Huda Kattan

For the longest time, I just felt like I had to be really, really harsh to be taken seriously as a CEO.

It's really important that we take away the shame associated with female hair loss and hair balding. It's just another beauty issue that we all can get through as soon as we start to feel more comfortable talking about it.

This is how I feel about cosmetic procedures and plastic surgery. If people want to do it for themselves - it's fine. If people want to do it for the outside world, that's when it's not necessarily a healthy thing.

What can I say? I'm a Southern girl.

Women just never think their lips are big enough, even when they are really big. The first thing I always hear from women when they sit down with me is, 'I need to fill my lips.' It's almost crazy how many women say that to me.

I grew up in Tennessee. I loved to wear full glam. I used to want to wear flash lashes every single day. I remember wearing them once and someone was like, 'Are you wearing false lashes?' I felt embarrassed. In the U.S., it's perceived as though you're trying too hard.

I feel the same way about makeup that I do about food - I don't want the big companies to give me my food. I want the niche mom and pops who care about their food making it. I don't want the Kraft cheese, I want the niche cheese.

I would never buy skin care from a makeup brand - full transparency. It feels like the opposite of makeup.

We are more than one part of ourselves.

Although we represent this almost drag-like beauty at Huda Beauty, I'm not only this person who is made up and always likes to wear their hair flawless and their makeup flawless.

The more focused you are, the more powerful you will be in the long run.

I realized that my purpose really is to inspire people.

I don't think I knew what 'Vogue' was as a child. I grew up in a little town in Tennessee, so that wasn't something we ever would think of.

The eyes are so telling. That's how you engage with people and bond with them. I love direct, strong eye contact.

I have to buy three of everything. It doesn't make any sense, but I have to. I'm worried I might lose it, and if I lose it, then I have a backup and then I have a backup to my backup.

In the Middle East, I can't walk down the street without being recognized. In the States, I'm totally fine going out.

Over the years, I've really put in the time to achieve flawless skin.

I'm not on my phone when I eat.

I definitely understand a lot of what I want and what I don't want. I'm very clear on that, and I think that's been very beneficial.

I've worn pretty much every hat in the beauty industry, from blogger to makeup artist to YouTube influencer to Instagram influencer to journalist.