herself, though, is via the high-end and anime-inspired fashion threaded throughout her videos, her animated facial expressions, and relatability.
But despite the internet being the vehicle which propelled her to super-stardom, Yusur admits that her experiences with social media can be rocky at times. “I am more confident on social media. In real life, I have social anxiety, and I stutter when I speak to someone new. But on camera, I’m outgoing and fun; people will judge you anyway, so just be yourself. Just have fun; be who you are, and that’s it.”
Based between Dubai, Milan and Helsinki, the only way is up for Yusur as she continues to carve her path in the world of social media. One thing is for sure: Her journey remains an inspiring testament to authenticity and boldness in a space that’s often filtered and faked. Her advice to those looking to follow in her footsteps is simple: “The most important thing is to find what makes you feel most like you on social media, and letting that project your creativity through your platform,” she says.
Yusur Al-Khalidi: Confidence, cosplay and being authentic in the influencer universe
Cosmo ME: Firstly, where did your IG handle name come from?
Yusur: I’m a huge fan of Justin Bieber, and as a Belieber, when he created his Snapchat account back in the day, I think maybe in 2015 or 2016, his handle was Rick the Sizzler. Since I was so obsessed with him, I changed my username to Asoo the Sizzler.
Cosmo ME: How has your love of anime influenced your personal style and beauty choices, and do you have any specific anime characters that inspire your fashion/beauty/hair choices?
Yusur: I have 50 wigs at home, which I use for cosplaying. I have short hair, and sometimes for my characters I need long black hair or short blonde hair. Anime has allowed me to be bold in my choices when it comes to fashion and beauty, and gives me the confidence to try a new look and vibe.
Cosmo ME: Are there any Japanese or anime-inspired products that you swear by?
Yusur: I love, love, love Asian makeup brands, they are so nice. Everything from the forumulas to the design of the products is done so well and so authentically to their culture. I’ve never seen an anime makeup collaboration, though, so hopefully one day.
Sunglasses: Gucci
Makeup: Rimmel
Cosmo ME: What role do you think fashion and beauty influencers play in promoting anime?
Yusur: Anime culture isn’t that big, and sometimes people judge you by asking if you’re watching cartoons or something for kids. My followers who are into anime want someone who can represent the community, so I’m here to do that for the Middle East.
There’s space for it to expand and it’ll be the next big thing in Saudi. They’re shining a big spotlight on the anime community in the Kingdom; they’re really celebrating it. When I last visited, there were people cosplaying—and it was so nice to see. Those people are my people!
You can relate to an anime character especially if you see them speak about school, university or work. There are tonnes of animes you can relate to. If you want to cry, have fun, or get depressed, then just watch anime; it has it all.
For me, there is one anime, Kommi Can’t Communicate, which follows the story of a girl in high school who had the worst social anxiety. She can’t talk or do anything, and people always misunderstand her. I love watching her because I can really, really relate to her.
Jacket: Valentin Yudashkin
Shirt: Hugo Boss
Trousers: Mango
Rings & Small Hoop Earrings: PDPAOLA
Large Hoop Earrings: Tiffany & Co.
Makeup: Rimmel
Cosmo ME: Could you share the story of how you started your journey as a social media influencer and the key factors that led to your success in this space?
Yusur: Social media can sometimes be a toxic place. It can be very difficult to stay true to who you are when you’re desperate to fit in, and you run the risk of turning into a fake version of yourself. True confidence means being bold and trusting yourself no matter what. I have a huge support network thanks to my family, and I’m lucky that even my followers always tell me to keep doing what I do and to not change. A lot of influencers change after fame and become anything but themselves—so that’s why it’s a big challenge at times—but I always want to be the same person that I am in real life.
When it comes to events, I usually prefer to go with my sister because there have been times when my legs would physically shake due to my social anxiety. But I’ve come to realise that no one is going to speak on my behalf, so I decided to build up my confidence by going alone. I’ve had really bad social anxiety since I was a child, and it became worse when I first started social media. Now, I take a deep breath and tell myself, “I am the one, the strongest girl, so beautiful. You can do it.” I just talk to myself before going anywhere as I get so nervous.
