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https://scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3089340/who-cosmetics-queen-huda-kattan-5-things-know-about-huda
Style/ Celebrities

Who is cosmetics queen Huda Kattan? 5 things to know about the Huda Beauty founder, Instagram star – and friend of Kim Kardashian

The daughter of Iraqi immigrants to the US has built up a cosmetics empire valued at more than US$1 billion, and is now focusing on the China beauty market

Huda Kattan, founder of Huda Beauty, has come a long way since feeling inadequate growing up in the US because her parents didn’t have much money and relied on government benefits. Photo: Instagram

The Huda Beauty brand has taken the Chinese market by storm. The Mercury Retrograde eye palette sold out in just one second on Tmall in March and Huda Kattan now only plans on making her presence in China even bigger.

Fans have seen her on a mission to transform the beauty industry, with her husband Chris and their daughter Nour in tow. Now, let’s get to know this cosmetics queen on a deeper level.

Born in the USA

Huda and Mona Kattan with Kim Kardashian and a friend during a trip to LA. Photo: Instagram
Huda and Mona Kattan with Kim Kardashian and a friend during a trip to LA. Photo: Instagram

Born October 2, 1983, Huda was raised in Oklahoma and Tennessee after her Iraqi parents immigrated to the US. She had jobs in PR and recruitment before deciding to follow her passion in beauty. She attended beauty school in LA then moved to the UAE in 2008 where she worked as a make-up artist for Revlon.

Huda Beauty was created in 2010 from her home in Dubai after she noticed a gap in the false eyelashes market. By 2013 she’d launched her brand which first entered Sephora locally, then globally. After Kim Kardashian wore her lashes, Huda became a household name.

Huda Beauty is worth more than US$1 billion

Huda has been front and centre in building up her brand. Photo: Instagram
Huda has been front and centre in building up her brand. Photo: Instagram

After the world fell in love with her formulas, the brand expanded to foundations, lipsticks, highlighters and more. In 2017, Forbes valued the business at US$1.2 billion. As of June 2019, Huda herself was reported to be worth US$650 million. She’s come a long way since feeling “inadequate” growing up in America because her parents didn’t have much money and relied on government benefits.

She’s open about her cosmetic surgery

Huda often shares her surgery experiences on social media. Photo: YouTube
Huda often shares her surgery experiences on social media. Photo: YouTube

When Huda was younger she always felt like the “ugly duckling” compared to her sisters, Alya and Mona. Huda had rhinoplasty to shorten what she called the “Arab hump” at the end of her nose. Huda has also been transparent about using Botox and fillers, saying she feels a responsibility to be honest with her fans.

Having acne inspired her to start a skincare line

Huda eating pineapple in the bathroom. Photo: Instagram
Huda eating pineapple in the bathroom. Photo: Instagram

Huda says she has never felt comfortable in her skin. Firstly she found it difficult having a darker complexion in the Middle East and then she found it embarrassing experiencing adult acne. Huda created Wishful to simplify her daily routine at a time when she was using at least a dozen products. She launched with the Yo Glow Enzyme Scrub and moved past her insecurities to go make-up-free in a stunning advertising campaign to let fans know it’s OK not to be perfect.

She’s a big feminist

Huda and Mona. Photo: Instagram
Huda and Mona. Photo: Instagram

With all of her success, Huda now makes an effort to invest in other women’s businesses via her Huda Beauty Angels foundation, which had a starting fund of US$10 million.

Huda’s sisters Alya and Mona helped her on her way to the top and in 2018 she backed Mona’s fragrance venture. Mona is now the brains behind and face of Kayali Perfume, a collection of scents designed for layering so no other person will smell exactly like you.

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