A mogul in every sense of the word, Huda Kattan is a household name in the beauty sphere, conquering not just makeup, but skincare and fragrance too. From recently launching her latest skincare venture, WIshful, to celebrating 10 years of Huda Beauty, she’s a driving force of the industry, with no signs of slowing down. In an exclusive interview with Harper’s BAZAAR Malaysia, she shares how she finds inspiration for new products and what beauty trends to expect in 2021.
Taking the make-up world, and skincare realm by storm – what can we expect from you in 2021?
HK: We have so many amazing plans this year and I want to tell you everything, but I can’t! All of our plans and products are something our community wants or needs but I can’t share too much about what’s coming next. Just know that everything we do is for the greater good of our community, and that will be very clear with all of our next launches.
After a turbulent year that saw everyone around the world shelter at home, has your skincare and makeup routine as well as your philosophy of beauty changed since the pandemic, and in what way?
HK: I’m definitely even more invested in skincare now but I can’t say my skin and makeup routines have changed too much; I’m still shooting a lot of content for new launches and social media from the comfort of my home. Even when we did go into the office, I used to show up with no makeup on unless I had a photoshoot or a big external meeting.
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Recently celebrating 10 years of Huda Beauty in 2020, can you share with us some of your favourite and most rewarding moments throughout your journey?
HK: Launching in Sephora was undoubtedly one of the most pivotal moments for me. At that point, I knew the brand had potential. When we received our first external investment from TSG, that was also a real, “pinch me” moment! I’ll also never forget when we moved out of our first tiny little office that quickly overflowed when we couldn’t accommodate our growing team any more. Opening up satellite offices in the UK and the United States was also very rewarding and very emotional because it was proof that the company was growing tremendously, and my farfetched dreams were really being my reality. Lastly, the launch of Wishful last year was a true dream come true. I had always fantasized about my own skincare line and when it launched, I was overjoyed!
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What are some of your avenues for inspiration when it comes to creating a product?
HK: I can be inspired by literally anything but I will say fashion has a huge influence on our color cosmetics line. For example, for our Mercury Retrograde palette, I gave my team AB crystals (like rhinestones) that I was obsessed with at the time and was like “how can I make this into an eyeshadow palette”? And, mercury retrograde was born. The team always crushes it and makes the impossible happen!
If you could choose only five products from both Huda Beauty and Wishful combined, what would they be and why?
HK: For Wishful, I’d have to say Yo Glow and Thirst Trap Juice. Yo Glow is one of our best-sellers. It gives you a chemical and physical exfoliation all at once, leaving you with supple, buttery soft skin. Our Thirst Trap Juice (a Peptide and Hyaluronic Acid Serum) is also amazing. It really fills the skin with all the hydration it needs so that your foundation blends seamlessly into the skin without drying or cracking.
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For Huda Beauty, I would have to say our new #FauxFilter Liquid Matte Foundation, our new #BombBrows Microblade Brow Pencil and our fan-favorite Legit Lashes Mascara. Our newly reformulated foundation is full-coverage but feels like second skin and lasts all-day long. It’s also fragrance free and non-comedogenic. #BombBrows is our first-ever brow product and it’s the finest pencil on the market. The fine tip allows you to achieve tiny, brow-like strokes for a natural looking brow. And, lastly Legit Lashes is just amazing. It provides insane length, curl and volume. It’s the closest thing to false lashes without wearing them!
What trends do you see emerging in 2021?
HK: I’m seeing 2 trends; on one hand a lot of people are still aiming for a subtle, no-makeup makeup look. On the other hand, because people are at home more and less likely to go out in public, I’m seeing a lot more people get more creative with their eyeshadow and lip color choices. People are definitely experimenting more at home now that they have time to, which I love to see!
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A mogul in every sense of the word, is there a dream that you still have yet to achieve, maybe a type of product or business venture?
HK: Yes, of course, I’m a huge dreamer! Through HB Investments, our personal wealth management fund, we’re constantly looking for exceptional companies to invest our money, time and energy into. Fuelling other peoples’ passions and successes is one of our biggest goals!
Being an inspiration to female entrepreneurs all around the world, what advice would you give to others aspiring to follow in your footsteps?
HK: Passion and purpose, that’s all I believe it takes. If you have a purpose in what you’re going for and it’s driven by your passion then you’ll do amazing things. If you’re just chasing money or a short term goal, then I think you’ll find more challenges than successes.
