Fans of Huda Kattan’s eponymous makeup collection have something new to clamor for: Next month the Dubai-based beauty guru will introduce Faux Filter Foundation, a 30-shade range that took two years to perfect. Kattan’s main criteria? It had to look like real skin. But unlike some of her competitors, she didn’t have a database to shade-match different skin tones. Instead, “We’d pull people from restaurants and hotels. I would see people with an interesting skin tone and I would say, ‘can you come into our office? I want to shade test you’,” she says.
But Kattan doesn’t insist on limiting yourself to foundation shades that mimic your natural complexion. “You should know your undertone, but you could go lighter or darker depending on your preference,” she explains. “I actually go darker most of the time. I find it’s totally okay to not be your complete skin tone.”
Here, Kattan talks about the beauty products she really buys, her off-camera makeup routine, and Instagram fatigue.
When applying foundation, how important is the application method?
Very important. A trick I learned from Patrick Ta, who I think does skin better than any makeup artist out there, is to take a Beauty Blender after you’re all made up and tap off excess product from your face. He does that after powder. I thought that was really interesting because you’re getting seamless application again. We made a super easy brush applicator [with Huda Beauty Foundation] so you can do whatever you want after with your Beauty Blender or fingers. Someone with a lot of acne who has texture on their skin and indents, they can go ahead with a brush and seamlessly apply all over and smooth things out.
What products do you stock up on when you visit the United States?
A lot. One product I swear by is Ren Rose Oil. We still don’t have Skinceuticals in Dubai, which is madness to me. I swear by the Rose oil and the Skinceuticals Skin Firming Cream. I feel like it’s really helping my pores. I also use their AOX+ Eye Gel. That’s one of the most amazing products for tightening the skin around my eyes. There was a time when my skin was becoming so droopy and I was like, ‘do I do botox? What do I do?’ And I feel like it’s so nice before you apply makeup because it tightens up the skin so well. It’s incredible. Literally you will use it in the morning and say why do my eyes look droopy and later in the day you’ll realize your eyes look tightened up and look better. Everyone should use it.
Anything else?
I’ll head to Macy’s and get products from Lorac and Oribe and R & Co. We still don’t have everything [in Dubai] when it comes to beauty. I’ll pop into Sally Beauty Supply and buy small little pro items like hair ties, hair clips and curling irons, loads of brushes, and things that I need consistently. I left L.A. with three luggages and I came back with fifteen or sixteen. It’s a lot. I had three bags just filled with makeup and haircare products.
How much do you typically spend on makeup?
I can spend a minimum of $4,000 a month on makeup. People get surprised because they’re like, ‘why do you still buy products?’ There are so many indie brands like Dose of Color, Morphe and Lime Crime that I like to buy, or I’m impulsively shopping on Sephora or Net-A-Porter. I do spend a lot on beauty products.
What’s your daily makeup routine when you’re not on camera or shooting?
The first thing I do is splash my face with water and tap dry with bamboo cloth. Sometimes I’ll use a retinol and I’ll do a little more washing of the face. I’ll wash my face in the morning, I use the Ren Rose Oil, and I use the Skinceuticals Skin Firming Cream second, and then I’ll use the AOX+ Eye Gel. And I like to do my brows, so I’ll use the Benefit Ka-Brow! In 3 & 4 and I’ll finish with my Huda Beauty Lip Contour in Trendsetter.
I’m very curious about people who take breaks from wearing makeup altogether.
I try to take breaks from makeup on the weekends. I try to not to wear any on Fridays and Saturdays. It’s good to let your skin breathe and it’s good not to depend on makeup, to feel comfortable in our skin. When I first stopped wearing makeup on the weekends, I felt super uncomfortable. I go out on the weekends, I see people, people are taking pictures with or of me. I think being comfortable in your own skin, the better you’re going to feel about it, the more confident you’re going to feel about it. But at the beginning, there’s a weaning period.
Do you ever get social media fatigue and feel like it’s overwhelming?
It happens periodically, but not very often. Everyone is doing all these different brow trends and it’s really hilarious. We created this new brow trend where I removed all my makeup and eyebrows, and I literally drew the most ridiculous arch that went into my forehead, and I’m like, ‘guys this is the new brow trend.’ People try too hard to get the viral videos, but I think what we try to do is not be part of that. Every once in a while I need a break from Instagram; like six hours long.
From: ELLE USA
