Beauty giant Sephora has quietly pulled Huda Beauty from its upcoming autumn “Experts” campaign after founder Huda Kattan sparked outrage with a string of antisemitic conspiracy claims.
Kattan, a 41-year-old Iraqi-American influencer and entrepreneur, posted a TikTok in July accusing Israel of being behind the World Wars, the 9/11 terror attacks, and even Hamas’ October 7 massacre. The video, which spread quickly before TikTok took it down for violating its rules, also pushed other baseless conspiracies.
Sephora—owned by luxury group LVMH—initially said it was “reviewing the matter” and stressed that it does not tolerate “hate, harassment or misinformation.” Now, trade outlet Puck reports that Kattan has officially been removed from Sephora’s star-studded September lineup. The campaign will instead feature artists like Gucci Westman, Patrick Starr, and Mario Dedivanovic.
“Kattan was supposed to be a central figure,” journalist Rachel Strugatz noted. “Her absence will speak volumes.”
The Anti-Defamation League blasted Kattan’s comments as “irresponsible and dangerous,” warning that they echoed some of the oldest antisemitic stereotypes. Jewish advocacy groups in both the U.S. and U.K. have urged retailers to cut ties with Huda Beauty entirely.
Kattan, for her part, has tried to walk back her remarks. She claimed her comments were “misinterpreted” and aimed at Israeli government policies, not Jewish people. She also accused her critics of mounting a “defamation campaign” against her.
Despite the backlash, Huda Beauty—valued at nearly £900 million—remains on the shelves of major British retailers like Boots, Selfridges, Harrods, Cult Beauty, and Harvey Nichols. Sephora’s massive North American distribution network, however, is widely seen as crucial to the brand’s global growth.
Meanwhile, pressure continues to mount: more than 7,000 people have already signed a petition calling on Sephora to drop Huda Beauty from its stores entirely. Photo by Mike Mozart from Funny YouTube, USA, Wikimedia commons.