In just over four years, Kay Beauty has become a force to be reckoned with. Founded by Indian actress Katrina Kaif in a partnership with beauty retail giant Nykaa, the brand became a viral sensation by catering to makeup aficionados from all walks of life.
And influence knows no bounds when it comes to global icon turned entrepreneur, Katrina Kaif. With a staggering 80 million Instagram followers, she has catapulted the brand into the mainstream, making it one of India’s fastest-growing celebrity beauty brands.
Kay Beauty’s expansion into the Middle East, it seems, was only a matter of time. And beauty lovers in the region are truly in for a treat. In an exclusive interview with Cosmopolitan Middle East, Katrina Kaif gets granular on Kay Beauty must-haves, as well as what you can expect from the brand in the region.
In order to start a beauty brand, you have to understand the varying mechanisms and techniques of makeup products, and no one gets exposed to beauty quite like an actress sat in a makeup chair for hours on production. Exposure to the industry’s best tips and tricks, at least for Katrina Kaif, was just a beauty brand waiting to happen.
“Makeup for me has always been an immense passion”, says Katrina, referring to the catalyst behind launching her own brand. “That coupled with my years of experience working with the best makeup artists in the world. Picking up these tips and tricks, which then quickly rolled over into me doing a lot of my own makeup for some major films and appearances”.
Katrina quickly found a gap in the beauty market in India that she could apply her knowledge to. “What I wanted to do with Kay Beauty was launch a makeup brand [which was] shade inclusive, had product formulation that was right for a hot and humid climate, and that also was completely inclusive”. But nailing the product wasn’t the only driving force behind building Kay Beauty. Katrina was also fueled by “a desire to create a community of women celebrating themselves, seeing themselves represented, feeling heard and a safe space where makeup was not intimidating”.
With the brand’s core philosophy, #ItsKayToBeYou, a piece of Kay Beauty is made especially for you. The brand celebrates diversity, with formulations and shades embracing all skin tones. Working tirelessly to achieve this goal, Kay Beauty is now globally celebrated for its inclusivity. “It’s been an incredible amount of hard work and perseverance”, says Katrina. “We wanted to perfect every formulation that we had, and I think we really managed to achieve that”.
Kay Beauty’s expansion into the UAE is just as exciting for us, as it is for Katrina. “I see the UAE as such a natural fit”, she says. “There is so much affinity we have in India to the UAE. The beauty consumer there is also extremely discerning, they know their products and they know what they want from them”.
And what the region wants from products, most would argue, is their ability to withstand the desert climate. Luckily for us, Kay Beauty is already two steps ahead.
“Whether it’s an easy day look or a full-on glam look, you want to be confident that when you leave the house, that’s how you’re going to stay. That’s really something you can expect out of the Kay Beauty products. These are really fool-proof, amazing quality and high-performance products. I’m really excited for the UAE consumer to experience them, I can’t wait for that”.
Wondering where to start when you get your hands on Kay Beauty? “Go for the liquid lipsticks”, says Katrina. “they’re transfer-proof, smudge-proof and come in beautiful colours. Embrace is my favourite shade that often sells out on our India website”.
She also advises us to run towards other popular products like lip tints, cream blush and hydrating foundation. Her biggest tip? Mix the cream blush together with the liquid highlighter for a summery, healthy glow.
If you’ve been looking for new makeup bag must-haves that deliver high performance, this might just be the answer to your beauty prayers. And for Katrina, her success thus far is measured in “seeing the Kay Beauty products on the tables of the best makeup artists in India, which is an incredible stamp of approval”. Talk about a full circle moment.
Shop the collection at Nysaa, located at City Centre Mirdif and online at nyssa.com.