The founding father of popular cosmetics brand Huda Beauty is facing calls for a boycott after declaring on social media that she doesn’t want “blood money” from Israeli customers.
A day after the brutal Hamas attack against Israel on Oct. 7, Huda Kattan — a Kim Kardashian lookalike whose fast-growing brand is sold at retailers including Sephora and Walmart — was celebrating her fortieth birthday at a luxury hotel in Dubai and posted a jubilant photo of herself on Instagram surrounded by balloons and roses.
“I don’t know in the event you noticed, but Israelis from everywhere in the world love you and your products,” one Instagram user replied, in response to a screenshot of the post reported by The Express Tribune, a Pakistani-owned news site.
“With most of their money, you selected Gaza. So remember this as soon as no Israeli buys from you again, anywhere on this planet. And it’s a shame because we buy lots,” the Instagram user added.
In response, Kattan — an Iraqi-American influencer raised in Oklahoma City whose net price was estimated by Forbes last yr at $400 million — wrote, “I don’t want blood money,” in response to screenshots.
Huda Kattan standing in front of a display of Huda Beauty products at Sephora.Getty Images for Sephora
In one other post because the Oct. 7 invasion, Kattan wrote that “Israel, who has the fourth largest army on this planet, is NOT the victim, but they repeat the identical story and gaslight anyone who comes with facts.”
Elsewhere, Kattan — a longtime influencer higher known for pronouncements like “Rosy cheeks are going to be huge!” — quoted what look like scripture passages on her Instagram feed.
“You will definitely cause corruption within the land twice and you may turn into extremely smug,” reads one referring to the “Children of Israel”. One other states, “We might send against you a few of our servants of great might, who would ravage your homes. This could be a warning fulfilled.”
In response, Kattan is now facing backlash from clients, which have included Eva Longoria and Nicole Richie.
“I can’t stand behind her anymore,” said one NYC-based makeup artist who works in television and didn’t need to be identified. “I really like her product but I’ll never use it again.”
This Change.org petition has already surpassed its original goal of reaching 5,000 signatories.Change.org
The source noted that Huda Beauty products are “easily replaceable,” adding “I even have spoken with lots of makeup artists they usually are all disgusted and said ‘time to purge our kits.’”
Others praised Kattan online, vowing to purchase the corporate’s products.
“Unlike many others, you selected to make use of your platform to fight for what’s right, despite the impact it could have on your small business,” a fan posted on Kattan’s personal Instagram account. “Something that lots of people don’t have the courage to do.”
One other wrote, “Need me some huda beauty makeup spree this weekend.”
Greater than 5,000 people have signed a Change.org petition calling for Sephora to remove Huda Beauty products from its US stores because Kattan has “publicly expressed her stance against Israel,” in response to the Oct. 14 petition.
Huda Kattan’s personal Instagram account includes quite a few posts which are critical of Israel within the wake of the October war.Huda/Instagram
In 2017, Kattan sold a minority stake in Huda Beauty to non-public equity firm TSG, valuing the corporate on the time at $1.25 billion.
Huda Beauty, Sephora and TSG didn’t immediately reply to requests for comment.
Huda Kattan has been lauded by the business press as a top influencer by Time and Forbes.Getty Images for Huda Beauty®
Kattan was named by Forbes as one in every of the ten most influential beauty influencers and appeared on Fortune’s 40 under 40 list in 2021. In 2017, Time named her one in every of the 25 most influential people on the Web.
She launched Huda Beauty in 2013 along with her two sisters Mona and Alya and her husband, Christopher. The corporate, which makes some 140 products, started off with false eyelashes that Kim Kardashian helped make famous. It generated about $200 million in sales in 2022, in response to Forbes.
