Scott Borba, who founded e.l.f. Cosmetics before donating his fortune and entering the seminary, will be ordained at St. Charles Borromeo Church in Visalia on May 23.
published on May 12, 2026 – 3:32 PM
Written by Ben Hensley
Before he takes his vows, Scott Borba is already changing how some Valley Catholics put money in the collection plate.
Borba, the founder of e.l.f. Cosmetics who is preparing to be ordained as a Catholic priest, has helped introduce tap-to-give technology to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno through Toronto-based company TipTap Giving. The system allows churchgoers to donate using debit or credit cards through tap-enabled devices installed at participating parishes — a decidedly modern touch for an ancient institution.
“Scott’s already making an impact as a seminarian and bringing innovative methods and ideas to the church,” said Chandler Marquez, director of public affairs for the Diocese of Fresno.
Ordination date
Borba’s ordination, set for Saturday, May 23 at St. Charles Borromeo Church in Visalia, is drawing national and international attention as one of the more high-profile business figures to enter the priesthood in recent years.
Marquez said Borba’s path into ministry is not entirely uncommon — several priests in the diocese hail from business backgrounds. The scale of Borba’s, however, is something else.
“We have priests from all sorts of different walks of life,” Marquez said. “God calls a diverse group of men to serve because there’s a diverse group of people within the church.”
‘Like little businesses’
The diocese is one of the largest in the church, covering Fresno, Kings, Madera, Tulare, Kern, Inyo, Mariposa and Merced counties.
“We have 87 parishes and 21 schools throughout our Valley that are all managed by priests,” Marquez said. “They’re like little businesses.”
Borba grew up in Visalia and felt called to the priesthood from a young age, according to Marquez. He pursued a career in business first, working with Neutrogena before founding e.l.f. Cosmetics in Los Angeles. According to thecatholicspirit.com, he once gave a $7,000 facial to actress Mila Kunis before the 2011 Golden Globes.
Felt the calling
Borba has said in media interviews that he felt empty and miserable despite his fame and fortune — and Marquez said Borba’s calling was too great to ignore.
“That yearning to become a priest, and that tug at his heart was always there,” Marquez said.
Borba eventually donated his wealth to charitable causes and entered the Diocese of Fresno as a seminarian. He attended St. Patrick’s Seminary and University in Menlo Park before preparing for ordination.
Borba will be ordained alongside Marco Ayala and Jose Francisco Orozco. His parish assignment will be disclosed at the ordination Mass.