Kylie Jenner Defends Her "Self-Made" Billionaire Status
[MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC] [BLANK_AUDIO]
After being relentlessly mocked by critics for her "self-made" billionaire title earlier this month, Kylie Jenner is explaining where exactly she got the money in her bank account. Hint: It didn't come from her famous parents.
While speaking with Interview Germany, the makeup mogul made it clear that her massive fortune is entirely her own doing. “There’s really no other word to use other than self-made because that is the truth,” she told the publication. “That is the category that I fall under.”
Before launching Kylie Cosmetics, Jenner had a large following on social media, and she admits that her platform helped contribute to her success. “I am a special case because before I started Kylie Cosmetics, I had a huge platform and lots of fans,” she revealed.
However, she's adamant that she's been financially independent since she was 15 years old, which prompted her to start her own business. "I did not get money from my parents past the age of 15," says Kylie. "I used 100 percent of my own money to start the company, not a dime in my bank account is inherited… and I am very proud of that.”
A post shared by Kylie (@kyliejenner) on Mar 21, 2019 at 12:50pm PDT
Even the reality star didn't expect the company, which began with the launch of three Lip Kits, to become as popular as it has in recent years. “I never thought that this could happen. I believed in Kylie Cosmetics but I didn’t even know what I was getting myself into,” she says. “It feels amazing, it’s wild, and being the youngest ever to do it is a blessing. I now want to focus on giving back to people and doing things that I’m passionate about.”
At just 21 years old, Kylie reached the billionaire milestone two years ahead of Mark Zuckerberg. The overall valuation of her Kylie Cosmetics brand is conservatively estimated at $900 million, but the Keeping Up with the Kardashians star also cashes checks from product endorsements, her clothing line with sister Kendall Jenner, and her family's hit TV show.
“I didn’t expect anything. I did not foresee the future,” Jenner told Forbes. “But [the recognition] feels really good. That’s a nice pat on the back.” Indeed, it is.
