With the #BoycottHuda hashtag still making the rounds on social media, Huda Kattan, who often refers to herself as “your big beauty sister”, has once again taken to Instagram to address the growing backlash.
The online storm began when Kattan, the founder and face of the widely loved Huda Beauty, reposted a reel showing Iranian demonstrators aligned with the current regime burning photographs of Reza Pahlavi, son of Iran’s former Shah, alongside images of former US president Donald Trump.
Many interpreted the repost as Huda blindly, and, as some alleged, hypocritically, aligning herself with a regime accused of serious human rights violations, particularly given her history of being vocal on political and humanitarian issues.
Following the backlash, Huda issued a brief apology on her Instagram Stories, explaining that she had been ill-informed. She stated that she did not believe she had the authority or sufficient understanding to comment on Iran’s “internal political matters,” describing the repost as an opinion shared without full context.
Despite the apology, criticism continued. Her comment sections were flooded with call-outs, with some users even filming themselves destroying their Huda Beauty products.
In an effort to fully address the situation, Huda returned to Instagram with a longer video explaining her side of the story.
In the video, she reiterates how deeply integrity matters to her when it comes to political and humanitarian causes, emphasizing that accountability is a core part of that commitment. She makes it clear that she does not, in any way, support the Iranian regime, adding that misinformation can sometimes lead to serious missteps.
Huda also clarifies that her stance, both then and now, has been firmly anti-war. As an Iraqi herself, she explains that she understands the realities of conflict and would never wish that experience on anyone else.
She goes on to apologise directly to the Iranian community for her mistake, reaffirming that a “free Iran” must mean freedom from oppression in all forms—whether through sanctions or control by its own government.
Above all, Huda emphasises the importance of empathy when discussing nuanced and deeply sensitive issues, noting that meaningful change can only happen through understanding. She ends the video by thanking members of the Iranian community who took the time to educate her, acknowledging that these are conversations that deserve collective attention.
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