HELLO! India Exclusive: Huda Kattan's beauty secrets revealed

From makeup artist to super-blogger to trailblazing entrepreneur, Huda Kattan continues to captivate millions with her irresistible charm and unfiltered authenticity. Since the debut of her eponymous brand in 2013, Huda Beauty has skyrocketed to global stardom, becoming a beauty empire with a valuation previously reported at over US$1 billion. In 2020, the entrepreneur stepped down as CEO of the company — a decision she later described as one of the biggest regrets of her life and one that, in her words, “almost killed our company.” However, in 2024, Huda took back the reins as CEO and product development lead, and in 2025, she regained complete ownership of Huda Beauty, after buying back some minority stake. The agenda-setting founder reveals the rituals, treatments and products that allow her to look and feel her best as she steers Huda Beauty to new dazzling heights.

HELLO! India: What kind of treatments do you swear by?

Huda Kattan: I like to use saunas, cold plunge, as well as a red light and radio frequency. My house is set up for biohacking — I’m a huge fan.

HELLO! India: Do you rely on any sleep accessories?

Huda Kattan: I always sleep with a silk pillowcase. I use facial tape [where adhesive tape is applied to the skin to lift and smooth fine lines], especially between my breasts and on my neck. I find it uncomfortable to sleep with tape on my face, but it doesn’t bother me on my neck.

HELLO! India: What about injectables?

Huda Kattan: I do like Botox. I’m very sensitive to it, so I can’t do much, but I like it a lot, especially for the wrinkles around my mouth. But if you get rid of all wrinkles, it can look unnatural, and that’s not the look I’m going for. I think nasolabial fold wrinkles and even eye wrinkles are important.I have wrinkles on my forehead that my doctors are always insisting I Botox, and I refuse. They’re normal. It’s not that I necessarily believe in “ageing gracefully,” but I think everyone should age at the rate they are comfortable with. Wrinkles are natural, and getting rid of them completely isn’t the look I opt for.

HELLO! India: What’s your favourite product available at pharmacies?

Huda Kattan: I recently started using this baby butt cream by Bepanthen — the one for rashes. I have severely dry skin, and it’s actually replaced a lot of my heavy, expensive moisturisers. I swear by it.

HELLO! India: What’s the craziest beauty hack you’ve tried so far?

Huda Kattan: Using lube as primer — which was really weird and just grossed me out — but I try crazy things all the time. I regularly try treatments that many people would consider weird, like salmon sperm [aka polynucleotides, an anti-ageing skin booster beloved by celebrities].

HELLO! India: Name some of the products you can’t live without.

Huda Kattan: I would definitely say our Easy Bake Loose Baking & Setting Powder. When we formulated it, I had the intention to make it the number one loose powder in the world — and it is. I’m so proud of that. I focused on very specific attributes, like creating a brightened, lifted, airbrushed effect. Often, we look beautiful in real life, and then as soon as you take a photo, it doesn’t look good. Easy Bake is the powder that keeps you looking flawless both in person and on camera. 

Also, Ilia is one of my favourite brands at the moment. Their Limitless Lash Mascara is so good. I also love their Skin Rewind Complexion Stick.

HELLO! India: What’s the best beauty advice you’ve been given?

Huda Kattan: Adriana Lima, many years ago, told me to use coconut water to remove makeup. I genuinely love it. Models always have the best advice.

HELLO! India: Do you use any other kitchen staples in your beauty routine?

Huda Kattan: Sometimes my bathroom looks like a pantry, with coconut oil, olive oil, castor oil and sweet almond oil that I use for different purposes. Nature often has the best beauty ingredients and products, and keeping it simple is key. I’ve always believed beauty should be accessible. I grew up unable to afford beauty products, so being able to grab a lemon and use it in a body scrub was cool. There’s no replacement for nature’s beauty. 

Interview by Lily Worcester

This story was featured in the Vol 1. Issue 7 of HELLO! India. For more exclusive stories, subscribe to the magazine here.