Huda Beauty’s founder has stated she is willing to risk her entire business by remaining vocal on the humanitarian crisis happening in Palestine.
In a video posted to Instagram, Huda Kattan said she has received multiple threats from sources trying to get her “to be silent” on her pro-Palestine stance.
The brand owner stressed, however, that she will “not be intimidated” and has done “nothing wrong” by speaking about Israel's invasion of the Gaza strip.
“I am speaking on behalf of humanity, and I will not be intimidated,” Kattan said in the video.
“I am willing to risk my entire business, everything that I have on that, in search of the truth and justice.”
The entrepreneur also criticised the notion that she was being “anti-semetic” by talking about “innocent people being hurt”.
“I am more afraid to not speak my truth and to become a coward and a tool of the disgusting system that has allowed too many people to be oppressed for too long,” Kattan added.
“And anybody who tries to get people to be silent for doing good work, you are pro-genocide and you are pro the killing of innocent people.”
Kattan has been a long time supporter of Palestine prior to the Hamas-Israel war, having previously condemned the evictions of Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah, East Jerusalem, in 2021.
She also donated US$1m to Human Appeal and Doctors Without Borders in October 2023, two humanitarian organisations working to support displaced Palestiains, following Israel’s invasion.
“It’s been a month of immense suffering in Gaza, and unfortunately things are getting worse,” Kattan said in a statement at the time.
“It is important that we always stand on the side of the oppressed and use our platform to shed light on any injustice.”
Kattan is one of the few beauty figures who has been vocal on the Gaza crisis, with the industry having had a largely muted response to the war.
Beauty titans such L’Oréal and Unilever are among the businesses which have not released statements or social media posts on the crisis.
Not all brands have remained silent, with Huda Beauty’s fragrance and skin care subsidiaries Kayali and Wishful supporting Kattan’s pro-Palestinian stance.
Skin care brand Farsáli has also been outspoken on social media, and pledged to donate up to $20,000 to charities supporting Palestiains.
“With every product sold, we’ll donate a day’s worth of nutritious food to help a child in Gaza,” the brand said on Instagram.
Kattan launched her beauty blog and YouTube channel, both called Huda Beauty, in 2010.
She would go on to release her debut cosmetics line under the same name in 2013, with her beauty empire now being worth over $1.2bn.
