Kylie Jenner set to become youngest ever ‘self-made’ billionaire

American reality TV star Kylie Jenner is about to become a billionaire. The 20-year-old “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” star could beat Mark Zuckerberg for the title of youngest ever self-made billionaire, but people are objecting on the use of the term “self-made.”

On Wednesday, Forbes unveiled its headline for its August edition, with the youngest Kardashian-Jenner brood gracing the cover. According to the article, Jenner, who will turn 21 on Aug. 10, is set to become the youngest ever self-made billionaire, which is currently held by the Facebook founder. Zuckerberg entered the exclusive rich list at age 23.

The bulk of her fortune comes from her Kylie Cosmetics makeup company, which she owns 100 percent. The company, which was launched in 2014, has since enjoyed immense success, selling more than US$630 million (AU$856 million) worth of makeup, including an estimated US$330 million (AU$450 million) in 2017.

By Forbes’ conservative estimate, Jenner’s company is valued at nearly US$800 million (AU$1.09 billion). She’s also a paid endorser of various products, which means her net worth is even more than that. She is estimated to be US$900 million (AU$1.2 billion) worth.

That alone makes her the youngest person on Forbes’ annual ranking of America’s Richest Self-Made Women. And with the way things are going with her successful cosmetics company, it looks like she is set to become a billionaire. This would make her the youngest person self-made billionaire ever, male or female.

By comparison, her most famous sister, Kim Kardashian West, is estimated to be worth only US$350 million (AU$475 million).

Jenner, who gave birth to her daughter Stormi in February, said social media was her ultimate platform to reach out to her fans and customers. It also helps that Kylie Cosmetics has low overhead and marketing costs. It consists of just seven full-time and five part-time employees, with its products’ manufacturing and packaging outsourced to a private-label producer and sold through online outlet Shopify.

Her being the most financially successful Kardashian-Jenner has impressed people on social media but also raised some eyebrows. Critics are calling out Forbes for calling Jenner “self-made” as she didn’t exactly come from nothing.

Being the daughter of Olympics decathlon star Caitlyn Jenner and “momager” Kris Jenner, she was born into a life of privilege. Thanks to Kardashian West’s fame, the whole family’s “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” has become one of the most successful reality TV shows in the US. She has grown up in front of the camera, though it was essentially her elder half-sisters’ show at first. Their mum was also the businesswoman who steered her children into the direction of fame. And without that fame, as well as their wealth even before that fame, Jenner apparently wouldn’t be able to reach this level of success.