From turning a blog into a billion-dollar beauty business, the Kattan sisters are no strangers to leading to the way, and according to Mona, that was no different when it came to the pandemic. “We were actually one of the first businesses in Dubai who started working from home. We always want to err on the side of caution and our people are absolutely the top priority for us as a business.”
To contribute to the community, Mona explains, “In order to protect our employees jobs, my sisters and I along with Chris all decided to forego our salaries from May until the end of the year.” She continues, “Something else that we’ve done is provide US$200,000 worth of micro-grants of US$1000 and US$500 to freelance make-up artists because they’re so near and dear to our hearts. Just a few years ago Huda was in their shoes and living job to job, so we really felt for our community of make-up artists.”
On a personal level, when it comes to staying positive, Mona confesses. “For me, fragrance is one of the best tools for driving your mood. Even if I’m not going anywhere, I’ve been spraying my favourite fragrances, lighting candles and more to create good vibes. Having to adjust to working from home and changing up my daily routines really took some time as I’m really a creature of habit.”
“I feel like there’s a serious shift happening in the way that people interact with each other and I hope that this stay”
Characteristically optimistic, she adds, “I have so many hopes for the future! I feel like there’s real power in speaking about the things that you hope to see in the future. One of the things that I hope for in the future is that we as a society learn to be more mindful and kind. Those may seem like very simple things, but I feel like there’s a serious shift happening in the way that people interact with each other and I hope that this stays.” Grazia couldn’t agree more.
Mona’s message for Grazia readers? “Make sure that you set aside some time for you each day. Read a book, take a long bath spray one of your favorite perfumes and take some time for yourself to decompress. These moments practising self-love are so important especially right now.”
Mona Kattan’s gratitude list
The beauty boss reveals, “I try to start every single morning just looking at my gratitude list I have and just try to be grateful for every single thing I have and I really love this quote: “Imagine if you woke up with all the things, that you said thank you for the night before?” That just really struck a chord at me and I’m always going to try and be as grateful as possible, to God, to the universe for every single blessing I have in my life, because you never really, really know what you have until it is taken away.”
1. The first thing I would like to start with, might seem a little cliché but I think it’s just important given the times, is to be grateful for your health. I think if we are all realising right now, if we have our health we are extremely lucky with corona happening and just with every other sort of illness there is in the world, I think that if you do not have major health issues, you should be so grateful and just really thank the universe, thank God every single day for your health. We are so blessed!
2. Another thing I am really grateful for and it’s something I have really been able to remember having more time at home to reflect on: I am super, super grateful for all of the tough times I have had in my life. I think just being in quarantine, I actually had more time to reflect and I actually have a note where I just write down all my lessons. Every tough time that I have been through is a huge blessing in disguise and I have learnt so much from every crazy period in my life.
3. I’m really grateful for my family – and I’m talking about my biological family, but also my Huda Beauty family. We have the best team on the planet and I think that quarantine has actually brought us closer together, we are kicking butt together and even during this crazy time. Every single person has rolled up their sleeves and shown how much they really care about our mission and what we are doing so I am just super, super grateful for the Huda beauty family, love you guys!
4. Of course we can’t forget, I am so grateful for perfume, and the power of scent and how it can transform your mood. I have been lighting candles, using diffusers, using all my perfumes as a tool to really transform the way I really feel and I think that’s something all of you should do, create a mood in your house, like really just feel a different vibe every single day. Use the power of fragrance. It’s beautiful!
Photos: Supplied
