Scott Vincent Borba left a multimillion-dollar beauty empire to become a Catholic priest. His story raises questions about success, faith, and God.

Scott Vincent Borba had achieved what many people spend their lives pursuing. As the co-founder of e.l.f. Cosmetics, he helped build a beauty business worth millions, enjoyed professional recognition, and experienced the kind of success that could easily become the definition of a good life. Yet, for Borba, something was missing.

In 2026, his unusual journey came into focus when he became a Catholic priest after walking away from the life he had built. His story is not simply about leaving a successful career. It is about what happens when worldly achievement no longer answers the deeper questions of the soul.

When Success Still Feels Empty

Borba was raised in a deeply Catholic family and recalled feeling called to the priesthood when he was only 10 years old. Instead of following that calling, however, he pursued business and eventually helped create e.l.f. Cosmetics after noticing consumers buying inexpensive cosmetics at a 99 Cent store.

The company became highly successful, but Borba later admitted that success never seemed to be enough. He wanted more money, recognition, media exposure, and opportunities. The more he achieved, the more he wanted.

That experience reflects a warning Jesus gave in the Bible as written in Matthew 16:26, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?”

Success itself is not sinful. Christians can honor God through business, leadership, creativity, and wealth. The deeper question is whether those things become our source of identity and satisfaction.

A Loss That Changed His Direction

Borba’s life took a painful turn when his father, Anthony Borba Sr., was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He returned home to help care for him, but his father’s death in 2010 left him emotionally devastated.

After his father’s death, Borba said he began partying more as a way to escape his grief. Eventually, during one night at his Hollywood Hills home, he reached a breaking point.

He looked toward Heaven and prayed for God to help him become the man he was created to be. He later described experiencing a profound encounter with Jesus that convinced him he was meant to become a priest.

His response was radical. He gave away his wealth, supported churches and charities, and entered seminary.

What His Story Says About Following God

Borba’s journey offers Christians a reminder that God’s calling does not always resemble the life the world tells us to pursue.

The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 12:2, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind”. Faith is not simply about adding prayer or church attendance to an already successful life. Sometimes, following God requires reexamining what we consider success in the first place.

Borba’s story also highlights the work of the Holy Spirit in drawing people toward a different purpose. His path may be unusual, but the underlying question is familiar: Are we building a life around what the world rewards, or around what God has created us to do?

For Borba, the answer eventually led from the beauty industry to the church. His story reminds us that no amount of money, recognition, or earthly achievement can replace the peace found when a person turns toward God and seeks to live according to His purpose.

*Cover Photo/Thumbnail Photo from Bible Art