About
Huda Heidi Kattan is an Iraqi-American beauty entrepreneur, makeup artist, and social-media powerhouse best known for building Huda Beauty into one of the world’s fastest-growing cosmetics brands. Born on October 2 1983 in Oklahoma City to Iraqi parents, she studied finance at the University of Michigan–Dearborn before following her creative instincts into makeup artistry. Today she sits at the helm of a business that ships to more than 150 countries, commands an audience of over 54 million Instagram followers, and—according to 2024 estimates—has helped her amass a personal fortune of roughly $560 million.
In early 2024, Kattan announced she had resumed the role of CEO after stepping back in 2020, promising a refreshed brand identity and the retirement of lines she no longer felt passionate about—proof that she remains hands-on with every mascara wand and lip glaze bearing her name.
Before Fame
Long before global fame, Kattan was the “math-kid” in a tight-knit immigrant household that prized stability. She tried to follow that script, graduating in finance and accepting a conventional office job, but spreadsheets never satisfied her creative itch. In 2006 she relocated with her family to Dubai, then hopped to Los Angeles to train formally in makeup, sharpening her craft on celebrity faces such as Eva Longoria and Nicole Richie. Revlon hired her as a makeup artist when she returned to Dubai, yet a sister’s nudge in 2010 changed everything: Huda Beauty began as a humble WordPress blog filled with foundation hacks and brow-shaping tips.
Three years later she poured her savings into a single product—hand-cut false lashes packaged in her living room. Sephora agreed to stock them in 2013, and the story took flight when Kim Kardashian was photographed wearing the style “Giselle.” The power of that one snapshot catapulted both the product and its creator into beauty-culture canon.
Trivia
- Reality-show star: The Facebook Watch series Huda Boss (2018) lets viewers peek behind the palettes at boardroom debates and sibling banter.
- Philanthropy over publicity: From donating $500 k to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund in 2020 to wiring $1 million to humanitarian groups in Gaza in 2023, Kattan regularly diverts ad-dollars into activism.
- Beauty without filters: In 2021 she launched an industry petition urging brands to label retouched images, arguing that transparency is as important as pigment payoff.
- Accolades stack up: Time magazine listed her among “The 25 Most Influential People on the Internet” (2017), and the BBC included her in its 100 Women of 2023 roster.
- Numbers game: Sponsored posts on her Instagram feed have fetched five-figure fees since 2017, yet she still films many product demos on her kitchen counter.
Family Life
While still in high school, Huda fell for Portuguese-born Christopher Gonçalo. The couple moved to Dubai in 2006, married in 2009, and welcomed daughter Nour Giselle on June 25 2011. Nour occasionally co-stars in playful TikToks, though her parents try to balance screen time with childhood privacy.
Huda’s sisters are woven tightly into the brand: Mona is co-founder of Huda Beauty (and the fragrance line Kayali), while Alya oversees social strategy. Family dinners often morph into product-naming sessions, underscoring how personal bonds fuel professional wins.
Associated With
- Kim Kardashian: Early adopter whose love for Huda Beauty lashes delivered priceless buzz and retail sell-outs.
- Eva Longoria: A longtime client and friend; headlines noted their public disagreement in 2024 over geopolitical views, illustrating how fame can complicate relationships.
- Nicole Richie: Among the first Hollywood names to book Kattan during her L.A. makeup-artist chapter.
- Mona Kattan: Sister-turned-business partner who handles fragrance innovation and often appears in brand campaigns.
- Sephora: The retailer that gambled on a fledgling lash line in 2013 and, in doing so, ignited a billion-dollar beauty empire.
