The History of Beauty Boys: Theyre Taking the Internet by Storm

Traditionally a medium dominated by women, makeup artistry is now being taken over by a new breed of artists dubbed ‘Beauty Boys’. With millions of viewers combined across platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, these men have more than just skill, they have influence, and beauty brands are taking note. 

CoverGirl was the first to sign a male spokesman to the brand in October 2016 when they brought YouTuber James Charles on board as the face of their brand. Charles helped pave the way for Maybelline’s male ambassador, Manny Gutierrez, who was officially announced in January 2017. With his over 3 million Instagram followers, Gutierrez’s online following rivals that of both the Pope and Kerry Washington, both of whom are currently on 3.6 million followers. 

Since then, Rimmel London has taken on beauty vlogger Lewys Ball, and Instagram phenomenon Gabriel Zamora- who has more followers than Kim Kardashian- was tapped to be an ambassador for MAC Cosmetics. 

When CoverGirl first announced their partnership with James Charles, they said that his dynamic looks and fearless expression serve, ‘as an inspiration to women, men, guys and girls who might have been afraid to do the same.’ But the same can be said for each of these artists, who defy gender norms by hailing in a new era of genderless makeup. Make no mistake, these aren’t drag performers, or cross-dressers. These are self-identifying men who unapologetically create stunning looks for people of all genders and orientations.