We caught up with Mona Kattan – entrepreneur, reality TV star and Instagram powerhouse with over three million followers – for a quick chat.
We all know Mona Kattan as one-third of the powerhouse trio behind Huda Beauty, which she co-founded with her sisters Huda and Alya Kattan, and for her recent appearance on Netflix's reality show Dubai Bling. It all began when she recognised the potential in her sister Huda’s self-designed faux lashes and the rest, as they say, is history.
But when we caught up with Mona to ask how she describes herself, the successful entrepreneur revealed: “I’m a highly sensitive person, with a lot of empathy and curiosity. I love having deep and meaningful conversations that help me connect and understand people better. I have always had a drive to help people and I hope one day to inspire and heal others so they can become their best selves. I think it comes from my obsession with Tony Robbins and personal development from such a young age. I just love seeing people level up, it makes me so happy!”
Huda Beauty launched its first line of faux lashes at Sephora in Dubai Mall in 2013. Reflecting on the brand’s success, Mona said: “Over the last 11 years, there have been so many amazing launches, that we now have a full makeup range and are even rebranding.” The brand’s success opened the door for Mona to pursue her own passions, which led to the creation of her fragrance line, Kayali.
“I always wanted to start my own fragrance brand, even before we launched Huda Beauty but the universe had other plans at the time. In 2018, I decided to follow my passion and launched Kayali with four incredible fragrances based on my love of layering. Today, we have over 20 fragrances in our collection, with many more on the way.”
When asked about the inspiration behind Kayali, Mona explained: “The word ‘kayali’ means ‘my imagination’ in Arabic and this is what we wanted to convey through the brand. I’ve always been obsessed with fragrances. They’re not just scents, they are bookmarks in your life and a path into memories and emotions. While creating Kayali, I was inspired by the rituals and art of fragrance layering around the Middle East and wanted to share this practice with the world."
Mona also credits her heritage as a key influence on Kayali. “Growing up Arab-American, I was already exposed to certain notes and ingredients – oud, saffron, rose – that are heavily used in perfumery here. When I moved to Dubai over 20 years ago, I realised how deeply ingrained fragrance is in everyday life. The Middle East has very rich scents and rituals of layering that fascinate me; the use of fragrance is very intentional here. I loved visiting the souks to try out new perfumes and oils and I’d buy as many as I could. This inspiration was central to our Oudgasm collection, which was completely focused on oud and the possibilities around it. Through this collection, our goal was to honour this precious ingredient while modernising it and offering a fresh perspective for the rest of the world to enjoy."
Beyond her professional responsibilities, Mona is a strong advocate for wellness. “I think everyone needs to take time for themselves, whether it’s through meditation, reading self-help books, listening to podcasts or simply spending time doing things that bring them happiness and joy. So if I’m not working on new fragrances, I’m always reading, listening to podcasts and trying to absorb knowledge wherever I can find it. Other than that, I also love spending time with my husband, family and friends.”
As for what keeps her motivated, Mona shared: “I have so much fire and passion in me right now. Maybe in a few years, I’ll slow down, but for now, I am constantly inspired by the people around me and the things that I see. I want to create everything and put everything I have into this business for the next few years.”
Leaving us with some advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, Mona concluded: “Research, research, research! Learn as much as you can and find a niche to start with, so you don’t have to take too big of a risk.”
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