Makeup brand Morphe is parting ways with beauty YouTuber James Charles amid reports he sent sexual messages to minors
Cosmetic brand Morphe announced Friday it is parting ways with beauty YouTuber James Charles, who has come under criticism recently over reports he exchanged sexual messages with minors.
"In light of the recent allegations against James Charles, Morphe and James have agreed to end our business relationship and wind down sales of the Morphe x James Charles product offering," Morphe said in a statement shared on Twitter.
"It is and has always been Morphe's goal to create a positive, safe, and empowering space where all beauty lovers can freely share their artistry and passion for cosmetics, and Morphe is committed to furthering that goal," it continued.
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Charles also shared a statement on Twitter about the news, saying that many of his business partners had received "considerable negative feedback" in light of the allegations against him, including Morphe.
"I've loved every moment working together, and am beyond grateful for what we've created together," he said, adding they "mutually agreed" to discontinue working together.
The Morphe x James Charles products included eyeshadow palettes and brush sets.
Charles is massively popular on YouTube, where he has more than 25 million subscribers, but he has been surrounded by allegations in recent months that he sent explicit messages to boys under 18 in an attempt to "groom" them.
In February, a 16-year-old boy told Insider Charles sent him nude photos, despite the boy telling the YouTuber he was 16. Charles denied knowing the boy's age and claimed the teen said he was 18.
The boy accused Charles of "grooming," which refers to building a relationship of trust with a young person in order to manipulate or abuse them, according to the UK's National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.
Multiple other young people have come forward on social media to accuse Charles of engaging in inappropriate exchanges with them.
In a video posted in April, Charles apologized, acknowledging that at least some of the interactions had occurred, and said he was "being reckless."
In his statement Friday, Charles again said he believed the people he was talking to were 18 at the time.
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