Who Is James Charles? 15 Facts About First Male CoverGirl Featured In Katy Perry Makeup Campaigns

Easy, breezy, beautiful CoverBoy? CoverGirl announced that it will have its very first male CoverGirl, Us Weekly reported Tuesday. “All of our CoverGirls are role models and boundary-breakers, fearlessly expressing themselves, standing up for what they believe and redefining what it means to be beautiful. James Charles is no exception,” read a statement from the cosmetic brand.

The 17-year-old will be the first male CoverGirl in the brand’s 60-year history. Consumers will see Charles in many ad spots, including the soon to be launched So Lashy! by blastPRO Mascara, which is described as a product that works for all lash types.

Below are 15 facts to know about the first ever CoverBoy.

1. He is an internet sensation. Charles describes himself as an "aspiring makeup artist" and makes YouTube makeup tutorials. His Instagram account has grown to over 431,000 followers in just one year. Katy Perry is a fan of Charles and supports the makeup brand's decision to appoint him as the first CoverBoy.

2. You will be seeing a lot of Charles. Along with print advertisements, Charles will also be featured in television and digital ads alongside Katy Perry.

3. Being named as the first male CoverBoy is a dream come true. In the video announcing his and Perry’s upcoming campaign, he stated that he is “living out one of my biggest dreams” being named as a brand ambassador for the makeup giant.

4. He hopes to inspire people. “I started my Instagram one year ago to inspire others and as an artistic outlet to challenge myself creatively. I truly hope that this shows that anyone and everyone can wear makeup and can do anything if you work hard,” he stated in an Instagram post following the big announcement.

5. Charles has created a variety of makeup tutorials. From Halloween-themed tutorials to teaching people how to apply makeup without a brush, the teen has a creative perspective on makeup.

6. He loves to experiment with different looks cosmetically. Charles’ YouTube page states,“I love doing glam looks but I also have a huge passion for artsy, avant garde, abstract looks. Makeup is one of my biggest passions and I hope you choose to join me on my journey!”

7. Charles went viral last month after a flawless yearbook photo. The high school student asked if he could bring his own lighting for the day of the shoot. Thanks to the help of his light ring and an Instagram post, Charles’ photo has received more than 114,000 Instagram likes and 38,000 retweeets on Twitter.

8. The aspiring makeup artist has been bullied. Charles shares a lot on his Twitter account, including a message from someone who direct messaged him calling him a “F—.“

“Very true,” he replied.

9. Charles is a New York native. The makeup artist is in his senior year of high school originally from Bethlehem, New York.

10. He has only been doing makeup for a year. Charles ordered his first makeup starter kit last year and has been practicing ever since.

11. Charles looks up to Disney star Zendaya. It was an exciting moment for the teen when he found out the celebrity like his yearbook photo on Twitter and complimented him. “She’s one of my biggest idols. I love her and she’s so beautiful… I really wanna do her makeup one day or just hang with her in general, she seems so rad,” he told BuzzFeed.

12. The high school is adamant about inspiring others to achieve their goals. “You should NEVER let anyone get in the way of your goals or more importantly your happiness. Makeup makes me so happy and feel so powerful and strong and it's truly an escape. Makeup is truly an art. It's a form of expression, it's a way to feel beautiful, and to make people gasp and look exactly how they want to,” he stated in an Instagram post.

13. Charles started doing makeup by chance. His first job in the beauty industry was hair styling, however, one day a friend needed her makeup done and he decided to give it a try and received a positive reaction inspiring him to explore things further.

14. He never thought he would ever work with CoverGirl. “I never in a million years would’ve expected to be where I am today, or even working with CoverGirl,” he told BuzzFeed.

15. He doesn’t mind be different, according to society standards. “Breaking gender norms just comes instantly as soon as a boy is comfortable and confident enough to put on makeup. I think it’s so important to love who you are and be comfortable in your own skin,” he told BuzzFeed.