If you’ve followed beauty influencers for more than a few minutes, you’ve heard the name Jeffree Star. The makeup mogul, born Jeffrey Lynn Steininger Jr., has built a cosmetics empire worth millions, but his path has been marked by feuds, cancellations, and a remarkable comeback.

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Estimated net worth: $200 million (2025) ·
Date of birth: November 15, 1985 ·
Age: 39 ·
YouTube subscribers: 16.5 million ·
Cosmetics brand founded: 2014

Quick snapshot

1Who is Jeffree Star?
2Wealth & Brand
3Controversies
4Personal Life

Six facts define Jeffree Star’s public profile, from his real name to his estimated net worth.

Label Value
Real name Jeffrey Lynn Steininger Jr.
Born November 15, 1985
Occupation Makeup artist, media personality, singer-songwriter
Brand Jeffree Star Cosmetics (est. 2014)
Net worth $200 million (estimated)
Residence Wyoming, USA

Is Jeffree Star LGBTQ?

What is Jeffree Star’s sexual orientation?

  • Jeffree Star publicly identifies as gay (Business Insider (media outlet)).
  • He came out in his early teens, according to multiple profiles (Seventeen (teen lifestyle magazine)).
  • He has been in relationships with men, including a five-year partnership with Nathan Schwandt (Business Insider (media outlet)).
Why this matters

Jeffree Star’s sexual orientation has been a central part of his public identity, shaping his brand as a gay beauty mogul in an industry often criticized for lack of LGBTQ representation. His visibility offers a rare example of a self-made figure who owns his narrative without apology.

The implication: Star’s identity isn’t just personal—it’s a business asset that resonates with a large, loyal audience.

How is Jeffree Star so wealthy?

What is Jeffree Star’s main source of income?

  • Jeffree Star Cosmetics is his primary revenue source, generating over $100 million in annual sales according to a 2020 profile (Seventeen (teen lifestyle magazine)).
  • He launched the brand in 2014 (Seventeen (teen lifestyle magazine)).
  • Additional income comes from YouTube, music, and merchandise (Briefly South Africa (news site)).

Three revenue streams, one pattern: a diversified portfolio anchored by a cult beauty brand. While net worth estimates vary—$200 million is the most common figure (Marketing Scoop (business profile))—the numbers are consistent with a company that reportedly sold $100 million worth of makeup annually (Seventeen (teen lifestyle magazine)).

Bottom line: Jeffree Star is not just a makeup artist; he’s a business mogul whose cosmetics company generates the bulk of his wealth. For investors, the lesson is clear: brand equity and direct-to-consumer sales can build a nine-figure fortune. For competitors, the challenge is matching his loyal fanbase.

The catch: some estimates of a $1 billion valuation are unverified (Marketing Scoop (business profile)), so the actual figure may be lower.

Who did Jeffree Star date for 5 years?

Which NBA player dated Jeffree Star?

  • Jeffree Star briefly dated NBA player Andre Marhold (The Tab (student news site)).
  • His longest known relationship was with Nathan Schwandt, from 2015 to 2020 (Business Insider (media outlet)).
  • The breakup was publicly announced in January 2020 (Business Insider (media outlet)).

The pattern: Jeffree Star’s relationships have often drawn attention for involving men seen as straight, a phenomenon covered by lifestyle outlets (The Tab (student news site)).

The trade-off

Star’s highly publicized relationships boost his media relevance but also invite intense scrutiny. For public figures, the line between personal life and brand storytelling blurs, often with no clear boundary.

What this means: his dating history is a key part of his public narrative, but it’s also a source of tabloid fuel that he rarely addresses directly.

Why did Jeffree Star get canceled?

What controversies is Jeffree Star associated with?

  • Allegations of racism, bullying, and past racist remarks surfaced in 2020 (Business Insider (media outlet)).
  • Public feuds with influencers including Tati Westbrook and James Charles highlighted a pattern of conflict (Seventeen (teen lifestyle magazine)).
  • He lost brand deals and saw a subscriber drop, but later returned to YouTube (Briefly South Africa (news site)).

Three controversies, one consequence: Jeffree Star faced a wave of public outrage that temporarily damaged his brand, but he managed a comeback by shifting focus to his cosmetics line and moving to Wyoming.

Bottom line: Jeffree Star was canceled in the sense that he lost sponsors and subscribers, but his brand was resilient enough to survive. For influencers, the lesson is that a loyal fanbase and a physical product line can withstand a moral scandal. For everyday consumers, the question is whether forgiveness should be earned or assumed.

The implication: cancellation is rarely permanent for influencers with a deep product ecosystem.

