Kylie Jenner recently discussed building her makeup empire as the digital cover star for Paper magazine's "Transformation" issue.
Jenner responded to the backlash from her Forbes cover story from last year, which claimed Jenner was on track to become the world's youngest "self-made billionaire." Many readers slammed the magazine for implying that the 21-year-old, who comes from a famous family of means, built her wealth from the ground-up.
"The self-made thing is true," Jenner told Paper, citing the fact that her parents "cut her off at the age of 15."
"My parents told me I needed to make my own money, it's time to learn how to save and spend your own money, stuff like that," she said. "What I'm trying to say is I did have a platform, but none of my money is inherited."
The Kylie Cosmetics founder said she spent "spent every last dime that I had" launching the company, "not even knowing if it would be successful."
The company was originally launched as Kylie Lip Kits, shortly after Jenner admitted to getting "temporary lip fillers," in 2015. Jenner has said she was inspired to create her cornerstone product after becoming "obsessed" with how wearing lipstick made her feel.
"I took my insecurity with my lips and turned it into my business model," Jenner said in an interview with Vogue Australia. "I just loved bigger lips, and I just got obsessed. To this day, I can't leave the house without lipstick."
In August 2018, Forbes valued Jenner's namesake empire at nearly $800 million.
Jenner also told Paper that she's "terrified" of plastic surgery, but admitted that her look is largely thanks to "fillers," including those that made her lips famous.
You can read the full interview here.
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