So, let me tell you a bit about James Charles—this incredibly talented makeup artist who really broke barriers in the beauty world. James Charles became the first male spokesperson for CoverGirl, which was a huge milestone, not just for him but for the industry as a whole. And honestly, it’s no surprise when you look at his journey. He skyrocketed to fame through his Instagram account, jamescharles, which now boasts over 20 million followers. That kind of reach? Absolutely impressive.
Back in 2018, James Charles joined forces with the Dolan Twins and Emma Chamberlain to form the super popular Sister Squad—a group that definitely made waves online. His influence didn’t go unnoticed either; he took home Streamy Awards in the beauty category in both 2018 and 2020. Oh, and let’s not forget—he also won a Teen Choice Award for Choice Fashion/Beauty Web Star in 2018. Talk about making your mark!
Before all this fame, though, James Charles was already into creative styling—mostly hair at first. But once he discovered makeup, everything changed. He started practicing on friends, honing his skills with real passion. Supportive family? Check. His dad actually helped turn their basement into a full-on makeup studio, giving James Charles the perfect space to create.
And fun fact: he’s not the only social media star in the family. His younger brother, Ian Jeffrey, is also making a name for himself online. Plus, shoutout to his mom, Christie Dickinson, who’s been right there through it all. Yeah, James Charles has built something truly special—and he’s still just getting started.
He’s built an impressive presence online, sharing makeup and beauty tutorials on his self-titled YouTube channel, which has grown to over 500,000 subscribers. His content really took off when he did Kylie Jenner’s Halloween look in a video back in October 2018—fans loved it, and the post quickly became one of his most-watched videos. People started paying even more attention to what he was creating. Then, in April 2020, he expanded his influence by launching a beauty competition series called Instant Influencer, showcasing emerging talent in the industry. He continues to inspire and engage his audience with fresh, creative content, proving that his passion for beauty resonates with viewers around the world.