Why Is Kylie the Richest Kardashian-Jenner Sister?

Last December, a major fashion magazine reported that the Kardashian clan is among the wealthiest families in the world. Kendall Jenner is the highest-paid model on earth, and her half-sister, Kim Kardashian, has already raked in more than $100 million with her cosmetics line, according to Harper’s Bazaar.

Pretty good stats, but neither is the richest Kardashian-Jenner sister. That distinction goes to 21-year-old Kylie. Why is Kylie the richest Kardashian-Jenner sister? Here’s what we found out:

Kylie’s early years

Born August 10, 1997 in Los Angeles, Kylie Jenner entered a life of privilege (some would say excess) right from the start. Her dad, Bruce Jenner, was a former Olympic track star, and her mom, Kris Kardashian-Jenner, was the beautiful ex-wife of a celebrated lawyer. The Jenners had one daughter, Kendall, before Kylie was born, and the parents brought eight step-siblings into the mix, as well. Today, the youngest of the Kardashian-Jenner clan is also the richest of the bunch.

In 2018, Forbes magazine made the astonishing prediction that Kylie was poised to become the ‘youngest self-made billionaire’ in America, and she’ll do it at a younger age than Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg. The esteemed money magazine ranked Kylie fifth among richest American celebs, trailing only filmmakers George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, television hostess Oprah Winfrey, and retired basketballer, Michael Jordan. To date, Kylie is the only member of the Kardashian-Jenner family to rank in Forbes’ top ten wealthiest.

She modeled, but that’s not what made her so rich

In 2007, when she was just ten years old, Kylie and her siblings, Kendall, Kim, Kourtney, Kim, Rob, and Khloe, were cast along with their parents in the surprisingly successful reality television show, Keeping Up With the Kardashians. Aired on the E! Network, the show undoubtedly put some nice paychecks into the pockets of the Kardashian-Jenner sisters, but KUWTK is by no means the biggest moneymaker in Kylie’s life.

Before Kylie switched to homeschooling, she was a cheerleader at Sierra Canyon High School in Chatsworth, California. Around the same time, she landed her first modeling gig posing for print ads for the Sears ‘Crush Your Style’ campaign. Since then, the youngest and richest of the Kardashian-Jenner clan has modeled for Teen Vogue and OK! magazine, among others. She also strode the runway on behalf of Avril Lavigne’s Abby Dawn Runway fashion line at New York Fashion Week in 2011. But that’s still not what made the 5’6″ celeb so doggone wealthy.

Kylie Jenner’s makeup wealth

Forbes estimates that Kylie’s makeup line, Kylie Cosmetics, is worth an astounding $800 million and there are no signs that profits will slow down anytime soon. Factor in her TV earnings and product endorsements, and it’s easy to see how Kylie became an almost-billionaire before her 22nd birthday.

According to Kylie Cosmetics’ official website, the makeup company that made Ms. Jenner one of the wealthiest women in the world launched three years ago with the now-famous Lip Kit. Comprising a liquid lip color and matching lip liner, the Lip Kit was the first of Kylie’s products to send sales into the stratosphere. Today, Kylie’s Cosmetics offers dozens of beauty-enhancing products, including concealers, highlighters, bronzers, blushes, and eye shadow palettes. The coveted cosmetics line also delivers high-quality makeup brushes and fashion accessories.

The other Kardashian-Jenners are doing alright for themselves, too

According to Harper’s Bazaar, sister Kim is worth close to $350 million, much of which she earned with her own line of cosmetics, KKW Beauty. Kim’s husband, Kanye West, is worth a purported $160 million. Kylie’s dad, who now goes by the name Caitlyn Jenner, boasts a net worth of $100 million, and her mom, Kris, is worth approximately $60 million. Bankrate says that sister Khloe has assets of around $40 million, and sister Kourtney has some $35 million to her name. Not bad for a family with little discernible talent besides garnering publicity.