GRWM stands for get ready with me, and it labels a social video where someone chats to the camera while they do their makeup, hair or outfit for the day or for an event. You'll see it as a hashtag, as a caption and as the name for the video itself, on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
So when someone says they've just posted a GRWM, they mean exactly that: you watch them get ready, start to finish, while they talk. It's one of those abbreviations, like a lot of the ones in this guide to teen slang, that sounds cryptic until someone spells it out.
How old is GRWM?
It goes back further than you might think. Dictionary.com finds the abbreviation in posts from at least 2012, and traces the video idea itself to YouTube in the early 2010s. So it isn't a short-video invention, even if TikTok and Instagram Reels are where many people first come across it.
What happens in a GRWM video
The routine is the frame and the chat is the content. Someone sits down, does their face, styles their hair or picks an outfit, and talks the whole way through. Dictionary.com describes it as a beauty or fashion routine, whether that's getting dressed for an ordinary day or for a night out. Length depends on the platform, so check the current TikTok video length limits if you're planning one there.
You'll usually see the term used in three ways:
- As a hashtag, #GRWM, so people searching for the format can find the video.
- In a caption, often with the occasion added, such as "GRWM for a wedding".
- As a noun, as in "I filmed a GRWM this morning".
Why people keep watching them
A Vogue writer in January 2023 described GRWM videos as both educational and comforting, like chatting with a friend. That's the appeal in one line. You pick up a tip or two, and it feels like company rather than a lesson. Dictionary.com adds the commercial side: because products are being used on camera, these videos often double as product displays and reviews.
What it means if you're a creator or a brand
That mix of friendly chat and products in use is why the format matters in marketing. A product that turns up in someone's routine is shown working, by a person the viewer is already watching. I won't quote a sales figure for GRWM content, because I haven't seen one I'd trust. If you're a creator, the friend-chat tone is your asset, so don't let a brand script it out of you; this guide on how to become a social media influencer covers the wider picture. If you're a brand, judge a creator on whether their audience trusts their routine.
GRWM questions answered
Is GRWM only for makeup?
No. It covers beauty and fashion routines in general, from hair and makeup to picking an outfit for the day or a night out.
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Where is GRWM used?
On TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, as a caption, a hashtag or the name of the video itself.
How old is the term?
Dictionary.com finds GRWM in posts from 2012, and the video format on YouTube from the early 2010s.
Why do GRWM videos often show products?
Because the person uses products on camera while getting ready, so the video often works as a product display or review too.
My take on GRWM
It's a simple acronym with a simple meaning, and you don't need to overthink it. GRWM is get ready with me, the video is someone getting ready while they talk, and the reason it works is the feeling of hanging out with a friend. Keep that feeling and the format does its job.
