Alexis Ren

It's hard to gain respect in fashion, especially if you're coming from social media, so it's been challenging at times.

I overworked myself to a point of malnourishment.

I think being vulnerable to other humans is a form of strength.

I appreciate Love Advent because they like to experiment with creatively different concepts that are unforgettable and fun to shoot!

Mid-morning is a good time for selfies because of the natural light.

Lighting is everything in order to get the 'perfect' selfie.

I don't use the front-facing camera because the quality of selfies isn't as good.

I'm from L.A., and we don't usually get out of our workout clothes if we're in them.

I don't work this hard on my body to be like, 'Nah, don't look at it.'

I'm from L.A., and when you work out in the day, you usually stay in your workout clothes. So I always liked it where I can go to meetings in my workout clothes and still feel on it and fashionable.

I'm from Santa Monica, which was an awesome place to grow up. You're very spoiled being from California. When it's below 70, you complain. When it rains, you talk about it.

I was home-schooled my entire life and never been in a classroom.

I consider myself a nerd. I love science and technology.

I was on Tumblr when I was 12 or 13. I was on YouTube, too. I had a channel and made music videos. It had 50,000 subscribers.

I'm very ambitious when it comes to business.

I accept my body, whether it fluctuates 10 pounds. I love it regardless.

I like challenges, and I hate being categorized. It's always been a thing of mine.

With acting, it wouldn't be about money: it would be about taking my life experiences and using them to create art.

I don't tan my face, ever, because I don't want sun spots.

Coconut oil is my best friend - I put it all over my body every night. And in the morning, I wash it off so I'm not all greasy.

I love documentaries and TED talks.

My all-time favorite TED talks are Brene Brown's 'The Power of Vulnerability' and Sir Ken Robinson's 'Do Schools Kill Creativity.'

I look up to Gigi Hadid. I love where she's taken herself, I love what brands she's working on. I respect her because I understand... I mean, girls like her open the doors for girls like me. So all I can do is thank her.

I have to have sun. That's why I travel so much.

I love a guy who knows who he is, can make me laugh, and challenges me intellectually.

I love talking about space, our society, and what the future holds for us as a civilization.

I love creating art, whether it's with photos, my own body, or clothes.

The idea of being a designer is always something that has intrigued me.

I love being challenged, goofing off, and lots of passion.

I'm proud of how strong and capable my body is.

People think I don't have substance and I'm just another pretty face.

I think of the sun as my battery, my charger.

I'm really healthy, and that's one of the things I pride myself on.

For my bikinis, the smaller the better. That's how I've always been.

I don't like tan lines, and I work out a lot.

People tend to judge a book by its cover. I love being unexpected and gaining respect for who I am and not how I look.

I love to show off my body, and I feel like I earned it.

Because of how much I've gone through, I want to say I'm more wise than my age.

I hate when people say I Photoshop myself.

If I can make a girl's day by hugging her, hell yeah, I'll hug the crap out of her.

I started posting on my social media super-young. I didn't really understand what it was. When I was about 15, I started posting behind-the-scenes of shoots, little things of me holding up the color corrector, cute things, me in a bikini. It was just all innocent and fun, and I saw people really starting to respond to it.

I was my worst critic ever.

I felt like my body was the only reason why people liked me.

It's OK to not be OK.

Chemically, if you are not happy, your body will not look or be happy.

My biggest thing is that I never want to sell out. Or be a sellout.

It's not healthy to ever put someone first before yourself.

Looking up to girls for inspo is a beautiful thing, but comparing yourself is what creates the anxiety and self-hatred. It's really important that young girls know the difference.

I would look at my profile and be like, 'Look at this girl! She has, like, the most perfect life!' and I would feel so guilty for not feeling blessed all the time.

Pretty much the only thing I wear is either a little bit of concealer or a bronzer, and that's it. And highlighter, of course.