Famous for his catchphrase “Hi Sisters,” James Charles quickly became one of the most prominent YouTubers in the beauty community. But he’s been through several controversies throughout his career, affecting business and relationships. So, you’re likely wondering, what is James Charles net worth now?
Despite the massive plummet in views, Charles still maintains his YouTube channel of 20 million subs. And on average, he gets over a million views per video, which isn’t bad. So, it’s not surprising to see James Charles still maintain a massive $22 million net worth as of 2023.
This post discusses how James Charles climbed the YouTube beauty community and earned wealth.
An Overview
Born May 23, 1999, James Charles grew up deeply loving anything beauty-related. Hence, after he graduated high school, Charles started working as a hairstylist ASAP.
But he later opted to pursue cosmetics as he discovered he had an affinity for makeup. And he decided to share his talent with the world, showcasing it through YouTube. In 2015 while he was still in school, Charles began uploading makeup tutorials and other beauty-related content on his channel.
James Charles didn’t take long to gain millions of subscribers, considering he was one of the few male YouTubers within the beauty community at the time.
Now, his channel stands at a whopping 23 million subscribers, just over his impressive $22 million net worth.
Early Life
James Charles, born James Charles Dickinson, was born on May 23, 1999. The young influencer grew up in NY, graduating from high school in 2017.
Although he began his journey as a hairstylist, Dickinson turned into makeup. And this is where he found he had a natural talent, encouraging him to launch his YouTube channel in 2015. While still in school, Dickinson often uploaded, earning him millions of subs.
His rise to fame was swift as Dickinson was among the pioneer male makeup stars at the time.
Career
James Charles has always been into beauty-related activities. Hence, he started working as a hairstylist, eventually turning to cosmetics.
He launched his YouTube channel in 2015, sharing the beauty and makeup videos, where he soon gained popularity as one of the few male beauty gurus. And it wasn’t long before James Charles managed to pull off 5 million subs in the first couple of months.
Now, his YouTube channel stands at 23 million subscribers, but his viewership has severely dwindled. And it’s all thanks to Charles’s constant involvement in several controversies. It all began in 2017 when he was bound for a trip to Africa. And there he tweeted an offensive joke regarding the Ebola Outbreak in the continent.
Despite deleting the tweet and apologizing, James Charles had already tainted his reputation. And everything worsened from there.
But even with all these, Charles managed to maintain his $22 million net worth thanks to his other business ventures. He currently runs a “Sisters Apparel” clothing line and has collaborated with makeup brands, releasing products under his name.
Personal Life
Sexuality
James Charles came out as homosexual to his parents during his adolescent years. Since then, Charles has been open about his sexuality and the suffering he had to go through because of it. But now, he can freely express himself through makeup, videos, and more.
Controversies
Regarding controversies, one of the mainstay names on YouTube is James Charles. He has many under his belt, and it continues to grow today. It all began in 2017 when Charles tweeted an offensive joke about the Ebola virus outbreak. And he later issued an apology, saying he had no excuses and was deeply sorry about the tweet.
But two years later, Charles got into controversy again thanks to his comment about trans men. Despite Charles being homosexual, many found the remarks to be quite transphobic. Again, he apologized, stating that he didn’t mean to make unintentional transphobic comments.
Years later came James Charles’s most famous controversy with fellow YouTuber Tati Westbrook. She was the young influencer’s mentor and collaborator, and Westbrook even had Charles do her wedding makeup. And at some point, Charles even called Westbrook “mom.”
The feud between Charles and Westbrook started when he made a sponsored Instagram post for Sugar Bear Hair. This brand was Westbrook’s known competitor as she runs the same business under the name “Halo Beauty.” As a result, Westbrook made a YouTube video venomously titled “Bye Sister,” publicly announcing that she’s cutting ties with James Charles.
Westbrook heavily criticized James Charles in her video, accusing the young influencer of being a liar and saying he was manipulating people’s sexuality. And one serious allegation she made against Charles is that he tried to sleep with a man who was heterosexual.
At that point, the internet was on Westbrook’s side, making James Charles lose over 1 million subs in less than a day. In response, Charles made an apology video titled “Tati,” saying he was sorry for her and her husband. And from there, he briefly addresses some of Westbrook’s claims.
But James Charles made a significant comeback in 2019 after posting the video titled “No More Lies.” Here, he addresses all allegations made by Westbrook, backed with evidence. And there he redeemed himself, regaining millions of subs again.
Despite this, Charles got into more controversies, ranging from grooming allegations to claims that he was forcing straight men into sleeping with him. All these took a toll on Charles’s career, making his YouTube view count at an all-time low despite his 23 million subs.
What is James Charles Net Worth?
James Charles holds a hefty $22 million net worth, which is impressive for a YouTuber.
