Huda Kattan
Born 1983 · Age 42
Iraqi-American makeup artist, beauty blogger and entrepreneur; founder & CEO of cosmetics brand Huda Beauty, known for building a major influencer-led beauty company from a blog and social media presence.
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Life & Career Timeline
Born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Huda Heidi Kattan was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, to parents of Iraqi origin.
Family moves to Cookeville, Tennessee
At age two Huda's family moved from Oklahoma City to Cookeville, Tennessee, where she spent much of her childhood.
Family moves to Dartmouth, Massachusetts (approx.)
The family later moved to Dartmouth, Massachusetts (date not specified in sources; approximate year provided), where Huda continued her upbringing.
Meets future husband Christopher Goncalo in high school (approx.)
Huda met Christopher Goncalo while in high school; he later became her husband and long-time partner in life and enterprise.
Moved to Dubai with her father
Huda moved to Dubai in 2006 when her father accepted a teaching job in the emirate (per Wikipedia).
Graduated University of Michigan–Dearborn (Finance)
Huda Kattan completed a finance degree at University of Michigan–Dearborn (sources cite 2008 as graduation year).
Worked in finance / recruiting and faced Great Recession disruption
After studying finance Huda worked in recruiting/finance but had limited success; the Great Recession impacted her early finance/recruiting career.
Studied makeup in Los Angeles (approx.)
After leaving finance she moved to Los Angeles to study makeup (sources say 'a few years' after Dubai move; approximate timing around 2008–2010).
Employed as makeup artist for Revlon (approx.)
After returning to Dubai from studying in LA, Huda worked as a makeup artist for cosmetics company Revlon (dates approximate, cited in biographical sources).
Married Christopher Goncalo
Huda and long-term partner Christopher Goncalo married in June 2009.
Started vlogging / YouTube channel 'Huda Beauty'
Around the time of the blog launch Huda began publishing makeup tutorials and vlogs to YouTube, helping to build her online following.
Launched 'Huda Beauty' blog on WordPress
On the advice of a sister, Huda started a beauty blog called 'Huda Beauty' posting tutorials, tips and makeup advice (April 2010, per Wikipedia).
Birth of first child, daughter Nour Gisele
Huda and Christopher welcomed their first child, a daughter named Nour Gisele, in 2011.
Founded Huda Beauty cosmetics company
Huda formally founded the Huda Beauty cosmetics line in 2013 with support from her sisters; initial capital reportedly a $6,000 loan from her sisters.
Launched first product: false eyelashes via Sephora
Huda Beauty's first product release was a line of false eyelashes sold through Sephora (launch year 2013).
Kim Kardashian wears Huda lashes; sales surge
Kim Kardashian famously wore Huda lashes early on, contributing to a rapid sales boost and viral attention for the product line.
Huda Beauty expands product range beyond lashes
Following success of the lashes, Huda Beauty broadened its portfolio to include palettes, lip products, foundations, concealers and more (expansion occurred in years after 2013).
Named one of Time's 25 Most Influential People on the Internet
Time magazine included Huda Kattan in its June 2017 'The 25 Most Influential People on the Internet' list.
TSG Consumer Partners buys minority stake; valuation rises to ~$1.2B
In 2017 private-equity firm TSG Consumer Partners acquired a minority stake in Huda Beauty, increasing the company's valuation to approximately $1.2 billion (reported by multiple outlets).
Impact on retail sales: Foreo product sell-out after Huda mention
In 2017 Huda mentioned a Foreo brush on her YouTube channel and related retailers sold out the product in the region within a week (Harvey Nichols, Bloomingdale's Dubai).
Ranked #1 on 2017 Influencer Instagram Rich List
Hopper HQ's 2017 Influencer Instagram Rich List ranked Huda #1 for earnings from sponsored posts, estimating ~$18,000 per sponsored post.
Huda Boss reality series premieres on Facebook Watch
Huda began starring with her family in 'Huda Boss', an original reality series on Facebook Watch (reported May 30, 2018).
Collaboration: Olivia Culpo x Huda Beauty false eyelashes
Huda Beauty released a collaboration collection of false eyelashes with Olivia Culpo, extending the brand's celebrity partnerships (reported 2019).
Donates to makeup artists & COVID-era relief efforts
During the COVID-19 pandemic Huda gifted $1,000 to 100 makeup artists in need and supported other relief initiatives in 2020.
Fortune 40 Under 40 recognition
Huda Kattan was named to Fortune's '40 Under 40' list (2020).
Huda Beauty donates $500,000 to NAACP Legal Defense Fund
In June 2020 Huda Kattan announced Huda Beauty would donate $500,000 to the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund amid U.S. protests.
Petition for disclosure of retouched imagery
Huda and Huda Beauty launched or backed a petition asking beauty brands to disclose when images/videos have been retouched to combat toxic beauty standards.
Ranked #1 on Cosmetify's Beauty Influencer Rich List
In 2021 Huda Kattan was ranked number one on Cosmetify's Beauty Influencer Rich List.
Donated one million meals to 100 Million Meals campaign
Huda Kattan and Huda Beauty donated one million meals to the UAE's 100 Million Meals Ramadan food drive in April 2021.
Donated $100,000 to 'Help India Breathe' COVID-19 relief
In May 2021 Huda and Huda Beauty donated $100,000 to 'Help India Breathe', a COVID-19 relief fundraiser launched by Jay Shetty and his wife.
Huda Beauty portfolio and revenue milestone (reported)
By 2022 sources report Huda Beauty had expanded to ~140 products and generated around $200 million in annual sales (figures reported by industry profiles).
Spoke at Forbes 30/50 Summit and Forbes interviews
Huda participated in Forbes events in March 2022 (Forbes 30/50 Summit Teach & Learn and interviews about building an e-commerce brand).
Donated $1,000,000 to humanitarian organizations in Gaza
In November 2023 Huda Kattan donated $1 million to two humanitarian organizations working in Gaza: Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and Human Appeal.
Named to BBC's 100 Women list
Huda was included in the BBC's 100 Women list in November 2023, recognizing influential women globally.
Public falling out with Eva Longoria reported
In late 2024 reports indicated Huda had a falling out with longtime friend Eva Longoria over Longoria's public support for Israel.
High Instagram following milestone (reported)
By 2025 Huda Kattan's Instagram following was reported to be over 54 million followers (Wikipedia updated figures).
Controversial TikTok video removed for antisemitic conspiracy content
In July 2025 Huda posted a TikTok video advancing antisemitic conspiracy theories; TikTok removed the video and major retailers (e.g., Sephora) announced investigations into partnerships.
Key Achievement Ages
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