Pretty Grunge is the next evolution of Huda’s palettes; Each has previously revealed their own personal story, and this unexpected genre speaks of challenging societal norms and stepping towards new beginnings.
I’ve been a fan of Huda Kattan for years and I had the chance (and was thrilled) to interview her about Huda Beauty’s newest eyeshadow palette, ‘Pretty Grunge’. The new 18 shade palette is meant to be a ‘return to old-school glam with an edgy, modern twist’ – and with Y2K making a comeback this year, it’ll be a palette you’ll want at the top of your Christmas list when it launches at Sephora. It’s November 1st – trust us.
Asking all the questions I’ve wanted to ask Huda for years, I quizzed the gorgeous beauty influencer and makeup mogul about her “pinch me” moment, her earliest makeup-related memory, the best skincare advice she’s ever been given, and three desert island beauty products. among everything else.
Did you expect your brand to achieve such global success?
Honestly, you never know if a business will be successful or not but I believed in myself and knew I had the drive and passion to give it my all and here we are ten years later!
I always had big dreams and the determination to achieve them; I wanted to do something I loved and I believe that’s what makes the business successful. I also took many risks to realize this dream; I left my old career behind and trained as a make-up artist. I created my blog [back] In 2010, with a loan from my sister, I launched a Sephora-exclusive false eyelash collection in 2013; the rest is history. Huda Beauty is a brand made of my passion, my amazing team and the loyalty of my followers.
What has been your ‘pinch me’ moment since launching Huda Beauty?
Oh, I’ve lived so much! I think my biggest one will probably be the week I grow my lashes. We expected to sell the current quantity of lashes in about a year, but they sold out within a week!
What is your earliest skincare or makeup-related memory?
My first memory is watching my sister Alya’s make-up; I fell in love with all the products and techniques. The first products I used on myself were actually from her makeup bag!
What’s the best skincare advice you’ve ever received?
Facial massage! Just a few minutes when you apply your skincare in the morning and evening – there are plenty of tutorials on the internet and its many benefits, including reducing muscle tension, promoting lymphatic drainage and boosting your glow. I find it very relaxing to indulge in some self-care before a busy day or before bed for a good night’s sleep.
Is there anything you’d like to share with your younger self now? Or is it something to your future self?
To my younger self, I would say be prepared to make a lot of sacrifices, which sometimes means missing out on great opportunities. When you really want something you have to work for it; You have to keep pushing and never give up. Follow your passion and stay focused on it.
If you had to choose three desert island beauty items, what would they be and why?
First up will be our Liquid Matte Lipsticks! I’m obsessed with how long-lasting and lightweight the formula is while providing great color payoff. I love all our shades but if I had to choose just one, I’d go with my all-time favourite, ‘Bombshell’.
The second one will be our Easy Bake and Snatch Pressed Shine and Setting Powder because it is so versatile. On low-maintenance days, I only use it under my eyes and in areas that need a little coverage, but I love it so much that I sometimes use it to contour.
Finally, I’ve been a bit 90s trend obsessed lately, especially when it comes to ‘grungey’ looks, so this has to be our new Pretty Grunge Palette!
How do you choose the names of the palettes you create?
Our palettes have different inspirations and mood boards, so the name is often derived from them. Our new Pretty Grunge Palette is inspired by the grunge aesthetic, but I’m a glamor girl, so full grunge isn’t something I’d wear. So we made a change to it! The palette is so versatile with its innovative textures and gorgeously pigmented shades that it can be used to create grunge or glamorous looks, so we combined the two and created ‘Pretty Grunge’!
Where did the inspiration for Pretty Grunge come from? I automatically think of my ‘Avril Lavigne’ days or Kate Moss and Glasto!
Yes! The 90s made a comeback in fashion and beauty. As a brand, we love to put our own spin on beauty trends, so we decided to focus on the grunge aesthetic in general because it’s so empowering and fits our brand identity perfectly. This year I decided to fully accept myself and in doing so we were ready to shake up the beauty industry and break the rules some more! Our Pretty Grunge collection does this by encouraging you to embrace who you are and rebel against stereotypical beauty standards and redefine!
With the Pretty Grunge palette in mind, what was the person or character you hoped it would represent – or could the owner be as creative as they wanted?
That’s the beauty of this palette: whoever has it can be as creative as they want! The important thing is that they are themselves without regret. There’s a ‘careless’ attitude to grunge that I hope everyone will adopt when using the collection!
With so many versatile shades, what’s the most creative way you’ve seen one of your palettes used?
This literally just happened! I saw someone use the NYMPH highlighter to highlight a pumpkin undertone and it was really great. I’ve seen so many people using the shadows to highlight, contour, and for their brows! I love seeing how creative people get with our products.
Huda Beauty’s Pretty Grunge palette offers a versatile range of vampy shades; Perfect for anyone who wants to nail the hottest trends of 2023, like the soft gothic aesthetic or the ‘latte girl’, as well as all the new trends coming in 2024.
Housed in a grunge-inspired case, wearable rich browns, weathered eggplant tones, and sparkling silvers add extra flair; Ready for party season, right? As always, you can expect highly pigmented pressed powders with cashmere-smooth textures – this is the truly modern way to wear a smokey eye. Plus innovative dual chromes and wet black eye gloss, I do not know what it is For a contemporary, artist-led makeover with just a few touches – what more could you ask for?
The Pretty Grunge Palette will be available from Sephora on 1 November 2023 for £62 – so what are you waiting for? This is a palette that will see you through party season and beyond.
Speaking of floor girls, Huda’s sister Mona has recently launched four brand new ‘Oudgasmic’ inspired scents and they’ve completely changed my mind on fragrance ingredients. To get you in the festive spirit, Jo Malone has launched a gorgeous Gingerbread Cologne. Oh, how could we forget to tell you that Glossier’s You now comes in size XL – thank goodness.
