Kylie Jenner Says Her Family Cut Her off Financially at 15

Kylie Jenner is finally responding to criticism she received after being named one of Forbes‘ richest “self-made” women last year.

In the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star’s new cover story for PAPER Magazine, Jenner, 21, defended being called “self-made,” despite being a member of one of the most famous and wealthy families in the country.

Jenner explained to PAPER that mom Kris Jenner and dad Caitlyn Jenner “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.”

Kylie lived at home with mom Kris until she turned 18, purchasing soon after a $2.7 million home in Calabasas in 2015, the same year she launched the company that would become Kylie Cosmetics.

Creating her makeup company, Kylie continued that she “followed her heart” to find success, first with her lip kits.

“I just knew for myself as a customer, like, why am I buying a lip liner and a different lipstick? I wanted it the same color, I wanted it to be easy,” she told the magazine. “And I really spent every last dime that I had starting it, not even knowing if it would be successful.”

In the Forbes cover article, it was estimated that Kylie Cosmetics reached sales of $330 million in 2017, with Jenner’s company estimated at nearly $800 million. Jenner also earns a hefty payday for appearing on Keeping Up With the Kardashians as well as deals with companies like Puma and PacSun, leading to an estimated total net worth of $900 million.

The magazine estimated that Jenner is on track to become the youngest-ever self-made billionaire, dethroning Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, who currently earned the honor at 23.

Kris explained to TMZ in July of her daughter’s trajectory, “She had a plan for Kylie Cosmetics when she was 17, and said, ‘O.K., mom, I want you to sit down, I finally figured out what I want to do for the rest of my life.’ And I’m like, ‘Woah, O.K.!’”

“And she said, ‘It’s gonna be makeup,’” Kris continued. “‘I wanna do my own makeup and I wanna do a lip kit and this is what I wanna do and these are the three colors.’”

Photo credit: Getty Images for Adidas / Erik Voake