Almost 11 years ago, Huda Kattan kickstarted her beauty blog and YouTube channel Huda Beauty. Now with over 4.15 million subscribers on YouTube, 2.2 million followers on Instagram and 3 beauty brands (Huda Beauty, Wishful and Kayali Fragrances) under her belt, Huda is indeed a force to be reckoned with. Besides being listed as one of the top three most influential beauty influencers by Forbes, Huda Beauty is also one of the most-searched and talked about brands on the internet. Currently, Huda Beauty has a whopping 47.8 million followers on Instagram and her skincare line Wishful has also already won an award for their iconic Yo Glow Enzyme Scrub.

Recently, we had the wonderful opportunity to chat with #GirlBoss Huda on all things beauty, skincare and her top self-care tips for 2021.

What inspired you to create Huda Beauty and Wishful?

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“Most people don’t know this about me, but I am more infatuated with skincare than makeup. I started with Huda Beauty and I love color cosmetics, but I have always been obsessed with creating content around my DIY skincare hacks and the products I experiment with to get my skin to behave. It’s so important for those who love makeup to care equally about their skin as they do their makeup. After my long skincare journey of finding what nourishes my skin, I decided I wanted to share that with my social community. It took me a really long time to develop confidence in my own skin but our WISHFUL products ultimately got me there, and I’m so proud.”

What goes behind the ideation, creation and manufacturing process for each new launch?

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“A lot of thought, hard work and passion from more than one person; it takes an amazing team. My product development team is one of the strongest in the industry and its because they are all individually so passionate and hardworking. The process is slightly different from makeup to skincare but they both involve a lot of brainstorming, researching, testing, sampling, traveling to/from labs (before COVID), planning and so much more. Products are no joke and can take up to many years to perfect!”

What are your personal favorites from the Huda Beauty and Wishful skincare lines?

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“Yo Glow! We launched the brand with just Yo Glow, about a year ago and it’s already won an award, it’s that good. It removes dead skin and dirt build-up super effectively, which prevents foundation from going on smoothly. A lot of people thought it was very strange that I was launching my skincare line with a single scrub but when you think about it, it makes perfect sense. Wishful is meant to give you the perfect foundation for flawless makeup application.

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My favorite Huda Beauty product right now is definitely our new #BombBrows brow pencil. It just launched and it’s the finest brow pencil tip on the market. #BombBrows gives you a fine tip (.9 mm) that allows you to create tiny hair-like strokes for super natural-looking brows. I’m obsessed with this product, you’ve got to try it.”

What’s in store for Huda Beauty, Wishful and Kayali Fragrances for 2021?

“We have so many amazing plans for all 3 of our brands this year but as always, my lips are sealed. All of our plans and products are a result of what our community has expressed they want or need! Everything we do is for the greater good of our community, and that will never change.”

Any self-care beauty tips for those in quarantine or those who are working from home during the pandemic?

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“Take time for yourself to recharge. It’s ok to say ‘no’ or to take ‘me-time,’ We all need time to focus on ourselves and our mental health this year. Find small things every day that make you happy and make sure you do them; hold yourself accountable.”

Huda Kattan, #GirlBoss and Founder of Huda Beauty, Wishful and Kayali Fragrances

“I always find time for a long bubble bath with Epsom salts and no technology is allowed in the room. This is when I gain the most mental clarity and come up with some of my best ideas. Make this year about YOU!”

How has the pandemic impacted the business and what categories are trending right now?

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“More people are wearing less makeup but are using a lot more skincare, so honestly, we could not have launched our skincare brand WISHFUL at a better time. We’re still conscious of the economic situation, but just happy that we can provide products that our community really wants right now; products and content that make them feel good about themselves amidst this global crisis.” 

Since wearing masks are the new normal, so you have any makeup tips or hacks to share?

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“I swear by using a makeup setting spray, like our Glow Coco Hydrating Mist, and a long wear, transfer-proof foundation, like our new #FauxFilter Luminous Matte Foundation. With these two products, your makeup will be flawless with or without a mask. 

Also, make sure you’re washing your masks before re-wearing them; they can collect a lot of bacteria which can cause maskne to appear or worsen!”

Huda Beauty, Wishful Skin and Kayali Fragrances are currently available at sephora.my and all Sephora outlets nationwide.

This exclusive interview was presented by Sephora Malaysia.

Interview edited by Clara Siew | Date: 25th Feb 2021