If you haven't heard of James Charles yet,
where have you been?
The young makeup artist became CoverGirl's
first ever CoverBoy in 2016 at the age of
17.
A relative newcomer to the scene, Charles
became an overnight sensation after he insisted
on retaking his high school yearbook photo
in order to properly accentuate his cheekbones.
The talented teen then went on to become one
of the most popular young beauty vloggers
in the industry.
Being thrust into the spotlight at such a
young age isn't always easy, though, especially
when you're a male in a traditionally female-dominated
industry.
Charles isn't just making a name for himself
he's also breaking down barriers.
Here's how he is navigating his new success
and looking fierce while doing it.
By accident
Charles' first foray into the world of beauty
was actually in hair styling.
He revealed in an Instagram post that his
dad taught him how to braid hair when he was
just a little boy, so styling his friends'
hair must have seemed like a good way to utilize
his skills.
Makeup, however, is something he got into
by accident.
He told Seventeen magazine,
"At one of my best friend's hair appointments,
she was late for her makeup appointment so
she asked me to do it.
I was like 'OK girl, I'll do it, but if it
looks awful, do not tag me in that Instagram
picture.'"
Needless to say, it went well.
Soon after, Charles ordered a basic starter
set, and started trying out makeup on himself
and the rest is history.
Thick skin
Charles faces a lot of negativity online,
especially from those who don't like the idea
of a guy wearing makeup, but anyone who thinks
their nasty comments will hold Charles back
clearly hasn't met him.
When it comes to haters, Charles isn't wasting
his time.
He told Cosmopolitan,
"They really don't bother me.
I have a thick skin, and I'm definitely not
willing to let someone without anything better
to do than hate on someone else behind a keyboard
get into my head."
"For every hate comment there's like fifty
million positive ones."
Becoming famous can be difficult at any age,
especially if you have trouble tuning out
negativity, but Charles' wise words prove
that he has wisdom beyond his age.
As for his message to the haters?
"If you don't like me, that's okay, like I
don't care."
Supportive parents
With so many people who don't approve of Charles,
he can at least rest easy knowing that his
parents are always in his corner.
According to his interview on The Ellen Degeneres
Show, Charles came out as gay when he was
twelve years old, and his parents were immediately
accepting.
His father also went above and beyond in order
to help his son achieve his goals.
Charles told Allure,
"My photos would not be as high quality without
my dad.
He's a contractor, and together we converted
an area in our basement into a makeup studio
with a desk, a mirror lined with dimmable
lights, and storage areas."
Legally blind
Given the fact that the beauty guru creates
such visually striking makeup looks, it's
kind of hard to believe that he's actually
legally blind.
He can't see very much without corrective
lenses, but Charles has not let his disability
slow him down one bit.
He's even turned it into a stylish statement
by opting for colored contacts that help him
achieve some truly eye popping looks.
Charles told Seventeen,
"It really doesn't affect the process that
much.
[...] After a long day of a shoot, however,
my eyes do usually feel pretty dry so it can
be a pain sometimes.
Oh well, I guess beauty truly is pain!"
Dating woes
You'd think being an internationally recognized
celebrity would help you at least score more
dates, but if anything, his sudden fame has
complicated his dating life.
Charles told Seventeen that now he has to
deal with people trying to take advantage
of his fame.
He explained,
"A lot of the local guys that I've had crushes
on in the past have Snapchatted me and they're
like 'send me selfies so like I can show my
friends that I'm Snapchatting you.'
I'm like, really?
That's so annoying."
Learning from a mistake
In 2017, Charles came under fire after posting
a tweet that many found offensive.
On a school trip to Africa, he tweeted:
"I can't believe we're going to Africa today
omg what if we get Ebola?"
Charles soon deleted the tasteless tweet and
apologized, but many of his fans weren't satisfied.
He told Affinity,
"I was making what I thought was a joke, but
it wasn't funny and was just plain offensive.
That stereotyping is offensive and not okay."
Charles seems to have truly learned from his
mistake.
He added,
"I like to think of myself as mature but I've
definitely said many things in the past that
I regret and that are problematic."
