"Go into a store and try some on and then go outside into the daylight, no, don't take anything on the way out," he laughs.
"But it is so important to see how it looks outside."
At just 19, the renowned beauty vlogger has descended onto Aussie shores for a whirlwind tour, fresh from the prestigious Met Gala red carpet in New York.
"I've always loved art and drawing so I used to draw portraits of celebrities and faces and I used to do hair for friends at school for prom and then I became interested in make-up and it all went from there," he said.
"I think my point of difference is that I still create beauty content but it is entertaining. It makes people smile and makes people laugh and takes you away from the day you might be having."
A serious YouTube sensation, James is on a whirlwind Aussie trip that will, no doubt, see thousands turn up on Saturday at Pacific Fair on the Gold Coast to meet their beauty idol.
Quietly spoken and self-deprecating, the New York born vlogger now calls Los Angeles home.
"I'm just a kid with a few blending brushes," he smiles.
Oh, and about 16 million Instagram fans and followers on YouTube.
James once bought 8,000 screaming fans in Birmingham to a standstill and has built an $11 million fortune with YouTube followers.
"I think make-up can help with insecurities and I'm totally up for that, but that said, it is not going to fix deeper insecurities.
"If it can make you feel better about yourself, then why not, but it is important to feel good about yourself whether you are wearing make-up or not.
"To be honest, I'm really into fake freckles at the moment,,' James says.
"I always do them just dotted over my nose. I love them!"
As well as his own beauty collection and working on a whole range of new projects, James is also here to promote his new Sisters clothing range.
Four hundred fans lined up last Friday at 5am to be the first through the doors of his first Australian pop-up store, Sisters, in Queensland. Some fans flew from Sydney to check out the pop up that sells T-shirts, sweaters, phone covers, all with the name of his fan base, Sisters, emblazoned over them.
James, who confesses to being a workaholic but adores his sleep was the first male ambassador for makeup company Cover Girl cosmetics and has worked with Kylie Jenner, Iggy Azalea and Katy Perry.
The social media star admits he does have make-up free days.
"Absolutely," he smiles. "Obviously when I am working I have my game-on face, but there are most days when it's all about no make-up, but I always make sure I moisturise, moisturise, moisturise."
On Friday fans followed James from his appearance on Sunrise in the centre of the Sydney CBD to the news.com.au office and even though he was running a tight schedule as he headed up to the Gold Coast, he stopped to talk and play the selfie game with the hordes.
"I feel as though I'm getting better as separating my real time and my work time and I do know that privacy is very important," he says.
"I'm lucky my team around me take care of me and are aware of dividing real life and work life."
James will appear at his Sister's pop-up store at Pacific Fair on Saturday for a meet-and-greet and will, no doubt, sell out of his own makeup line, The James Charles palette, which he has created for cosmetics brand Morphe.
Last year thousands of followers tried to meet James at the shopping mall. This time, there will be even more.
"I'm just always open and honest and I just like to do something new and fresh all the time so I guess that's what keeps me going."
