Let's just get this one teensy fact out in the open: Kylie Jenner is not her lip injections. The 19-year-old has her own cosmetics line (which is actually damn good), is the face of footwear brand Puma, and stars in one of TV's biggest reality shows. You might not like her or the source of her fame, but you gotta admit that's pretty accomplished for a kid barely out of high school.
Yet, for some reason, all we've been able to talk about for the past three years seems to be her lips. Tracking their size, shape, and authenticity has become a full-time job for some. After denying it for many years, Jenner has finally revealed, that yes, she did get lip injections.
And, as of today, the star is explaining why. In an interview with Complex magazine, she said her lips have been a source of insecurity for years, harkening all the way back to middle school when a crush made a hurtful comment.
"This guy I kissed was like, ‘Your lips are really small, but you’re a really good kisser. I didn’t think you were gonna be good at kissing,’” she told the magazine. “It was so rude. From then on, I just felt like I saw guys staring at my lips. I felt like no one wanted to kiss me.”
After that, her self-confidence plummeted — until she decided to get injections at 16. Afterward, she kept the fact a secret for months because she was afraid of the response from fans and classmates. "I wasn't even 17 yet," she told Complex. "I didn’t want people to think you had to get your lips done to feel good about yourself. But they thought it was crazier that I was lying about it because it was so obvious. I wish I had just been honest and upfront.”
But the chatter about her "enhanced" appearance started to wear on Jenner, which is why she ultimately decided to come clean. "It’s annoying to hear every day that you’re just this fake, plastic person when you’re not," she said. She hit her limit when fans on social media began participating in a made-up #KylieJennerLipChallenge; she was even afraid to leave the house. "I felt super-trapped, like everybody was watching me," she said.
Now, thanks to support from her family, friends, and fans, Jenner has slowly been taking steps to control her anxiety. We're happy to see that she's comfortable enough to open up about the procedure now, but let's be clear: She didn't have to. Whatever you decide to do with your body — whether it's wearing makeup or undergoing plastic surgery — is 100% your choice, and you shouldn't have to answer to anyone about your decision.
Kylie, we say: You do you. And if it makes you feel good to finally answer the question — then that's a conversation we can get behind. But let's end this compulsion to constantly analyze, assess, and demand answers from every woman — from Jenner to Renée Zellweger — about their changing appearances. Famous or not famous, no one owes us that. So let's stop talking about Kylie's lips — once and for all.
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