Sephora Officially Cuts Huda Beauty from Fall “Experts” Campaign After Founder’s Controversial Comments

NEW YORK, August 26, 2025 - Sephora has today formally announced the removal of Huda Beauty from its high-profile fall “Experts” marketing campaign, following weeks of mounting backlash over controversial statements made by founder and CEO Huda Kattan.

The decision affects one of Sephora’s largest seasonal promotions, which spotlights leading makeup artists and top-selling brands. Huda Beauty had been slated to occupy prominent in-store displays and window placements alongside luxury names such as Gucci Westman’s Westman Atelier and Makeup by Mario. However, Sephora cited a commitment to its values-“promoting hate, harassment, or misinformation does not align with our code of conduct”-as the rationale for severing the partnership.

Kattan sparked the controversy in July when she posted a TikTok video accusing Israel of orchestrating major historical tragedies, including World Wars I and II and the September 11 attacks. Although TikTok removed the video for violating platform guidelines, critics-including the Anti-Defamation League and StopAntisemitism-demanded Sephora drop the brand immediately. Sephora initially announced an internal review on August 6, but today’s announcement confirms it will not move forward with Huda Beauty in its fall rollout.

In response, Huda Kattan has taken to Instagram to criticize Sephora’s decision as misguided and urged customers to purchase directly from Huda Beauty’s online store. The post underscores the evolving tension between brand partnerships and social-political controversies in the beauty industry.

With Huda Beauty generating hundreds of millions in annual revenue for Sephora, the move marks a significant shift in the retailer’s approach to brand governance and corporate ethics. Observers now await further developments, including whether Sephora will replace Huda Beauty with emerging brands for the upcoming campaign.