Women Empowered: Huda Kattan

A self made millionaire and a true beauty maven - Huda Kattan has taken the beauty industry by storm and there's a reason why Forbes recently valued her company $1bn (£800m)! Discover what beauty products give her the most confidence, what helps her get through those tougher moments of the day and her top advice in business... 

What gets you out of bed in the morning?

 I wake up very early to pray and my Life coach arrives at 6am to start our session, it’s the best way to start the day! 

What gets you through tougher moments in the day? 

Definitely my Daughter Nour – she makes me feel so happy and calm, if I’m having a tough day I arrange for her to come to the office after school to give me a big hug! She instantly lifts me! 

Do you have a motivational mantra? What is it and when do you use it?

 Kaizen – continuous improvement! I use this daily and have really made sure that Kaizen is a huge part of our Huda Beauty company culture – it is so important to me! 

You’re a busy woman - how do you make sure you find time for self care? 

In the evenings I always make sure I have my bubble bath and indulge in ‘me time’. 

What is your top self-care advice for busy women, like you?

Always take time out to reflect, journal, read, spend time with family, cook and turn your phone off! I also make sure past 10pm my phone is switched off.. Self-care is so important to run on a full cup, instead of half or empty! 

How does beauty factor into your self-care? 

I love going for a spa treatment, my husband and I love doing couple spa nights! Beauty is my happy place – always! 

What are your beauty routine non-negotiables? 

OH – I love all beauty! My team try to shoot content with me creating a natural / dewy look and I just always get so carried away – make up is art to me, and I love creating different looks! But if I had to choose – I would say Tweezers (my brows require a lot of maintenance!) and lip balm! 

What does your morning skincare routine look like? 

Wishful Yo Glow – I do use it more often than I probably should (sssh) but I LOVE it, I want to scrub my whole body in it! My make-up application goes on so smoothly after using Yo Glow!

How does your make-up routine affect the way you feel?

My make-up routine is my creative time – it makes me feel inspired, happy and excited – I get to try new products we are working on and experiment! If I could, I would schedule 3-4 hours each morning doing my make up, but my meetings start at 10am every day! 

Which body-care products do you turn to in order to transform the way you feel? 

I LOVE Lush bath bombs, and use them for every bath! I am obsessed with Lush ‘Rose Jam’ products! 

Do any particular make up items help to boost your self esteem, make you feel more confident or give you a feeling of being more powerful? 

A red power lip I think always makes you look bold and feel confident, our Power Bullet in El Cinco De Mayo is a very powerful red shade!

What Huda product can you not live without?

Lip Contour in shade ‘Trendsetter’ – I love contouring my lips and creating the perfect pout!* 

*Featured in our March Roccabox! 

How do you treat yourself?

I like to have massages – they make me feel like a new woman!  I also find it really satisfying buying things from Amazon – the more random the items the better! I love getting deliveries to the office from Amazon!!

What is your top tip for boosting confidence? 

Being surrounded by my family really does boost my confidence, they all believe in me and are my biggest cheerleaders, they make me feel grounded but also determined, focused and confident. 

How does the way you look affect the way you feel? 

On photoshoots I change my look / character to get into the theme of the shoot, and the different looks really make me feel a different way. I can feel sassy and fierce, soft and playful, a boss or a Mum! It’s so much fun playing around with looks  - I never take it too seriously!

The International Women's Day 2020 campaign theme is #EachForEqual. What does this mean to you? 

I’m really big on supporting women – to be united, lift and empower each other. 

What has been your biggest career achievement to date? 

Definitely Sephora Middle East believing in the brand and stocking Huda Beauty!! I’ve ALWAYS loved Sephora, being an American make up loving girl! Sephora was always my dream – and now we are in Sephora stores across the world – I really do have to pinch myself! 

If you could go back to 2013 when you launched Huda Beauty, what piece of advice would you give yourself?