The story
Huda Kattan was born and raised in Oklahoma to Iraqi immigrant parents and moved from a finance career into make-up artistry. After losing a recruiting job, she started a beauty blog in 2010, posting tutorials and product advice. Readers kept asking about the false lashes she customised herself, so in 2013 she launched a lash line with her sisters, funded by a $6,000 loan from her sister Alya. Sephora in Dubai agreed to stock the unknown brand; according to the short, it expected to sell around 7,000 pairs in a year and sold out within a week. Huda Beauty grew into a full make-up brand, and in 2017 TSG Consumer Partners took a minority stake that valued it at $1.2 billion. Kattan stepped down as CEO in 2020, later becoming co-CEO with her husband. She returned as CEO in February 2024, redesigned the brand and cut ranges such as Glowish. In June 2025 she bought back TSG's stake, returning Huda Beauty to full founder ownership.
By the numbers
Appearances
On Founding MENA
