Beauty Roundup: Huda Kattan is back as CEO, Hard Candy x Girl Scouts Collab, Maybelline’s New Lip Plumper, and More
Since we did an all-local beauty news roundup last week, let’s do the opposite this time and look at beauty news from other countries. First up, Huda Kattan is back as CEO of Huda Beauty! Hard Candy releases a delicious collection inspired by Girl Scout cookies. Maybelline New York takes on the lip plumper trend with their own version. Last but not least, Dyson releases a gorgeous ceramic pink and rose gold version of their hair care tools in honor of Mother’s Day. Shall we take a look-see? Here we go!
Image via Huda Beauty website
Huda’s officially back as CEO!
In a recent Instagram post cross-posted on the beauty maven’s personal and beauty brand accounts, Huda Kattan proclaims that stepping down as CEO in 2020 has been “one of the biggest regrets” in her life. At the time, she thought she was making a smart move for her brand by letting go of business operations and shifting her focus to content.
Huda Beauty’s North American division president Nathalie Kristo took over, but left the post after only six months as chief executive officer. In 2021, Kattan and her husband Christopher Goncalo were appointed co-CEOs. She began taking a more active role, and took back the lead in product development in 2023. She says, “I’m happy to say I’m back in the CEO position. I have been for a little while. I’ve been under the hood. I had to relearn the business. I had to relearn what it takes to be a CEO. What it takes to be a real CEO because a lot of people carry the title around and I did for the longest time, but I had to really learn what it meant to be an operational CEO.”
Image via Huda Beauty website
Image via Huda Beauty website
Already hard at work on keeping the brand aligned with her personal vision, she has hinted at letting go of certain products that don’t resonate with her, such as the brand’s Glowish line. The brand will also get a new logo and redesigned packaging, aside from new products.
Based on their latest release, it seems like she’s good on her word! Out globally on February 25th, the Creamy Obsessions Palette (32 USD) looks good enough to eat! Available in two shades (Neutral Brown and Greige), this handy eyeshadow palette comes with a grid of 8 creamy pigmented colors and 1 translucent setting powder. It’s definitely different from previous releases, yet very Huda. Looking forward to even more exciting news from her and her brand in the coming months!
Image via Hard Candy website
Hard Candy x Girl Scouts
With the tagline, “Makeup Just Got Sweeter,” Hard Candy ate and left no crumbs with their irresistible Girl Scouts Collection. Inspired by Girl Scout cookies in Thin Mint, Coconut Caramel, and Trefoil flavors, each item borrows the coloring, scent, and/or taste of the guilty pleasures. The eyeshadow palettes, highlighters, and primer are all cookie-scented (!!!), while both the lip oils and lip markers are cookie-flavored (!!!) as well. The mascara is a unique dark chocolate color. The press-on nails, nail stickers, powder puff, and plush headband polish off the collection. As of writing, it has sold out on many physical stores and even on their official website. I’m not surprised–all items in the collection range from only 7-10 USD.
Image via Maybelline website
Maybelline joins the lip plumper game
Meet the Maybelline Lifter Plump (12.99 USD), a literally hot take on their Lifter Gloss. Formulated with chili pepper, the gloss gives “30% instantly plumper look.” Users have reported although the tingling sensation that may last up to one hour, the visible effect on the lips last for much longer.
Image via Maybelline website
It is available in eight shades: Blush Blaze, Mauve Bite, Pink Sting, Red Flag, Peach Fever, Hot Chili, Cocoa Zing, and Hot Honey. It’s not yet available locally, so I’ll keep my fingers crossed!
Image via Dyson website
Dyson releases the ultimate Mother’s Day gift
In a video posted on Instagram last month, Dyson announced their gift suggestions for Mother’s Day: the Dyson Supersonic hair dryer, Airwrap multi styler, and Airstrait hair straightener, in a limited edition ceramic pink and rose gold colorway, with matching Onyx rose gold presentation case. These are now available in the United Kingdom and in Korea, with a rollout in other countries soon. The Airstrait, however, will only be made available in the US, Canada, Mexico, Korea, and China.
And that’s it for this week’s international beauty news roundup! I hope you had as much fun as I did in sharing these stories. See you all again next week!
