Fashion

How 2016 Changed Kylie Jenner Forever

by Shea Simmons
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

Confession: Kylie Jenner fascinates me. From her mysterious love of lip-syncing on Snapchat to her ever growing collection of puppies that she showcases on social media, she's definitely one of the most mysterious celebrities around. While she has always been very interesting, I have to say that this year was what really sealed the deal. That's because 2016 changed Kylie Jenner in a major way, forever.

While that may sound a tad bit dramatic, it was only in 2016 that Jenner truly came to prominence on a global scale. Sure, everyone knew the baby Jenner sister from her family's reality show, Keeping Up With The Kardashians, but in 2016, Jenner moved from her supporting role in the fam and arose as the star of the Kardashian-Jenner clan. Move over, Kim K — there's a new selfie queen, or should I say king, in town.

While an argument could be made that Jenner's rocket to uber-stardom began in late 2015, 2016 is truly the year that changed it all. After all, for Jenner, this was the year of "realizing things," and apparently, she realized that she's a BAMF.

Here are all of the reasons 2016 was such a huge year for Kylie Jenner and how it changed her life forever.

Like Realizing Stuff

How do I know 2016 changed everything for Kylie Jenner? Because it came straight from her mouth. Jenner knew that 2016 was going to be the year of realizing things — as she explained in a video on her website — and she certainly realized that she was a boss with an upcoming empire.

Kendall + Kylie

It's hard to think of a time when Kendall + Kylie wasn't being sold at Nordstrom, but at the beginning of 2016, Kylie Jenner was just beginning work with her sister on their very own clothing line. As 2016 progressed, fans got to see adorable backpacks, keychains modeled after Jenner's dogs Norman and Bambie, and some seriously killer apparel. It marked the beginning of Jenner's dual involvement in both cosmetics and clothing.

The Move To Kylie Cosmetics

Lip Kits by Kylie were great, but nothing can top Jenner's move to Kylie Cosmetics. When Jenner first launched lip kits back in 2015, they were fantastic, but they were just lip kits. In 2016, Lip Kits by Kylie officially became Kylie Cosmetics. It was the first sign that major things where about to come from Jenner.

The Restock Phenomenon

In the beginning of Kylie Cosmetics, the brand was sometimes written off by those who weren't direct fans of Jenner's. While people continued to be skeptical of Jenner's products, they couldn't deny the popularity. In 2016, Jenner created a restock phenomenon unlike anything I've personally ever seen. With lip kits selling out in minutes, Kylie Cosmetics was already a successful company. It was only a matter of time before she would expand her beauty empire and it couldn't be ignored.

The Celebrity Factor

It wasn't long after Kylie Cosmetics became a real brand that makeup artists and celebrities began to use and wear her products. Following a formula change, things seemed to really be on the up and up for Kylie Cosmetics, and the brand began to make waves in the makeup community.

The Kylie Gloss

With the success of the lip kits growing and Kylie Jenner's expansion into Kylie Cosmetics, it was only a matter of time until her products expanded as well. Once Jenner totally nailed her matte liquid lip, she moved on to glosses.

"Gloss" Music Video

There arguably hasn't been larger fanfare in Kylie Jenner's 2016 than her "Glosses" music video. While all of Jenner's product launches have been major on social media, the sheer breadth of coverage that the "Glosses" music video received was next level. Leave it to Jenner to launch a new product with a full-on music video.

Video Game Domination

There has always been rumbling that Kylie Jenner was the new Kim Kardashain, and in 2016, another similarity between the two emerged. While Kardashian's video game has been killing it for quite some time, Jenner's game with sister Kendall reached new heights proving that she's more than just a makeup line.

PUMA Spokesperson

Despite some negative comments from brother-in-law Kanye West, Kylie Jenner's PUMA campaign was yet another way the star owned 2016.

Metal Mattes

Jenner didn't stop expanding Kylie Cosmetics with glosses. Instead, she created an entirely new formula via her metal mattes.

Kylie Takes A Stand

In 2016, rumors swirled that Jenner's Kylie Cosmetics had received an F rating from the Better Business Bureau. Jenner was quick to dismiss claims she was not handling complaints about the company and only concerned with revenue. It was truly a moment that made people realize just how much Jenner cared for Kylie Cosmetics and its fans.

The KyShadow Palette

2016 was truly a time of change for Jenner, and a huge part of it was the expansion of Kylie Cosmetics. The reality star branched outside of her lip products and began crafting new items. First up was the highly anticipated and insanely successful KyShadow Bronze Palette.

The Kylie Birthday Collection

Just when fans were getting over the shock of KyShadow, Jenner released her massively successful Birthday Collection. The collection was yet again a launch of all new products for Jenner and it included creme eyeshadow and Kyliner. It marked an even larger expansion for Kylie Cosmetics, and its success made both fans and non-fans look twice.

The Burgundy Palette

While Jenner's Kylie Cosmetics expansion into new eye products was a major moment, her subsequent launch of the KyShadow Burgundy palette can't be undercut. While many dismissive of her brand may have believed hype would dissipate following the Bronze Palette's release, they were quickly proven wrong.

Kylie's XTina Costume

One thing you can say about Kylie Jenner in 2016 is that she went hard. Her Xtina Halloween costume is proof of that. While it may not have been some major turning point for Jenner, it was insanely attention grabbing and made those of us hungry for some Xtina nostalgia very happy.

The KoKo Kollection

Jenner no longer was a one woman show in 2016. Instead, she branched out into her brand's first collaboration. The KoKo Kollection saw Jenner teaming up with big sister Khloe Kardashian, and the result was a smash hit collection.

The Holiday Edition

This collection is basically the one ring of Kylie Cosmetics. Packed full of new products, a brush set, and limited edition items, it was the most jam-packed special edition collection the brand has ever seen. The sheer enormity of it is basically just proof that Jenner's brand will not slow down, and why should it?

The Kylie Shop

How do I know that 2016 has been the year that changed Kylie Jenner forever? The Kylie Shop. It's the one stop shop for all things Kylie Jenner. Her popularity and brand have expanded to a point only seen by big sister Kim Kardashian. With hoodies, underwear, phone cases, and much more (all of which feature her face or name) the Kylie Shop is Jenner's final business venture of 2016, and it was the perfect way to encapsulate her year.

I think I speak on behalf of everyone when I say that I can't wait to see what 2017 has in store for Kylie Jenner.