CoverGirl Introduces Its First-Ever Cover Boy

Jihan Forbes
·Associate Editor

Male makeup gurus are having a moment, and James Charles Dickinson is adding another. The 17-year-old YouTube sensation, known simply as James Charles on social media, boasts more than 70,000 subscribers, which comparatively isn’t as much as some other major male beauty YouTubers, like Manny Gutierrez (Manny Mua) and Patrick Starrr (both nearing 2 million each).

James Charles is a cover boy! (Photo: Covergirl/Instagram)
James Charles is a cover boy! (Photo: CoverGirl/Instagram)

Still, it’s more than enough for CoverGirl, which announced Charles as its latest ambassador — and the first young man to receive such an honor.

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FALL GLAM ???? Who’s ready for the cold weather again?! ???????? Selfies today comin to ya straight from snap ???? add me if you haven’t already, jamescharless! ____ For my brows I used @benefitcosmetics kabrow and gimme brow gel to fleekify my #benefitbrows ???? this entire look was created using @morphebrushes brushes, & you can use code “JAMES” for $$ off your purchase!! ???? on my eyes I used the @violetvosscosmetics holy grail palette with @litcosmetics liquid metals pigment in “addicted”. Lashes are @lashesbylena in the style “Naomi” and glow is @artistcouture illuminati. Lips are my fav @anastasiabeverlyhills liquid lipstick in the shade “Sepia” ????

A photo posted by JAMES CHARLES (@jcharlesbeauty) on Sep 26, 2016 at 5:56pm PDT

Charles, a Bethlehem, N.Y., high school senior with 428,000 Instagram followers, announced the partnership with CoverGirl via social media, with the makeup guru mentioning that he had been filming a TV commercial for the brand over the weekend. Fellow CoverGirl ambassador Katy Perry is also involved in the project, Instagramming an image of herself and the guru on set together. “Honored to have the pleasure to announce the very first COVERBOY, James Charles!” she wrote.

Just wrapped another great @COVERGIRL shoot. Honored to have the pleasure to announce the very first COVERBOY, James Charles! Follow him @JCharlesBeauty! #COVERGIRLJames #glam❗️

A photo posted by KATY PERRY (@katyperry) on Oct 10, 2016 at 10:52pm PDT

Brands like Benefit cosmetics, Makeup Geek, and Eyeris beauty have embraced a few male makeup artists, collaborating with them on products and including them in campaigns. But to see a major drugstore brand like CoverGirl follow suit is certainly heartening and an indication that the beauty world is slowly starting to be more accepting of men and boys rocking a fierce face of makeup.

Meet @JCharlesBeauty: makeup artist, boundary breaker, and the newest COVERGIRL! Spread the word by regramming using #COVERGIRLJames.

A photo posted by COVERGIRL (@covergirl) on Oct 11, 2016 at 7:03am PDT

Charles will appear in ads for CoverGirl’s new product So Lashy! by blastPRO Mascara. “I am so thankful and excited and cannot wait to show you all what we have in store,” Charles wrote on Instagram. We’re also psyched to see what else Charles and CoverGirl have up their sleeves!

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