The Beauty of Accountability: Huda Kattan and the Backlash of Political Influence

The rise of Huda Kattan from a makeup artist and blogger to the billionaire founder of Huda Beauty is a quintessential 21st-century success story. As a woman of Iraqi descent raised in the United States and based in Dubai, she has long positioned herself as a voice for the Middle East on the global stage. However, this influential platform has become a double-edged sword. When a public figure’s personal or brand messaging intersects with the volatile political landscape of the region, the expectations from their audience shift from aesthetic inspiration to moral alignment. For many Iranians, Kattan’s perceived alignment or lack of appropriate solidarity during times of crisis became a focal point of intense scrutiny.