Beauty guru James Charles issued an apology after being called out by Tati Westbrook, who is widely regarded as the mother of the YouTube beauty community. Not everyone was accepting of his apology, with some comparing it to a mea culpa made by fellow beauty blogger Laura Lee.
"I owe two important people an apology," Charles said. "To Tati and James Westbrook. I am sorry for everything that is going on and everything that I've put you through over the past few weeks. I met Tati and James almost three years ago now, when I was first coming into the industry, when I had no friends and no one to look up to, and Tati very quickly took on a parental role because she knew my parents were out of the country… They've been very loyal to me and I betrayed that."
"And I don't blame them for it," he continued. "I have a long way to go and that's okay. I am going to keep learning and growing to be the best version of me that I can be."
The drama led to Charles being unfollowed by beauty heavyweights like Kylie Jenner, Jeffree Star and musician Shawn Mendes.
The apology was prompted from a video titled "Bye Sister," Westbrook officially cut ties with the 19-year-old influencer, with the final straw coming after Charles endorsed Sugar Bear Hair vitamins instead of Westbrook's own hair supplement company, Halo Beauty.
Charles' apology was quickly compared to Lee's, who posted a tearful video after her racist tweets from six years ago were unearthed. Many claimed her apology was insincere, just as Charles' mea culpa was also apparently disingenuous. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry to you guys. I'm so sorry for disappointing you. It hurts me so bad to disappoint you all who have supported me for so many years. I know that I'm better than that person," she said in August. "Six years ago I decided to retweet things that were so vile and hurtful, I was so stupid and ignorant."
Lee's tweets from 2012 led to retail giant Ulta cutting ties with the makeup artist. "We have decided not to move forward with the launch of Laura Lee Los Angeles. Ulta Beauty values equality and inclusivity in all that we do," the company said at the time. Other sponsors, like Diff Eyewear and Morphe Brushes, followed suit.
laura lee sneaking under the foundations of james charles' house so she can direct his apology video pic.twitter.com/wIQS1aPOl2
— lewis #BLM #ACAB (@Broadwaysss) May 11, 2019
James Charles apology video:
— mak n' cheese _ (@smol_makaela) May 11, 2019
• didn't even take 24 hours to put out a video
• only 8 minutes long
• barely addressed anything Tati said
• skipped over the fact that he is a manipulator
• Laura Lee's fake cry was more believable pic.twitter.com/LZOn9OEP6K
James Charles In editing double checking to make sure his crying looks more authentic than Laura lee’s pic.twitter.com/luwbqXXcf3
— _Assia_ (@assiadama) May 11, 2019
laura lee and james charles spot the difference challenge pic.twitter.com/lCy3J1GM34
— LIL BITCH (@cacasmiddlename) May 11, 2019
This apology is worst than LAURA LEE .__James Charles !! You literally even said in the video you going to make more mistakes in the future ! Do u plan your scandals ! Please plan them better ! Tati has left the group chat !! #JamesCharles pic.twitter.com/k2XAJkeBdB
— ShaneKayserqueen (@shane0411) May 11, 2019
james charles and laura lee said LETS TAG TEAM pic.twitter.com/vqCFeBlKfD
— cynthia _ (@colorfulcyn) May 11, 2019
james charles getting ready to film his half-assed laura lee 2.0 apology pic.twitter.com/1QUB0cBmZk
— mac ♡︎ (@ashiduwu) May 11, 2019
Me watching James Charles’ new video realizing this is just another Laura Lee sob story apology pic.twitter.com/RWxw4Gp9OF
— Tay_ (@tayphillips98) May 11, 2019
