Kylie Jenner Reflects on a Decade of Kylie Cosmetics: A Fond Journey and a Bright Future
As September dawns, Kylie Jenner finds herself wrapping up a nostalgic morning after dropping her daughter, Stormi Webster, off for her first day of school. At the same time, chaos reigns in her office, with her three-year-old son, Aire, playfully darting around. The 28-year-old entrepreneur is balancing motherhood with her remarkable career milestone: the tenth anniversary of Kylie Cosmetics, her beauty brand that has evolved alongside her family life.
Jenner opens up about the deep emotions tied to this ten-year mark. Recently, while sorting through her old belongings, she found pictures from her teenage years, reflecting on her early days in the industry. Back in 2016, at just 17, she launched Kylie Cosmetics with little more than an idea and a collection of lip kits. “I never imagined we’d reach this level,” she shares, reminiscing about that first drop where 5,000 units of her lip kits sold out almost instantaneously. At that moment, traditional marketing strategies seemed outdated; instead, Jenner’s instinct to leverage Instagram became a revolutionary move that changed the beauty industry landscape.
As the makeup industry evolved, so did Jenner’s approach. Her iconic lip kits, characterized by their matte finish, inadvertently catered to the rising trend surrounding lip fillers—perfecting the "2016 makeup" look that defined the era. By 2020, her social media presence flourished, surpassing even her sister Kim Kardashian, and she became the first woman to accumulate over 300 million Instagram followers. With a staggering 490 million followers across her platforms, Jenner has utilized her online influence to forge a powerful connection with her audience, establishing herself as a significant player in beauty and branding.
But the birth of Kylie Cosmetics signified more than just personal growth; it also transformed the beauty industry. Kylie paved the way for other celebrities to create their own beauty empires, shifting the industry’s reliance on traditional marketing to a more personal, digitally-driven approach. In 2019, Coty acquired a 51% stake in Kylie Cosmetics for $600 million, further validating her brand’s impact on the market. Jenner has since expanded her entrepreneurial portfolio, launching a fashion brand and even a vodka soda line.
Kylie Cosmetics has faced its share of challenges, especially during the pandemic. Following a dip in sales, Jenner realized the need to evolve the brand further. “People want everyday products rather than just exciting launches,” she recognizes, committing to cultivate a beauty brand that resonates with consumers’ lifestyles. As makeup trends shift towards minimalism, her vision for Kylie Cosmetics has adapted to emphasize self-expression and uniqueness rather than mere transformation.
Today, Kylie Cosmetics stands poised to reclaim its place in the beauty world with new launches, including a soon-to-debut fragrance line. Jenner remains actively involved in product development, asking herself, “Would I wear this? Does it feel true to who I am?” As a mother, she hopes to pass on her legacy to Stormi, encouraging her daughter to take over the brand someday. With her eyes set on the future, Jenner is determined to build an enduring beauty empire akin to legends like Estée Lauder, inspiring future generations of entrepreneurs along the way.