CoverGirl cosmetics announced last week that it is having its very first “CoverBoy,” the 17-year-old YouTube sensation James Charles.
Singer and CoverGirl model Katy Perry informally broke the news through her Instagram.
“Just wrapped another great @COVERGIRL shoot. Honored to have the pleasure to announce the very first COVERBOY, James Charles!” Perry posted on Instagram.
Charles is a senior high school student from New York. He loves doing his friends’ makeup just for fun. He gained thousands of followers on YouTube (650,000) and Instagram (90,000), where he posts videos of makeup tricks and tips for men and women.
His social media fame intensified a month ago when he tweeted his senior photos. Being unsatisifed with how his original senior photos didn’t show his cheekbone highlighter, he did a retake and brought his own ring light “so my highlight would be poppin.” The post was retweeted 38,000 times.
CoverGirl said Charles fit the profile of their typical brand ambassadors.
“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,” the cosmetics company said in a statement.
Charles said on a post to Instagram that he was “so beyond excited” to be the first CoverBoy.
“THE SECRETS OUT.. so beyond excited to finally announce that I am the new face of ##COVERGIRL and the first ever coverBOY,” he wrote. “I am so thankful and excited and cannot wait to show you all what we have in store.”
Charles will be the the face of the “So Lashy!” mascara line. He will also do some commercials and ads.
In an interview with The New York Times, Charles said he cried with excitement when he found out about the project. He said being the first male brand ambassador for the cosmetics company shows how the industry is “becoming genderless,” and the industry is moving toward “equal opportunities for everybody, regardless of race, sexuality, gender.”
Charles also said men “rocking” different styles of makeup are not rare, and the practice is gaining more acceptance. However, he said there is still a need for “more open-mindedness.”
Charles also said the nation has made progress when it comes to gay rights and gender identity expression.
“The place we’re in is phenomenal compared to where we were a few years ago. We’ve made so many amazing progressions with gay rights, gender inclusivity and self-expression,” he said. “But I think we still have so, so much longer to go. A lot of people still don’t support or understand it.”
