The encyclopedia · Advertising & PR · Marketing decision · 2025
Sephora dropped Huda Beauty from its fall campaign over founder Kattan's video
Huda Kattan's deleted TikTok conspiracy video cost her brand its place in Sephora's fall 'Experts' campaign.
Huda Beauty · Sephora · Huda Kattan · 2025-08-25
What happened
Huda Beauty was one of the biggest influencer-founded cosmetics brands of the 2020s, built by makeup artist Huda Kattan in Dubai and carried in Sephora stores around the world. In early August 2025, Kattan posted a now-deleted TikTok video promoting conspiracy theories linking Israel to events including the World Wars, 9/11 and the October 7 attacks; the Anti-Defamation League condemned the content as antisemitic.
Sephora — the brand's most important retail partner — said on August 12 that it took the matter 'very seriously' and was 'actively reviewing this issue internally, including working with the brand.' Two weeks later, on August 25, it removed Huda Beauty from its upcoming fall 'Experts' campaign, a flagship showcase that also featured Westman Atelier and Makeup by Mario.
Kattan denied antisemitism in an Instagram video on August 9, saying she would 'never condone any hate of any kind' and that she had removed the TikTok video herself. The campaign decision stood; Sephora said nothing further about store-level distribution, but removal from the flagship campaign was the first concrete consequence for the brand.
Why it happened
- A founder's personal social media became the brand's risk: Huda Beauty and Huda Kattan were the same name, so a video she deleted still travelled with the company.
- Sephora's public review on August 12 set the expectation, and the removal followed two weeks later — the retailer could not keep a founder under controversy in its flagship showcase.
- A denial on August 9 did not outpace the ADL's call to review partnerships: the advocacy pressure was aimed at retailers, and Sephora was the one that had to answer it.
- Removal from one campaign, not from stores, was the calibrated step: Sephora protected the showcase without severing the wholesale relationship it still wanted.
The lesson
A founder's personal account is the brand's account: one deleted video cost Huda Beauty its place in Sephora's flagship campaign. Advocacy pressure aimed at a retailer lands on the brand it carries.
Aftermath
In early August 2025, Huda Kattan posted a TikTok video that critics, including the Anti-Defamation League, condemned as antisemitic conspiracy theories; she deleted it and denied antisemitism in an Instagram video on August 9. Sephora told Cosmetics Business on August 12 that it was 'actively reviewing this issue internally, including working with the brand.' On August 25, Sephora removed Huda Beauty from its fall 'Experts' campaign. No announcement was made about pulling Huda Beauty from store shelves, but the removal marked the first concrete consequence for the brand.
Sources
- Cosmetics Business — Sephora reviewing social media backlash against Huda Beauty
- Economic Times BrandEquity — Sephora drops Huda Beauty cosmetic line from upcoming campaign over antisemitism backlash
- news.az — Sephora drops Huda Beauty from fall campaign over antisemitism backlash
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