Charles mainly makes money from his YouTube channel, boasting over 23 million subscribers. But despite his colossal sub-count, James Charles doesn’t get the views he got during his peak nowadays. And nowadays, he struggles even to surpass 1 million views.
Even with his massive plummet in viewership, Social Blades reveals that James Charles can still earn between $5k and $82k per month on YouTube ad revenue alone. That means he can earn up to $900k monthly on the platform. No wonder Charles still holds an impressive net worth despite the decline of his channel.
But James Charles makes the most money from his brand deals, merch sales, and makeup line. He launched a clothing line named “Sisters Apparel” recently, boosting his wealth. Aside from that, Charles always collaborated with makeup brands, releasing products under his name. And this earns him hefty royalties.
Recently, James Charles decided to buy his own house instead of paying $15k monthly for rent. And this further added to his growing fortune.
Combined, it’s easy to see why James Charles managed to maintain his massive wealth despite being a hated influencer.
How Does James Charles Make Money?
YouTube
James Charles likely earned around $5 million annually before taxes during his peak. Still, when you deduct the taxes, this made the young influencer millions of dollars. But nowadays, with his viewership dwindling, social blades reveal he only earns a max of $900k per year.
But even if James Charles struggles to pass a million views in videos, it’s still profitable. After all, he still gets brand deals despite his controversies, paying him a decent amount.
TikTok
TikTok is becoming an excellent income source for huge accounts like James Charles. He has over 31 million followers, which could also earn him many brand deals. Aside from that, TikTok recently launched its Livestream feature where viewers could donate.
Makeup
Since his channel blew up, James Charles has always had collaborations without makeup brands. And this year, he’s working with Morphe to release a new palette under his name. These partnerships give James Charles royalties, which he’d earn a lot of cash.
Merchandise
Aside from makeup, James Charles recently launched his clothing line “Sisters Apparel.” Jeffree Star’s Killer Merch services were responsible for distribution during its initial release. But after Charles and Star got into a fight, the clothing line got temporarily taken offline in 2019.
However, James Charles managed to relaunch it back a month later under a new distributor. And the apparel brand has been actively releasing new merch annually.
But aside from his apparel line, James Charles also has personal merch influenced by his YouTube channel. And this serves to be a lucrative income source as well.
Real Estate
After living in a luxury home with a $15k monthly rent due for two years, James Charles finally bought a mansion in LA. Reports state that the house is brand new, has never been inhabited by anyone, and is a few blocks away from Logan Paul’s $6 million mansion.
The mansion cost James Charles a whopping $7 million, adding more to his net worth.
Other Ventures
Aside from YouTube and makeup, James Charles also collaborates with other creators. For instance, Charles appeared in some web series with YouTubers such as Jeffree Star and Nikita Dragun.
Also, James Charles walked on the runway for MarcoMarco’s collection in 2017’s LA fashion week. And this paved the way for his unexpected appearance at the Met Gala two years later, making him the first influencer to get invited to the prestigious event.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is James Charles net worth in 2023?
A: Despite the controversies and decline in YouTube views, James Charles still holds a $22 million net worth today. And it’s all thanks to his other business ventures, including his makeup line and merch sales.
Q: Is James Charles in a relationship in 2023?
A: One one of James Charles’s latest videos, he confirms that he’s single and is looking for a partner. He stated he wanted to be in a relationship, hoping to be with someone his age or older. And he had to emphasize his age preference due to recent allegations against him.
Q: Where does James Charles live?
A: James Charles, for the past few years, has been living in a rented luxury home, paying $15k monthly. But reports say that the YouTuber has recently bought a $7 million mansion in LA. However, the property’s location remains private as Charles decided to lay low for a while.
Q: What companies does James Charles own?
A: James Charles released his brand “Sisters Apparel” a few years back. And he has then since released multiple clothing lines. Aside from that, Charles has collaborated with makeup brand Morphe, releasing makeup products, mainly a palette.
Q: Why did James Charles recently lose followers on Instagram?
A: James Charles got into another controversy this year, losing him over 100k followers on Instagram. The YouTuber said he lost over 80k followers just a day after posting a tucking picture of himself.
Final Words
What is James Charles net worth? With 23 million subscribers backing him up, it’s no surprise James Charles has a $22 million net worth. His primary income source is YouTube, where he currently earns between $5k and $82k monthly.
Despite his plummet in views due to the many controversies surrounding him, James Charles still manages to get over a million views per video. And that’s enough to help him earn over $900k yearly on YouTube ad revenue alone. Plus, he still has his makeup line in stock alongside merch sales.
As controversial as James Charles is, there’s no denying his success at such a young age. Although he’s made some questionable actions, Charles accumulated a large following and net worth today.
Do you want to see the riches of another YouTuber in the beauty community? Check out Trisha Paytas’s net worth next!