CoverGirl, an American cosmetics and beauty brand, is known for having celebrities such as Sophia Vergara, Katy Perry and Pink feature as its models.
For the first time ever, on October 11, the beauty company announced its first CoverBoy, James Charles, a 17 year-old makeup artist.
Charles will be promoting CoverGirl’s new makeup mascara, “So Lashy,” which is designed to be effective on all types of lashes, according a press release shared by the brand.
Charles was a hair stylist when he first joined the beauty industry. One day, his friend had a school dance and she needed someone to do her makeup so he decided to help her.
She then posted a picture and people liked it. Charles’s following started to increase.
“My first reaction was ‘wow’,” said Jane Le, sophomore marketing major, when she first heard that Charles was announced as the first CoverBoy.
“To be the very first CoverBoy, he really does have the talent to be standing where he is now. I actually admire his talents, determination, discipline and courage,” Le said.
Charles posts makeup tutorials on his YouTube channel, which currently has over 100,000 subscribers, yet he launched it less than a year ago.
Some of his videos feature fake freckles, boy glam and chunky glitter makeup tutorials.
Charles also has a wide fan base on Instagram with over 700,000 followers.
“Who says makeup is solely for women?”
Laurel Wilson, sophomore art and illustration major asked. “Nowhere did it say it was and I think all of the male makeup artists out there should be shown off just as much as female makeup artists are.”
Wilson considers makeup as an extension of art. She enjoys putting it on and likes the convenience of washing it off to create something new the next day.Wilson believes that makeup is not a way of covering up who you are but an extension of your personality and character.
NBC news reports that in 2006, $4.8 million was spent on male grooming products in the U.S., as investigated by Euromonitor, a London-based marketing and research company.
This shows that not only women, but also men, are interested in products that help to enhance their image.
Other famous male YouTube makeup artists include Manny Mua and Patrick Starrr, who believe that beauty is a genderless form of expression.
In an interview conducted by Forbes, both Mua and Starrr claimed that men should join the beauty community because beauty is genderless and it is a “one size fits all” market.
Wilson believes that Charles becoming the new CoverBoy shows that strides are being taken within our society as people are more open and accepting to others.
Makeup artists such as Charles and Mua show that men can be just as talented as women in things as simple as makeup.
“Hopefully we can see more changes for both men and women and continue to pour out this kind of love and appreciation,” Wilson said.