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How Jessica Alba Made A $1 Billion Company

While most film stars might aim for Vanity Fair, Jessica Alba landed herself on the cover of Forbes magazine this week.

The 34-year-old actress has been dubbed ‘America’s richest self-made woman’ by the business bible, and it’s got almost nothing to do with her movie career.

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Alba, best known for her roles in 'Sin City’ and 'Fantastic Four’, founded The Honest Company in 2012, which makes ethical and eco-friendly baby products, and it’s now worth $1 billion, with Alba owning a 15 to 20 percent stake with her other co-founders.

Put into a bit of context, the actress, with her $200 million fortune, was just shy of entering the magazine’s famed Top 50 rich list.

She was inspired to start the company when she expecting her first child with appropriately-named husband Cash Warren in 2008.

An incident washing items she was given at her baby shower – the detergent brought her out in welts – made her recall growing up with countless illnesses and allergies.

She suffered collapsed lungs, various bouts of pneumonia and asthma, and found herself isolated from other children because of her frequent spells in hospital.

So she decided to launch a company in 2012, first making non-toxic and eco-friendly nappies, and then all manner of other products, with toiletries using natural ingredients like baking soda, essential oils and vinegar.

They also make beeswax sunscreen and quality vegan leather goods.

In just two years, the company was worth $150 million, and this year it was valued at $1 billion.

But it’s the online side of the company which cleans up – making up 75 percent of revenue – where monthly packs of nappies and wipes are shipped out to customers for $79.95 – just over £50.

“I felt like my needs weren’t being met as a modern person. I want beautiful design like everybody else. But it shouldn’t be premium-priced, and it should, of course, be safe,” she said.

Alba was in Seoul in South Korea yesterday, championing the brand in another new territory.

As for the company’s worth, she said: “If we really want to make a difference in the world and people’s health, it’s billions and billions of dollars, not just one.”

She’s currently filming actioner 'Mechanic: Resurrection’ with Jason Statham and Tommy Lee Jones, due out next year, so still keeping up her acting career.

Image credits: AP/Forbes