10 years ago, a budding Iraqi-American beauty junkie fired up WordPress.com and set about creating a personal website that covered topics from make-up to skincare. Who’da thought that a decade on, the brains behind the blog would become one of the most celebrated people in beauty?
“I started my blog to be an authentic voice that people were looking for in the industry,” Huda Kattan tells Cosmo ME about why she first started. “When I finished beauty school, I realised there were very few influential voices in the industry that felt authentic and detached from paid promotions and advertising. I had so much experience in beauty and so much passion for what I was doing that I wanted to test and try everything and share that journey with everyone that was interested in what I had to say. “
Huda’s following began growing – quickly and organically. “They began influencing what I was doing, and communicating with me directly to let me know what they would find helpful and the type of content they wanted to see. I was taking advice directly from my future consumers and I had no idea at the time. I just let the process flow and my audience organically grew like crazy. When I started the blog, I had no idea I’d be where I am today, but I am so grateful. It really started with people and the community and that is still the backbone of our brand.”
Fast-forward three years and Huda Beauty was born. Her first venture was a line of lashes, which she created because of the gap in the market. Now, a skincare brand, perfume label and several new make-up launches later, we ask Huda where she sees herself in the next 10 years.
“It’s less of where I hope to be, and more of where I hope the industry will be as a result of me and my teams’ efforts to positively influence the beauty community. I definitely see the beauty world changing a lot in the next few years, and I’d love to be a part of that movement. I’m so happy that individuality is being celebrated, brands are becoming more inclusive – and ultimately, it’s cool to be different. I want to see this be the norm!”