Put down your lipstick because there’s been yet another jaw-dropping twist in the James Charles/Tati Westbrook feud. By now you’re probably familiar with the scandal swirling around beauty vlogger, internet personality, and CoverGirl model James, and his former mentor and BFF/current nemesis Tati.
Here’s the recap version of how the beauty vlogger wars kicked off.
While James was at Coachella in April, he posted a short video on his Instagram page, promoting gummy vitamin company SugarBearHair. Fairly routine influencer stuff on the surface — except that Tati, his mentor and friend, owns a competing line of beauty supplements, Halo Beauty, and she took James’s promotion of her rivals very personally. Shortly after his promo appeared, Tati posted her own Instagram clip, in which she said that the actions of an anonymous person had left her feeling “betrayed.” James publicly apologized via his Instagram story, explaining that he didn’t make any money from the promo, and that SugarBearHair had helped him out with security at Coachella.
But far from cooling tensions, things only heated up from there.
On May 10th, Tati posted a 43-minute video entitled, “BYE SISTER” to her YouTube channel, explaining exactly why she was breaking off her ties with James.
[fm_youtube url="https://youtu.be/PoVZg4KjRxU"]She explained that she had happily supported James from the very start of his career, making sure to promote his channel and products, and guest-starring on his channel to give him cred. Despite this, she said that James had told her he didn’t feel comfortable promoting her supplements to his young fans — which was why she was so shaken up when he appeared in a promo for a direct rival. Tati also accused James of being mean to other YouTubers, and even of sexual harassment.
After Tati’s tea-spilling video aired, beauty fans took sides. Mostly Tati’s.
James posted an apology video titled, “tati” on the same day, in which he appeared to take responsibility for the argument.
[fm_youtube url="https://youtu.be/9ws6nxMk6I0"]Unfortunately for James, it was too little, too late.
James Charles: I’m s-
— cornelius (@OldDickNewMoney) May 15, 2019
Twitter:pic.twitter.com/JHqIaRf618
A few thousand followers unsubscribed from James’s channel when the drama started. But since this video, there has been a mass exodus of about 3 million. His subscriber count dropped from about 16.5 million to (a still-impressive) 13.4 million.
this is my favourite video from the tati and james charles drama pic.twitter.com/G4Z3DdEgLa
— maribel lopez trejo (la churrera) (@parisxcx) May 15, 2019
And that’s how the story stood until today, when another YouTuber appeared to make his way into the feud.
Jeffree Star is another superstar of makeup YouTube. In addition to being a model, makeup artist, and singer, he owns Jeffree Star Cosmetics and Killer Merch — the company who distributes James’s apparel line, Sisters Apparel.
I need a custom matte black Jeffree Star cosmetics x Sisters Apparel straw
— James Charles (@jamescharles) December 23, 2018
But the Sisters Apparel site appears to have been taken down, and the brand has been removed from Killer Merch’s list of partners, sparking rumors that Jeffree is siding with Tati.
Jeffree had already come out fighting for Tati on Twitter. In a now deleted tweet, he said that all her claims are “100% true” and even described James as “a danger to society.” Luckily, screenshots are a thing:
At the moment, James has yet to respond publicly. He appears to be taking a break from social media at the moment, having not posted on any platform since the May 10th video. Tati hasn’t responded to this latest development, and also seems to be avoiding airing any more feelings.
Jeffree is still online, and apparently having a good day — but he hasn’t commented on whether the disappearance of Sisters Apparel was his decision.
Today I’m shooting one of the biggest campaigns I’ve ever done and it’s not for #JeffreeStarCosmetics 😇
— Jeffree Star (@JeffreeStar) May 15, 2019
This leaves fans to wonder what’s going on…
…and whether Jeffree is behind it.
One of them may even have predicted this move from Jeffree.
If @JeffreeStar doesn’t remove him from killer merch first. 🤦🏼♀️
— kara ☼ (@Karabarrett71) May 12, 2019
Some people are already anticipating a black market.
While up until this moment, the overall mood has been to side with Tati, this latest move seems to have roused James’s many loyal fans to speak up.
Some are even accusing Jeffree of bullying.
My daughter has this message for @JeffreeStar and the entire @YouTube community related to #tativsjames. I am sharing with no knowledge of what the hell is going on but I believe a psychic is being bullied. pic.twitter.com/KhJ88rFbZp
— Katherine Ryan (@Kathbum) May 14, 2019
Given this latest development, it looks like there’s even less chance that Tati and James will kiss and make up.