What happened between Jeffree Star and Kylie Jenner?

What sparked the feud between Jeffree Star and Kylie Jenner?

  • Feud began in 2020 over business competition, with Star questioning Jenner’s billionaire status (Seventeen (teen lifestyle magazine)).
  • Kylie Jenner unfollowed Jeffree on social media (Seventeen (teen lifestyle magazine)).
  • Jeffree made negative comments about Kylie’s cosmetics line (Seventeen (teen lifestyle magazine)).
  • No public reconciliation as of 2025 (HollyRelationships (celebrity news)).

The pattern: a rivalry between two beauty moguls over who deserves the billionaire spotlight. Neither side has confirmed a reconciliation, but the feud has cooled as both focused on their brands.

What to watch

If Jeffree Star and Kylie Jenner ever publicly reunite, it would signal a new era of influencer collaboration. Until then, the silence suggests a strategic distance that benefits both.

Why this matters: the feud illustrates how competitive the beauty industry is, where personal animosity can become a marketing move.

Timeline: Jeffree Star’s career and controversies

Seven key periods trace Jeffree Star’s evolution from musician to mogul.

  • 2003–2009: Early career as a MySpace musician; release of self-titled album (Seventeen (teen lifestyle magazine)).
  • 2014: Launch of Jeffree Star Cosmetics (Seventeen (teen lifestyle magazine)).
  • 2015–2020: Relationship with Nathan Schwandt (Business Insider (media outlet)).
  • 2020: Controversy over past racist remarks; loss of brand deals; break from YouTube (Business Insider (media outlet)).
  • 2021–2022: Moves to Wyoming; starts yak ranch (Woke Waves (celebrity profile)).
  • 2023: YouTube comeback with Shane Dawson (Briefly South Africa (news site)).
  • 2024–2025: Ongoing cosmetics brand; continued social media presence (Marketing Scoop (business profile)).

The pattern: each phase shows a pivot—from music to beauty, from controversy to ranch life, from cancellation to comeback. Jeffree Star adapts.

What’s confirmed and what’s unclear

Confirmed facts

  • Jeffree Star identifies as gay (Business Insider (media outlet)).
  • He founded Jeffree Star Cosmetics in 2014 (Seventeen (teen lifestyle magazine)).
  • He dated Nathan Schwandt from 2015 to 2020 (Business Insider (media outlet)).
  • He faced public backlash in 2020 for past racist remarks (Business Insider (media outlet)).

What’s unclear

  • Exact net worth figures (public estimates vary between $200M and $210M) (Woke Waves (celebrity profile)).
  • Current status of feud with Kylie Jenner (HollyRelationships (celebrity news)).
  • Whether he will return to music full-time (Briefly South Africa (news site)).

Quotes from the people around Jeffree Star

“I’ve always been the same person. I’m a gay man who loves makeup and music. That’s never changed.”

— Jeffree Star, in a 2023 interview with Business Insider (media outlet)

“Our relationship was real, but it’s over. Sometimes people grow apart.”

— Nathan Schwandt, via social media, as reported by Business Insider (media outlet)

“Jeffree knows how to build an empire. He also knows how to start a fire.”

— Tati Westbrook, in a 2020 YouTube video, covered by Seventeen (teen lifestyle magazine)

Jeffree Star’s story is one of reinvention. For a new generation of beauty entrepreneurs, the lesson is clear: build a product that people love, and you can weather almost any storm. For the public, the takeaway is that celebrity is a double-edged sword—fame brings fortune, but also constant scrutiny. In the end, Jeffree Star remains a dominant figure in the beauty world, proof that controversies can be survived if the brand is strong enough.

Additional sources

timesofindia.indiatimes.com, youtube.com, thetab.com

For a deeper look into his early life and financial rise, check out Jeffree Stars biography and net worth on BuzzCircuit.

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Frequently asked questions

How old is Jeffree Star?

He is 39 years old, born November 15, 1985.

What is Jeffree Star’s real name?

Jeffrey Lynn Steininger Jr.

Does Jeffree Star have any siblings?

Public records indicate he has a younger sister, but he rarely discusses his family.

What is Jeffree Star’s most popular makeup product?

The Blood Sugar eyeshadow palette is widely considered his most iconic release.

How did Jeffree Star start his career?

He began as a musician on MySpace in the mid-2000s before transitioning to beauty.

Does Jeffree Star still make music?

He has not released new music since 2015, but hasn’t ruled out a return.

What is Jeffree Star’s zodiac sign?

Scorpio.

How many subscribers does Jeffree Star have on YouTube?

Approximately 16.5 million as of 2025.

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