When Did Kylie Cosmetics Launch?
Kylie Cosmetics launched on November 30, 2015, initially under the name Kylie Lip Kits. The brand debuted with three liquid lipstick and lip liner sets that sold out in less than a minute, marking the start of what would become a billion-dollar beauty empire.
The Original Launch Details
At just 18 years old, Kylie Jenner introduced her first beauty product with a carefully orchestrated release. The initial collection featured three nude-to-brown shades: Candy K (a warm nude), Dolce K (a medium beige nude), and True Brown K (a deep chocolate brown). Each kit was priced at $29 and included both a matte liquid lipstick and a matching lip liner.
The production run was intentionally limited to test market demand. Jenner and her mother Kris Jenner partnered with Seed Beauty to manufacture just 15,000 units total—5,000 of each shade. Kylie funded the initial production herself, investing $250,000 from her modeling earnings. The decision to start small proved wise when the entire inventory sold out within 30 seconds to one minute of going live on the website.
The rapid sellout wasn’t just hype. The launch coincided with Jenner’s massive social media presence, particularly on Snapchat where she had the platform’s most-followed account at the time. She had spent months teasing the products through Instagram posts and Snapchat stories, building anticipation among her millions of followers.
The Rebrand to Kylie Cosmetics
The Lip Kit by Kylie name didn’t last long. In February 2016, just three months after the initial launch, Jenner renamed the brand to Kylie Cosmetics. This rebrand accompanied a significant production increase—from 15,000 units to 500,000 units across six shades. The Valentine’s Day 2016 collection introduced three new colors: Posie K, Mary Jo K, and Koko K, doubling the product line.
The name change reflected Jenner’s broader ambitions. “Lip Kit by Kylie” suggested a single product category, while “Kylie Cosmetics” signaled plans for expansion beyond lip products. That expansion came quickly—by July 2016, the brand launched its first Kyshadow eyeshadow palette, moving beyond lips for the first time.
What Made the Launch So Successful
Several factors converged to make the Kylie Cosmetics launch remarkably effective. The scarcity model—releasing limited quantities that sold out quickly—created urgency and desire. Each restock generated renewed excitement, with customers eagerly awaiting new drops.
Jenner’s personal connection to the products resonated with consumers. She had been open about her insecurity regarding her lip size, and the Lip Kits were positioned as helping others achieve the “Kylie lip” look. The authenticity of this narrative, combined with her enormous reach (97.4 million Instagram followers by 2017), gave the brand immediate credibility.
The direct-to-consumer model also played a crucial role. By selling exclusively online through the brand’s website, Kylie Cosmetics avoided traditional retail markups and maintained higher profit margins. About 70 percent of transactions occurred on mobile devices, reflecting how perfectly the brand aligned with its young, digitally-native target audience.
Early Growth and Milestones
The brand’s growth trajectory was steep. By the end of 2016, Kylie Cosmetics had generated over $300 million in revenue. The holiday collection launch on November 21, 2016, became the brand’s biggest single sales day, bringing in approximately $19 million in 24 hours.
In its first 18 months of operation, Kylie Cosmetics earned $420 million in sales. For context, it took Tom Ford Beauty 10 years to reach $500 million, Bobbi Brown 25 years to hit $1 billion, and Lancôme 80 years to achieve the same milestone. The accelerated timeline reflected both Jenner’s marketing prowess and the changing landscape of beauty retail.
The brand expanded beyond online sales starting in December 2016 with pop-up shops, beginning at Topanga Westfield Mall in Los Angeles. These temporary retail experiences created event-like atmospheres where fans could purchase products in person and sometimes meet Jenner herself. The pop-up strategy proved so successful that in November 2017, Kylie Cosmetics partnered with Topshop for seven five-week pop-ups across the United States.
Evolution Since Launch
Kylie Cosmetics has undergone several transformations since that November 2015 debut. The product range expanded to include face products (Kylighter highlighters launched in early 2017), concealers, blushes, eyeshadows, and brushes. Family collaborations became a signature strategy, with collections featuring sisters Kim, Khloé, Kourtney, and Kendall, as well as mother Kris.
In November 2019, beauty conglomerate Coty acquired a 51% stake in Kylie Cosmetics for $600 million, valuing the company at $1.2 billion. The partnership aimed to expand global distribution and retail presence. In November 2018, the brand had already made products available at Ulta stores, marking its first major retail partnership.
The brand underwent a complete relaunch in July 2021, reformulating all products to be clean, vegan, and cruelty-free. This overhaul reflected changing consumer preferences toward cleaner beauty formulations. The new lip kits boasted 8-hour wear time and improved comfort, addressing some of the formula criticisms from earlier versions.
Most recently, in October 2025, Kylie Cosmetics celebrated its 10-year anniversary with the King Kylie Collection, a nostalgic tribute to the brand’s origins featuring the original lip kit shades in throwback packaging.
The Launch’s Lasting Impact
The Kylie Cosmetics launch fundamentally changed how celebrity beauty brands operate. Jenner demonstrated that a massive social media following could translate directly into sales without traditional advertising or retail infrastructure. The model of limited drops, influencer marketing through personal social media, and direct-to-consumer sales became the blueprint for countless beauty brands that followed.
The November 30, 2015 launch date marks more than just the start of one company. It represents a shift in the beauty industry toward influencer-driven brands, social media marketing, and the collapse of traditional barriers between celebrities and entrepreneurship. What began as three lip kits and a $250,000 investment became a case study in modern brand building.
Frequently Asked Questions
When exactly did Kylie Cosmetics first go on sale?
Kylie Cosmetics (originally Kylie Lip Kits) went on sale November 30, 2015, at 9 AM PST. The first products were available exclusively through the brand’s website and sold out within one minute.
How much did the original Kylie Lip Kits cost?
Each Kylie Lip Kit was priced at $29. The kit included a matte liquid lipstick and a matching lip liner. Individual products were later offered separately, with lip liners at $14 and lipsticks at $17.
What were the original Kylie Lip Kit colors?
The three original shades were Candy K (a warm nude with pink undertones), Dolce K (a medium beige nude), and True Brown K (a deep chocolate brown). All three fell within the nude-to-brown color family.
Why did Kylie Lip Kits change to Kylie Cosmetics?
The brand was renamed from Lip Kit by Kylie to Kylie Cosmetics in February 2016 to reflect planned expansion beyond lip products. The name change signaled the brand’s evolution into a full cosmetics line rather than a single-product company.
The story of when Kylie Cosmetics launched is really about timing, platform, and understanding your audience. November 30, 2015 wasn’t just a product release date—it was the moment when social media influence proved it could build a billion-dollar business from scratch. The brand’s tenth anniversary in 2025 stands as proof that the model works, even as the beauty landscape continues to change around it.