Is that a man with pink hair? A woman? No. It’s just Jeffree Star, YouTube’s most fabulous makeup guru. Boasting a net worth of over $50 million, according to Cosmopolitan, Star is not only a YouTuber, but also an entrepreneur, investor, ex-pop star and very big spender.
Star’s entertaining and open personality is surely what makes him such a huge success. His most popular videos include large crazy designer hauls, makeup hauls and confession stories. But along with the whole YouTube community, Star has had his fair share of controversies. Ranging from early racist tweets to petty feuds, Star “spills the tea” on all the drama in his weekly videos.
Star’s career began during the MySpace era, when he amassed a cult following through his edgy demeanor. After a conflict in August 2017 with socialite Kim Kardashian West, Kardashian West’s dedicated followers dug up several of Star’s derogatory posts on his old MySpace page; he casually threw around the n-word among other racist comments.
Star’s earnest apology allowed him and his company to bounce back from the damaging incident, which can’t be said for many other YouTube stars involved in online controversies. Though a lot of people still haven’t completely forgiven him, he has put his past in the past and chosen to move on.
In Shane Dawson’s YouTube exposé series on Star, Dawson follows Star through his Calabasas mansion, which sits cozily between Khloe Kardashian’s and Travis Barker’s homes.
Dawson’s video provided an exclusive look into Star’s opulent life and an exclusive tour through his house, which Star rarely shows off in his videos.
Another highlight of Dawson’s video, titled “The Secret World of Jeffree Star,” is the exploration of just one of several of Star’s closets. The total worth of Star’s walk in closet is estimated to be $7 million, Star said. It is filled with Hermes Birkins, jewelry and limited edition clothing items and handbags from brands like Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Supreme.
So how can a YouTuber afford all of these things? Even with the high pay a popular YouTuber receives from ads and sponsorships, no one can reach that high of a net worth on just a YouTube salary; the average YouTube salary is $2,000 for every million views on videos, which the YouTuber keeps 45 percent of.
So what exactly does Star do?
“There must be some kind of drug thing going on,” Dawson jokes in his video on Star. Star does so much more than just his makeup business. He has invested in several properties around the world, as well as the marijuana business; he also considers every one of his limited edition, expensive handbags to be huge investments, equating them to purchasing a home as they fluctuate in price and are resold for a large profit. In all, Star has said he has about 10 businesses going right now.
Star’s personal brand, Jeffree Star Cosmetics, is a multi-million dollar company that launched in 2014. His line has racked up thousands of buyers and even rivals the infamous Kylie Cosmetics. His makeup often reflects parts of his life, like his eyeshadow palette Androgynous, which refers to his style and look.
On top of his work, Star also provides a unique personality to the YouTube community. To his viewers, Star has openly admitted his gender identity as a gay androgynous male, and as a result, he is a huge advocate and part of the LGBTQ community. In June, he donated $125,000 to the Los Angeles LGBT Center.
Clearly, Jeffree Star is no average beauty YouTuber, and the range of his endeavors and success leaves all of his viewers “shook.”