A new decade has begun, a new chapter has begun, and James Charles is stepping into a new era. After the highly publicized dramas of 2019, the beauty guru has now moved into a brand-new Los Angeles mansion where she scrubs off all that bad energy. And he is the one who owns it this time.
For the past year or two, YouTube’s wunderkind has been renting a luxury home in Encino, an area of the San Fernando Valley that costs $15,000 per month. He recently paid exactly $7 million for a larger, brand-new house off-market.
With more than 16 million subscribers on YouTube, 16 million Instagram followers, and one of the biggest success stories in social media, Charles can afford a house of this size. As part of their partnership, Morphe cosmetics co-founders Chris and Linda Tawil released the James Charles eyeshadow palette in 2018, which has since become one of the most popular cosmetics in the world. Those “millions of dollars” were deposited into Charles’ already bloated bank account by the Tawil/Morphe partnership alone, according to his former mentor-turned-sworn enemy Tati Westbrook.
One cannot discuss Charles and Westbrook without mentioning cancel culture and their infamous catfight lately referred to as Dramageddon 2.0. Westbrook posted a 43-minute YouTube video in May 2019 titled “BYE SISTER” in which she spilled the proverbial tea on Charles. Her main focus was on his alleged endorsement deal with Sugar Bear Hair, which Westbrook viewed as a slap in the face — and also involved allegations of sexual harassment and other bad behavior on the part of the company.
Almost immediately after the release of “BYE SISTER,” Charles lost more than three million subscribers. After the brawl, he and Westbrook both released tit-for-tat response videos, fellow influencer Jeffree Star became involved, and the drama eventually made its way to every media outlet. As a result, Charles became one of Time’s most influential internet users.
Despite the dust having settled, Westbrook eventually deleted her original video and Charles regained all his lost subscribers. (But the scars remain – Charles, Westbrook, and Star are reportedly no longer friends.)
There are no photographs and exact details about Charles’ new mansion because it is brand new and has never been publicly listed for sale. However, tax records show it occupies about half an acre and is surrounded by trees.
A modest midcentury house occupied this property for decades. Two years ago, a local developer purchased the property for “.3 million and demolished it. Rather than the old farmhouse, this new build features a two-tone charcoal-and-cream paint job, a double-height foyer, a neutral color palette, and three full levels, including a full basement floor with an indoor spa and sauna, a games room/lounge, a wine cellar, a movie theater, and a mirror-walled gym.
Six bedrooms are also included in the nearly 10,000-square-foot house, with four on the uppermost level with ensuite bathrooms, one guest room on the lower level, and maids’ quarters on the lower level. In addition to a private balcony and two walk-in closets in the upstairs master retreat, the downstairs living room features a fireplace, large windows, and plenty of natural light.
On the rear of the structure, there are two huge islands, one with bar-style seating for casual meals, along with quartz countertops and high-end Thermador appliances. In addition, there is a formal dining room, a family room that opens directly to the backyard, a three-car garage at the front, and a large motor court.
Besides the negative-edge pool and spa with an inset spa, the backyard also has a half-court basketball court and a pool house/cabana. For celebrity-style privacy, the entire property is fenced, gated, and surrounded by mature trees and a tall hedge. In addition to cameras and alarms for security, there is also a sophisticated sound system that can be controlled via a smartphone for indoor and outdoor use.
Encino, once considered the red-headed stepchild of luxury neighborhoods in L.A., has gained rapid popularity among both famous and non-famous rich people. The $20 million mega-mansion purchased by Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra recently shattered the neighborhood record, and developers are selling new spec homes faster than they can build them.
