James Charles: Makeup Artist, YouTuber, and Influencer Extraordinaire

As a long-time fan of James Charles, I‘m thrilled to share more about this makeup artist, YouTuber and influencer who has made history over his meteoric rise to fame. Here‘s an overview of his impressive profile:

James Charles Dickinson, known mononymously as James Charles, is a 24 year old American internet personality, beauty YouTuber, makeup artist and model. He has taken the social media world by storm, becoming one of the biggest names in the industry.

Early Life & Background

James Charles was born on May 23, 1999 in Bethlehem, New York. He became interested in makeup artistry and fashion from a very young age. Charles attended Bethlehem Central High School, where he was involved in theater, choir, and was even elected prom queen in his senior year.

After graduating high school in 2017, Charles moved to New York City to pursue his dreams of working full-time in the beauty industry. He supported himself by working as a freelance makeup artist, while simultaneously building up his social media presence and following.

Rising Social Media Fame

Charles‘ big break came in 2016, when his senior photos went viral on Twitter. The images showed Charles rocking a full face of expertly done makeup, while posing in a suit jacket. This juxtaposition of masculinity and femininity caught people‘s attention.

The viral tweet helped Charles gain over 80,000 new Instagram followers almost overnight. From there, his social accounts exploded – gaining millions of followers across Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and more.

In October 2016, CoverGirl made history by naming Charles as their first ever male spokesmodel. At just 17 years old, he was the youngest person to ever become a CoverGirl ambassador.

YouTube & Influencer Empire

Charles launched his YouTube channel in 2015, but didn‘t start regularly posting videos until late 2016. His makeup tutorials, reviews, unboxings and vlogs quickly amassed millions of views.

In 2018, Charles collaborated with YouTuber Shane Dawson on an 8-part docuseries. The highly anticipated series broke YouTube records, gaining over 75 million views in just 24 hours.

Since then, Charles has continued uploading new videos twice a week. He often collaborates with top celebrities like Millie Bobby Brown, Kim Kardashian, and Jojo Siwa on makeup tutorials and challenges.

Currently, Charles boasts over 27 million YouTube subscribers. He holds the record for being the fastest person to ever gain 1 million and 10 million subscribers on the platform.

Outside of YouTube, Charles has become one of the most followed influencers on Instagram with over 25 million dedicated fans. He even won the People‘s Choice Influencer of the Year Award in 2021, further cementing his status as a top social media star.

Trailblazing Makeup Partnerships

A major source of income for Charles comes from his lucrative makeup collaborations and sponsorships. Some of his partnerships include:

• CoverGirl (2016 – 2020) – As their first male ambassador, Charles helped shatter gender stereotypes.
• Morphe – Charles has created two sold-out "Artistry Palettes" with over 60 combined eyeshadow shades.
• OleHenriksen – Charles was an ambassador for this skincare brand in 2019.
• Marc Jacobs Beauty – He became an international spokesmodel for them in 2021.

Through it all, James Charles has remained committed to celebrating self-expression, diversity and inclusion through his various brand partnerships.

Other Successful Ventures

On top of his massive influence in the digital space, Charles has expanded into other business ventures like:

• Sisters Apparel – Charles launched a genderless merchandise line in 2017 which includes clothing, accessories and more.
• Reality TV – He was a judge on Instant Influencer in 2020 and competed on the YouTube original series Celebrity Substitute.
• Music – Charles co-wrote and was featured on the track "Consequences" by YouTuber Tana Mongeau in 2020.
• Books – Charles released his memoir "Sisters" in 2020 which became a #1 New York Times Bestseller.

Why James Charles Became So Popular

There are many factors that explain Charles‘ astronomical rise to fame:

• Relatability – Fans are drawn to Charles‘ bubbly, fun personality. He comes across as authentic, humble and down-to-earth.
• Positivity – Charles uplifts his fans by spreading messages of self-love, confidence and acceptance.
• LGBTQ+ Advocacy – As an openly gay man, he uses his platform to increase LBGTQ+ visibility and speak out against discrimination.
• Work Ethic – Charles is incredibly driven, hardworking and consistent about producing content.
• Talent – His undeniable skills with makeup application, photography and editing are huge draws for fans.
• Uniqueness – As a young, charismatic gay man thriving in a female-dominated industry, Charles broke down barriers and inspired others to embrace who they are.

5 Fun Facts About James Charles

1. His birth name is James Charles Dickinson. He dropped his last name for branding.
2. Charles has a much deeper voice and personality off-camera compared to his high-pitched "YouTube voice."
3. He‘s obsessed with Disney and always stays at the Disney World Castle Suite when visiting the parks.
4. The stunning Met Gala looks he‘s worn took months of preparation and even physical training to master walking in.
5. His dream collaboration is to do Kim Kardashian‘s makeup for the Met Gala.

What‘s Next for James Charles?

At only 24, Charles has already accomplished so much. But I know as a loyal fan that he‘s only just getting started! Some of his plans for the future include:

• Reaching 30+ million YouTube subscribers
• Launching his own makeup line
• Growing his merch line into a high-fashion brand
• Releasing more music
• Writing more books
• Continuing to advocate for important causes

No matter what the future holds, I‘m excited to continue following James Charles‘ groundbreaking career. He has already solidified his status as an inspiration for people everywhere to embrace their uniqueness. The future is brighter than ever for this creative, resilient, visionary Gen Z icon!