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Huda Kattan: The Beauty Mogul Behind Huda Beauty

Introduction

Huda Kattan, the mind behind Huda Beauty is among the most famous beauty influencers across the world. This lady of American origin though of Iraqi origin was able to take her interest in applying make up and turn it into a business of over a billion dollars. Once a simple beauty blog turned into a source of one of the most successful beauty businesses ever known – Huda Beauty rules the makeup world. That is the story of Huda, changing from a beauty product lover to the world’s beauty mogul, businesswoman, and social media star.

 

Early Life and Passion for Beauty

Huda Kattan was born on 2nd of October, 1983 in Oklahoma –United States to Iraqi parents. She was raised in a environment where beauty as well as grooming was greatly considered. In her early years, Huda had the interests in makeup for she wanted to emulate her sisters when they applied different beauty products and makeups. But beauty as a career wasn’t on the radar for Huda at the beginning of her journey.

Huda in particular joined the University of Michigan where she took a course in finance. She went to work for a couple of years in the corporate world but the culture of the typical working hours was uninspiring to her creativity. She was ambitious to pursue her career and in 2006 she decided to go and join her family in Dubai which was a turning point in her life.

 

The Start of Huda Beauty Blog

Huda’s Beauty landed into the beauty industry after she joined Joe Blasco Makeup Academy where she took a makeup artistry class. Once she got trained, she was independent and worked in Dubai as a freelance makeup artist. Her work started being noticed soon and she began working with various big brand names but Huda was not interested in being just a back end worker.

The following year, in 2010, she created the Huda Beauty blog which she would use as a platform meant to give out tips, tutorials and even reviews on beauty products. She attracted many readership to her blog as it contained straight forward information about this disease. When beauty blogging was still a niche, Huda’s angle was highly appreciated since she provided tips and tricks that readers could not come across easily.

She started creating videos that she started sharing tutorials and makeup tips and these started to gain much exposure in YouTube and Instagram. Huda was easily approachable and her advice was credible and easy to follow which made her popular among her fans.

 

The Launch of Huda Beauty

Then in 2013, sensing another new challenge, Huda decided to create her own investigating beauty company, Huda Beauty with her two sisters, Mona and Alya. The first product manufactured by this company was false eyelashes, and this product has generated a lot of sales because of popularity of some movie stars using the product. Huda Beauty lashes management sent samples to Kim Kardashian and it was the first celebrity that wore the lashes and this really played a big role in bringing light to the brand.

The rise of Huda Beauty didn’t only come with her lashes, she was establishing herself as something more. Huda enhanced the product portfolio and specializing in a variety of beauty products that include foundation, highlighter, lipstick, and eyeshadow palette. Huda’s experiences pushed for quality products and slots of the formulas, the brand rose to fame with high-end products. Some of it were due to her personal use of the said products which made women all over the world to easily identify with her.

It is also important to highlight that one of the brand’s main advantages is the approach to attitude towards people of different ages. For instance, in its makeup product line, Huda Beauty provides various colors for different skin types thus making sure people of different skin color can get a suitable makeup product from it. It has been one of the motivations that has helped the brand achieve its success across the world.

 

Huda Kattan’s Social Media Journey

It can, therefore, be said that Huda Kattan also embraced social media as one of the main contributors to ensuring she gained popularity. Since the start of her blog, Huda knew the strength that social networks have when it comes to extending her reach to the international level. This is because she used Instagram, You Tube and snap chat to expand her brand and interact with her fans. Huda was still able to build a one-on-one relationship with the consumers who responded to the growth of Huda Beauty. To the brand’s social media accounts, people do not only come for advertisements but also for communication, learning and to be empowered. An important aspect of social media that has let Huda Kattan adapt to the social media might be the understanding of the tendencies and interests of the followers.

Expanding the Huda Beauty Empire

In fact, Huda Beauty has grown phenomenally, and it has become one of the most renowned beauty companies across the world. The brand’s products are sold in Sephora shops internationally; the company’s own internet shop delivers to millions of shoppers.

Huda stated to expand and diversify in the beauty industry in which she recently developed the sub-brand known as Wishful which specializes in skincare. Such a transition into skincare was again a demonstration of the insight that was required to determine what the audience wanted and/or required.

Like most other start-ups, Huda Beauty also received investors’ attention and, therefore, in 2017, TSG Consumer Partners invested in the company and placed the worth of Huda Beauty significantly over $1 billion. However, Huda continues to be actively involved in the company and influence each of the brand’s products and its quality.

 

Challenges and Facing Criticism

Like any other celebrity, Huda Kattan has her fair share in controversies and negative feedbacks as well. For many years she has been under pressure from products launches to business outcomes. But Huda has often never shied away from showcasing the adversities that she has to endure in her journey of creating a business from scratch, including production problems to the stress involved in managing an international business venture.

Among the problems which she encountered it is possible to mention the criticism for producing commodities and associating them with other companies from the sphere of beauty industry. Huda was straightforward while dealing with such concerns, she actively replied to the critique while describing her methods of creation. This, coupled by her ability to dialogue with her audience or address issues of the society has ensured she retains the confidence of her followers.

However, such challenges have not dented the operations of Huda’s brand due to her strength and experience. Efficient is her approach towards criticism where over the time she has enhanced her products, brand language and message, with a view of achieving her value system and that of her target market.

 

Philanthropy and Giving Back

The destiny to be a benefactor has always been in Huda Kattan. Through the method of charity, she has in the past years donated to several not-for-profit organizations such as women’s rights and education, equal provision of healthcare for the needy population. She engage herself in non-profit organism activities and she often encourages others to support specific causes.

In 2020, for instance, Huda Beauty’s campaigning boasted $500,000 to charitable entities because the COVID19 pandemic affected various people. Huda has also through her influence called for the celebration of body positivity and self-love and called on the ladies out there to appreciate their bodies.

 

Legacy and Influence on the Beauty Industry

It is rather obvious that Huda Kattan plays a very important role in the entire beauty industry. Social media was also successfully incorporated into the very essence of her business, thus she changed the existing strategies of beauty brands. Spearheaded by online presence, Huda Beauty’s direct-to-consumer model paved way for the new-age beauty brands.

In her story, Huda created a profitable business and contributed to changing people’s perceptions of beauty for millions of people. Her determination when it comes to the incorporation of diversity and multiculturalism, realness and representation and embracing change has made her a reference to beauty business enthusiasts in the world.

Social media presence remains a key focus for Huda Kattan, and all her platforms play the essential role in her communication with the audience and her brand’s development. Whatever Huda has in store for the future of her beauty enterprise, her influence on the beauty industry will most certainly continue well into the future.

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