Huda Beauty: 2025 Facts on Founder, Kayali & Boycotts

Huda Beauty has been a fixture on makeup counters since 2013, but in 2025 the brand hit a crossroads after founder Huda Kattan bought back full ownership in June and a controversial TikTok video in July triggered boycott calls. Here’s what’s fact and what’s rumor around the brand’s ownership, the Kayali spin-off, and the geopolitical backlash.

Founded: 2013 ·
Founder: Huda Kattan ·
Country of origin: United Arab Emirates ·
Parent company: Huda Beauty LLC ·
Flagship product line: Kayali fragrances

Five key facts about the people behind Huda Beauty tell the ownership story at a glance.

Who is the owner of Huda Beauty?

Background of Huda Kattan as founder

Huda Kattan, a former makeup artist and blogger, launched Huda Beauty in 2013 with her sisters Mona and Alya Kattan (Reuters (news agency)). She built the brand through Instagram tutorials and a dedicated following, turning it into a global cosmetics powerhouse.

Ownership structure of Huda Beauty LLC

As of June 2025, Huda Kattan owns 100% of Huda Beauty LLC after buying back the minority stake held by TSG Consumer Partners (TheIndustry.beauty (beauty trade publication)). The company is privately held, with headquarters in Dubai.

The implication: Huda Kattan has full autonomy to steer the brand’s direction without investor pressure.

Why did Mona Kattan leave Huda Beauty?

Mona Kattan’s role as co-founder

Mona Kattan co-founded Huda Beauty alongside Huda and their sister Alya. She was instrumental in product development and brand strategy (Reuters (news agency)).

Transition to Kayali fragrance brand

In 2021, Mona stepped back from daily operations at Huda Beauty to focus on Kayali, the fragrance brand she co-created with Huda. On 2025-02-17, Huda Beauty announced the sale of Kayali to Mona Kattan and General Atlantic, making it a standalone company (Business Wire (press release)). The move effectively made Mona the full-time owner-operator of Kayali.

The pattern: what began as a side project became a separate empire, and Mona chose to lead it alone.

Why is Kayali so expensive and why is it separate from Huda Beauty?

Kayali pricing factors: niche fragrance ingredients

Kayali positioning sits at the higher end of the fragrance market. Its perfumes use concentrated oil blends and niche ingredients, which justify price points that often exceed $100 per bottle (Reuters (news agency)).

Relationship between Kayali and Huda Beauty

Although Kayali launched under the Huda Beauty umbrella in 2018, it always operated as a distinct brand with its own identity. The February 2025 divestiture formalized the separation: Kayali is now fully independent, owned by Mona Kattan and General Atlantic (Business Wire (press release)).

One comparison put the differences into perspective.

What this means: Kayali’s premium pricing is a deliberate strategy to carve out a luxury niche separate from the mass-market Huda Beauty line.

Does Kayali perfume support Israel?

Boycott movement over alleged Israel ties

In July 2025, Huda Kattan posted a TikTok video promoting debunked antisemitic conspiracy theories about Jews and Israel (CNN (news outlet)). The video sparked widespread backlash and boycott calls, with some activists urging consumers to avoid both Huda Beauty and Kayali based on a perception that the founder’s views translate to support for Israel’s policies.

Huda Beauty’s official response

As of August 2025, neither Huda Beauty nor Kayali has issued an official statement addressing the boycott claims or the TikTok video directly. The Jerusalem Post reported that Kattan faced demands for removal from Sephora stores (The Jerusalem Post (Israeli newspaper)).

The catch: there is no verified evidence that Kayali or Huda Beauty itself provides financial support to Israel. The boycott movement is driven by the founder’s personal expression, not corporate policy.

What religion is Huda Beauty’s husband?

Huda Kattan’s husband Christopher Khalil

Huda Kattan has been married to Christopher Khalil since 2008. He is a private individual who rarely appears in the media. Wikipedia (encyclopedia) notes no confirmed information about his religious beliefs.

His religious affiliation is private

No credible public source has ever reported Christopher Khalil’s religion. Any claims online are unsubstantiated.

Why don’t people like Huda Beauty?

Criticism over pricing

Some consumers feel Huda Beauty products are overpriced for their quality. Mixed reviews on product longevity appear on forums and retail sites (CNN (news outlet)).

Controversies around founder statements

The July 2025 TikTok video is the most prominent trigger. Kattan allegedly replied to an Israeli user threatening boycott with the phrase “I don’t want blood money” (CNN (news outlet)). That comment, combined with the conspiracy content, has caused significant consumer backlash.

Perceived quality issues

Reports of poor product performance in certain categories (e.g., eyeshadow fallout, foundation oxidation) have been cited by detractors, though such complaints are common in the mass-prestige segment.

Where is Huda Beauty available today?

Sephora still sells Huda Beauty

As of August 2025, Sephora continues to stock Huda Beauty in stores and online. However, Sephora announced on 2025-08-10 that it was actively reviewing its relationship with the brand (Roya News (Jordanian news outlet)).

Boots Ireland availability

Boots in Ireland carries Huda Beauty, and no delisting has been reported as of mid-2025.

Official online store

The brand’s own website, hudabeauty.com, remains fully operational and ships to most countries.

The timeline shows how quickly the brand’s fortunes changed from a successful spin-off to a reputational crisis.

The clarity breakdown reinforces that many claims about Huda Beauty remain unverified, leaving room for speculation.

Quotes from key figures

“I don’t want blood money.”

— Huda Kattan, replying to an Israeli user threatening boycott (reported by CNN (news outlet))

“We are thrilled to take KAYALI to the next level as an independent brand, with the support of General Atlantic in our journey ahead.”

— Mona Kattan, as quoted in the official announcement (Business Wire (press release))

For shoppers in Europe and the Middle East, the choice is becoming starker: either support a brand whose founder has expressed controversial views or switch to alternatives. For Sephora buyers, the retailer’s review could tip the scale. The pressure on Huda Beauty to issue a clear corporate stance will only intensify — and the answer will determine whether the brand stays on shelves or becomes another casualty of the geopolitics of beauty.

Frequently asked questions