Cosmo ME: Do you have advice for others who have social anxiety?
Yusur: People will judge you anyway, so just be yourself, have fun, push yourself, and be confident. Just be who you are and that’s it. I really want people to be able to relate to me– the same way I relate to other people. Nowadays, it’s really hard to find influencers who are into cosplay or fashion or beauty and are truly interested in it. So many people only do it for views or attention.
Cosmo ME: It seems like everyone is into the clean girl aesthetic on social media; are you a fan of it?
Yusur: I miss 2018 makeup: the bold brows, the highlighter… Now everyone has turned their attention to parred-back makeup, and I think it’s so bland. I miss the old era.
Cosmo ME: Can you discuss any challenges you’ve faced as an influencer and how you’ve overcome them?
Yusur: Before my sister started social media I was alone; she has become a big support system for me. I used to face a lot of pressure from people to change things about myself–my hair, my teeth…– the body shaming was truly hurtful. I was actually talking to my mum recently about how comments on social media can be horrible. One day I had quite a big attack from trolls on my YouTube channel, and I was so close to quitting. I told my family I couldn’t handle it, and I was going to shut down all my social media channels. Thankfully, they talked me out of it and gave me the confidence to keep going.
Shirt: Stylist’s own
Left: Earrings by PDPAOLA
Right from top: Earrings, PDPAOLA; Earrings, Tiffany & Co.
Makeup: Rimmel
Cosmo ME: How has the role of influencers evolved, and what changes do you foresee in the future?
Yusur: Being on social media is a huge responsibility—you need to know what you’re talking about. You can’t just say words–especially to young, impressionable girls. It doesn’t work like that. You need to understand that people are struggling. I always take the time to talk to my followers. They send me lots of messages about how I’ve helped with their confidence. It’s important to me that they trust me. I want to be as real as possible and show people they’re not alone.
Cosmo ME: What advice would you give to others looking to pursue their passions and dreams?
Yusur: Be bold, be confident and just do it. Try not to overthink things. If you want to do it, go for it.
Top: Diesel
T-shirt: Yusur’s own
Earrings & Necklace: Tiffany & Co.
Makeup: Rimmel
Cosmo ME: Did you ever think you’d be a cover star?
Yusur: Oh my gosh! I am super, super excited. Last year, I wrote everything I wanted to do, and on one of the pages I wrote, “I want to be on the cover of a magazine.” I was just reading it yesterday and it was crazy! I even wrote the brands I wanted to work with, and I worked with them.
Cosmo ME: What initially drew you to collaborate with Rimmel – how does the brand align with your aesthetic?
Yusur: Since I started on social media, I always wanted to work with Rimmel London. I’ve been a huge fan of them ever since I can remember because my mum and my aunt used to always wear the brand. When I started social media, back when I had about 500k followers or something like that, I mentioned Rimmel London on my IG stories and they replied! I was screaming and jumping around telling my mum, “Rimmel just replied to my story.” So it was crazy—I never thought I would be the face of this huge brand one day. It’s a dream come true and an achievement for me.
I remember the first Rimmel London product I ever bought: the Wonder’Swipe 2-in-1 Liner to Shadow. I still swear by this product six years on; it’s one of my all-time favourites. I also love the multi-task concealer as it’s full coverage but also very buildable if you want to wear it a bit lighter.
Shirt & Skirt: Loewe
Makeup: Rimmel
Cosmo ME: How are you planning to navigate the balance between promoting Rimmel products and maintaining an authentic connection with your followers?
Yusur: I only promote the things I like and use. I never promote makeup or anything else just for the money. I have built up trust with my followers, and I would never recommend something to them that I don’t advocate myself.
Editor-In-Chief: Milli Midwood @millimidwood
Photographer: Fouad Tadros @fouadtadros
Stylist: Laura Jane Brown @laura.jane.brown
Words: Sara-Aisha Ferris
Content Producer: Twinkle Stanly @twinklestanly
Hair & Makeup: Ania Poniatowska using Rimmel
Producer: Steff Hawker @steff.producer
Lighting Assistant: Scar @scar_salario