Kylie Jenner has long been fodder for tabloid headlines. From her lip injections to her decision to have a baby at 20, the youngest of the Jenner-Kardashian sisters take the hits. But as Forbes reveals in its latest cover feature, “America’s Women Billionaires,” Jenner has been too busy bringing in the cash from her makeup line, Kylie Cosmetics, to notice. In fact, the magazine estimates she’s currently pacing to be the youngest self-made billionaire ever—male or female.
“Even using a conservative multiple, and applying our standard 20 percent discount, Forbes values her company, which has since added other cosmetics like eyeshadow and concealer, at nearly $800 million,” Forbes explained, importantly noting that Jenner herself maintains 100 percent ownership over all of it. By the time the mogul turns 22 years old next year, it predicts she’ll have hit the billion-dollar threshold—a milestone not even Mark Zuckerberg achieved until age 23.
Given her success, it’s wild to think Jenner began Kylie Cosmetics only two years ago with a single product: the Kylie Lip Kit, which consisted of a liquid lipstick and a matching lip liner for $29. Since its launch, the company has sold more than $630 million worth of makeup. She brought in $18 million in a single day when she dropped her holiday collection in 2016.
“Social media is an amazing platform,” Jenner said of how she’s grown her business. “I have such easy access to my fans and my customers.”
A post shared by Kylie(@kyliejenner) on Jul 11, 2018 at 7:00am PDT
What makes it all the more impressive is that she’s not the first member of the Kardashian family to start a beauty brand. In 2012 Kim, Kourtney, and Khloé Kardashian collectively launched a brand called Khroma Beauty. However, almost immediately after the brand’s launch, it was sucked into legal controversy (among somewhat lacklustre sales) and was pulled from shelves by 2013. While the other sisters have since gone on to launch fairly successful beauty products, none have even come close to Jenner’s success. (Kim’s KKW Beauty, which launched in June last year, is estimated to have brought $100 million in revenue, so far.)
Makeup isn’t the only way Jenner is raking in the dough, though. She’s also got millions coming in thanks to her near lifetime involvement on E!’s Keeping Up With the Kardashians, as well as her endorsement deals with brands like Puma and PacSun. This, Forbes says, places her entire net worth somewhere around $900 million.
Many people on social media, however, have mixed feelings about whether Jenner’s famous family ties qualify her to be considered “self-made”—despite the magazine’s defining it as “anyone who didn’t inherit any part of their money.” As one Twitter user wrote, “What Kylie Jenner did with her company is amazing but don’t act like she started from the bottom. There’s millions of people with businesses that fail because they just can’t find the funds.”
What Kylie Jenner did with her company is amazing but don’t act like she started from the bottom
— diamond (@dmndlnhrt) July 11, 2018
Dear @Forbes— Kylie Jenner is as “self-made” as Kraft Mac n cheese is “homemade”. That much money, access, and media attention — could she ever have failed? Has she ever worked a day behind a desk for that company of hers? Money isn’t everything. Show us better rolemodels.
— Lena Lane (@lanelenah) July 11, 2018
kylie jenner’s “self-made” empire is almost as funny as donald trump’s “small loan of 1 million dollars”
— james (@phan1om_) July 11, 2018
erm. being born into extreme wealth & instant fame is the exact opposite of “self made” https://t.co/c9rZyx03Al
— Franchesca Ramsey (@chescaleigh) July 11, 2018
It isn’t that the Kylie Jenner story isn’t impressive. She made a bil in 3 yrs-that is. But read the room, Forbes, most people don’t start out in life in such situations. I wonder if these stories told through slightly different lens would be more motivational/positive for all.
— Adam Singer (@AdamSinger) July 11, 2018
Every time I see that Forbes cover headline about Kylie Jenner being a self made billionaire, I cringe. That’s an amazing accomplishment but by no means do I consider her self-made. If anyone of the Kardashian/Jenner squad started at the bottom and paved a way, it was Kim.
— Shay Duriel 💁🏾 (@Shayduriel) July 11, 2018
Yea Kylie Jenner not self-made. But I’m giving her props on making the Forbes list🤷🏽♀️ Nobody else in that family is a billionaire and she created an empire that made her one all at the age of 21👏🏽👏🏽
— Miyoko❤️ (@__Kendreala) July 11, 2018
Just because Kylie Jenner’s family is rich don’t mean you should respect her business moves any less. She’s not living off her fanily’s fortune. She took what she was given and flipped it into $900 mill all before she was old enough to drink. That’s lit. You gotta respect that.
— 2002 Chris Jericho (@ASAPVick_) July 11, 2018
See a lot of shade being thrown @kyliejenner’s way because of the Forbes cover.
Whatever your personal feelings may be about her, building a 900M at 20 years old is goddamn impressive. A lot of credit to the team around her.
Instead of hating, use that time to build your own.
— Everette Taylor (@Everette) July 11, 2018
It’s sad to see all the hate @KylieJenner has gotten for being on the cover of Forbes today. @kyliecosmetics is super successful & at her age to accomplish so much good for her, we should be celebrating others successes not scrutinizing them. #WomenSupportingWomen
— 💄Channon Rose💋 (@ChannonRose) July 11, 2018
This Kylie Jenner is not self made argument needs to die. A lot of Billionaires on Forbes had/have privileged parents. Facebook guy, Dangote, one woman who’s an heir, Bill Gates even. You can’t even deny that she’s self made, yes she had money but she multiplied it. Rest
— Big Fish Gee (@GbemmyG) July 11, 2018
Even the Dictionary chimed in:
Self-made means having succeeded in life unaided.
Used in a sentence: Forbes says that Kylie Jenner is a self-made woman. https://t.co/sr8Ncd7s5A https://t.co/ehEL7Cf6KV
— Dictionary.com (@Dictionarycom) July 11, 2018
Searches for the meaning of “self-made” are 📈 18,628% on https://t.co/EoMLt7nGp1 today. https://t.co/sr8Ncd7s5A
— Dictionary.com (@Dictionarycom) July 11, 2018
What there’s no denying, though, is that Jenner is now the richest in her entire household. According to Time, her supermodel older sister Kendall is worth an estimated $18 million. Khloé Kardashian’s worth, it’s estimated, sits around $40 million, while Kourtney’s bank account is apparently sitting on $35 million. As for Kim, the women who without question rocketed the Kardashian-Jenner family to fame, she’s worth an estimated $350 million thanks to her television show, endorsements, mobile game, and KKW Beauty.
Truly, after following in many of her elder sisters’ footsteps, it appears Jenner has exemplified the saying “the student becomes the master.”
