Here, Huda speaks exclusively to Gaelle Walker, Contributing Editor of TheIndustry.fashion about her meteoric rise to fame, what sets the Huda Beauty brand apart and her goals to create a more supportive, inclusive and responsible beauty industry. Having retrained to be a make up artist and then seeing there was a gap in the market for fabulous false lashes, I took the jump to start a business and worked very, very hard at it. Success is relative. If a product changes the way you view yourself or your skin then that is a wonderful thing. Since we started creating Wishful, my skin has never been better and that has been life changing for me. I am so much more confident in my skin and that affects me on a personal level. When we shot the WISHFUL campaign, I was adamant about not wearing makeup in it, about not photoshopping, and it was a really vulnerable moment for me. And I felt extremely exposed, extremely sensitive. I felt unconfident. I had to go deeper into that, but I’ve never been the same since. For me personally, creating WISHFUL truly made me realise I had to walk the walk, as there needs to be some realness and transparency in the beauty industry.

Ultimately, we want to create products that offer something new, that our community loves and people enjoy using. My passion became my career and that’s why I also say, do what you love, you never know where it will lead you. I have been inspired by so many people, for different reasons. My younger sister Mona has always been a constant source of creative and beauty inspiration. Oprah Winfrey is someone I have always been inspired by, she broke stereotypes and I often ask myself, What would Oprah do?Lip Contour 2.0in shade Pinky Brown:dimethicone, synthetic wax, trimethylsiloxysilicate, phenylpropyldimethylsiloxysilicate, kaolin, mica, diisostearyl malate, stearoxymethicone/dimethicone copolymer, calcium silicate, synthetic fluorphlogopite, dicalcium phosphate, glycine soja (soybean) seed extract, glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice) leaf extract, dictyopteris polypodioides extract, phospholipids, copernicia cerifera (carnauba) wax/cera carnauba/cire de carnauba, caprylic/capric triglyceride, polyhydroxystearic acid, microcrystalline wax/cera microcristallina/cire microcrystalline, disteardimonium hectorite, isostearic acid, pentaerythrityl tetra-di-t-butyl hydroxyhydrocinnamate, propylene carbonate, lecithin, polyglyceryl-3 polyricinoleate, silica. may contain (+/-): yellow 5 lake (ci 19140), titanium dioxide (ci 77891), blue 1 lake (ci 42090), red 7 (ci 15850), iron oxides (ci 77491, ci 77492), red 7 lake (ci 15850), manganese violet (ci 77742), yellow 6 lake (ci 15985).

Our social platforms serve as a tool for us to connect with our community. The fact that I can connect directly with our followers, and ultimately our customers, is so unique to Huda Beauty since we were essentially born on social media. It’s incredible to see you build this empire with your family around you. Would you say this family feel resonates throughout the entire business? Makeup has always been an obsession of mine. My youngest sister Mona participated in so many beauty contests as a child. She was so pretty and I would spend all my time doing her hair and makeup, she was like my little doll. For now, we are committed to our retail partners, particularly given the hard times recently. They show us unconditional support, time and time again. We want to continue to grow our partnerships together to provide customers with the best offering. So stand alone stores are not in the plans currently….To be timeless, you need to create things that are everlasting and for us at Huda Beauty, that means leaving behind a legacy. For us, we want to be known for not only creating an incredible brand experience and products but also for changing the conversation around what it means to be and feel beautiful. This year we celebrate the UAE’s 50th Anniversary – what makes this region unique to you? Beauty has the ability to act as an enormously potent force for good, however, so called “toxic beauty” standards can also cause serious harm - what are your views on this and the importance of honesty and transparency in the beauty industry? Everything! There are so many things that we’re working on not only in terms of product but also messages that we want to share with the world. Watch this space… This is ‘The Timelessness Issue’ – how would you define this? Our first collection is a reflection of the beauty of the rose. The rich red shades are super luxurious and feminine. Huda Beauty and Wishful are both famed for their innovative market-leading products, where do you get your NPD inspiration from?

The past year has witnessed a significant shift in the way in which people discover and shop the beauty category, what’s your take on it and how has Huda Beauty responded? We are all still working on becoming more adept at technology and offering great experiences whilst we are not able to be in store in the same way we were, change is part of life and we have to adapt as we can, however challenging it can be. You launched your blog, Huda Beauty, over 10 years ago and now it’s grown into this huge beauty empire. What has the journey to get to where you are now been like? For extended wear and perfect precision, start with a lip liner in a complimentary Lip Contour shade.

Power Bullet in shade Interview: DIMETHICONE, OCTYLDODECANOL, POLYETHYLENE, POLYSILICONE-11, NYLON-12, CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE, BIS-PEG-12 DIMETHICONE BEESWAX, METHYL METHACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER, STEARALKONIUM BENTONITE, POLYHYDROXYSTEARIC ACID, PROPYLENE CARBONATE, AROMA (FLAVOR), LAURETH-12, PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRA-DI-t-BUTYL HYDROXYHYDROCINNAMATE, DICALCIUM PHOSPHATE, MICA, TIN OXIDE, [+/- CI 77891 (TITANIUM DIOXIDE), CI 77491 (IRON OXIDES), CI 77492 (IRON OXIDES), CI 42090 (BLUE 1 LAKE), CI 15850 (RED 6), CI 15850 (RED 7 LAKE), CI 45410 (RED 28 LAKE), CI 19140 (YELLOW 5 LAKE), CI 15985 (YELLOW 6 LAKE)]. Securing our investors was such a defining moment. It was such a huge milestone because many doors were shut on us, so to finally find investors that not only believed in our mission but was prepared to champion us was a special moment. What’s next for Huda Beauty?

Probably still our first launch of our classic false lashes at Sephora Dubai mall. So many people were there! I was overwhelmed and humbled by the support and love. It really was a crazy but such an exciting moment, to see our hard work come to life and so many people love the lashes we created. I will never forget that launch! When we were just starting, we weren’t taken as a serious brand for a long time. There was a lot of frustration because retailers and distributors didn’t take us seriously. I am so proud that my sisters and I stayed true to our vision and were able to take Huda Beauty from an idea to what it is today. One of the biggest rewards has been succeeding in a space where it isn’t common for an individual or a family-owned business to do so.I had a hard time trying to source funding when I started and wanted to expand the business, so to be able to provide that support for others who were in the same position as me, means everything! Step 1: Define the lips by drawing an X at the Cupid’s bow and then outline the lips. Be careful not to go too far outside your natural lip line and make sure they’re even and symmetrical. I think that everyone should feel beautiful for who they truly are in their rawest states, and I felt the need to be more vocal on the issue of being a part of the beauty industry who is responsible for setting the standards for what’s beautiful. So I wanted to take a stand and speak out about this through GloWish. What are the hurdles you’ve experienced during your career? Step 2: Connect your liner at the corners and fill the lips with liner, fading towards the center. Apply your matching Matte Power Bullet all over.