Katrina Kaif On How Makeup Gave Her Self-Expression: "It Allowed Me To Create This Glamorous Persona"

Actress Katrina Kaif, the founder of her beauty brand Kay Beauty, recently sat down with Huda Kattan, the founder of Huda Beauty, to discuss their shared experiences in the beauty industry and the pressures of conforming to unrealistic standards imposed by the society. The two powerhouses took the opportunity to delve into the impact of makeup on their personal and professional lives. The conversation also centered around how the beauty world can be influenced by the ideas of one’s self-perception.

Katrina Kaif shared a glimpse of her conversation with Huda Kattan in a joint Instagram post. In the video, the two beauty moguls are seen having a fun chat about makeup and beauty. They also did each other’s makeup, with Huda even trying her famous “baking” technique on the Merry Christmas actress. Alongside the video, Katrina wrote, “When Kay met Huda: From contouring conversations to highlight moments, the iconic Huda & I discuss our experiences as beauty founders, the pressure to conform to unreal beauty standards, the social media pressure cooker and authentic expression…who knew that Makeup would be the best therapy session ever!”

During their conversation, Huda Kattan asked Katrina Kaif if venturing into the makeup business was a big and scary move as an actress. Without any hesitation, Katrina admitted that it indeed was a challenge. Elaborating on the topic, the actress explained that she had been passionate about makeup since her teenage years. “It almost became this form of self-expression that I didn’t have otherwise as I was a really shy teenager,” she added.

Katrina Kaif continued, “Makeup gave me this form of self-expression which allowed me to create this glamorous persona.” She reflected on her journey into showbiz, spending time as a model and working with some of the best makeup artists in the country and later globally. The actress mentioned that she keenly observed their makeup techniques and asked questions about why they were smudging the liner, using concealer in specific areas, or applying lip liner. Katrina said that these learnings were very helpful as she understood how she wanted to look. After that, she did most of her makeup herself.

Speaking about the pressure she felt to match certain beauty standards, Katrina Kaif revealed that there were moments when she felt obligated to conform to a specific beauty stereotype but there were times when she didn’t quite meet those expectations. This led to a sense of judgment, making her feel as if she didn’t deserve to be at an event unless she looked perfect.

Katrina Kaif launched Kay Beauty in partnership with beauty retailer Nykaa in 2019.