Kylie Jenner has expanded her ever-growing empire with the launch of her much-talked-about website and corresponding app this morning. The social media maven, who has 35.7 million followers on Instagram, will use the website — TheKylieJenner.com — and app to connect with her fans in a more personal (or as personal as a Kardashian can be) way: through beauty tutorials, outfit breakdowns, and even a radio function on the app that allows you to listen to music curated by Kylie herself.
"I have spent so much time trying to make this the dopest place for you guys to come to see makeup tutorials," Kylie says in a video promo for her new app. "It's just a cool place for you guys to come and learn a bit more about me." Yep, sure sounds dope.
The first tutorial on the site features makeup artist Hrush Achemyan creating a "glam" makeup look on Kylie for her 18th birthday — complete with the products used and a step-by-step walk-through of how she made it happen. The site also includes posts on Kylie's favorite beauty products.
But learning more about Kylie is not without a price tag. After a few minutes of perusing the domain, you'll notice that all that free insider knowledge only lasts so long. The public can see some posts, but others are marked "exclusive" for subscribers only. Visitors have the option to sign up for a seven-day free trial, but not before entering their credit card information. When the trial ends, users can "enjoy an introductory subscription offer of just $2.99/month."
Taking over the web appears to be a Kardashian Kompany-wide initiative, as sisters Kendall Jenner, Kim Kardashian West, and Khloé Kardashian have all announced their own apps and websites, each following the monthly subscription model. What is this? The Kardashian version of The New York Times?
There's no denying that Kylie has had a significant impact in the beauty space — from products to looks to general commentary — but we wonder how successful this venture will be. Other celebs' websites — Lauren Conrad's The Beauty Department, Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop, Blake Lively's Preserve — offer their content for free, giving fans access to the celebs they love and their lifestyles without having to pay a monthly fee.
And let's not forget about social media — what made Kylie into the influential figure she is today. Fans are used to having access to her and her beauty looks, and browsing through her Instagram and other outlets. Would a subscription site cause her to pull back from posting on social media, or will she continue to open up and share her beauty moments? We're interested to see how this shakes out. Until then, we'll be off exploring the self-titled "dopest place" on the interwebs.
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