DUBAI: US-Iraqi beauty mogul Huda Kattan has voiced her support for Nadeen Ayoub, the first-ever Miss Palestine, who will represent her country at the 74th Miss Universe pageant in November in Pak Kret, Thailand.
Kattan, founder of the global cosmetics brand Huda Beauty, took to Instagram to share a photo with Ayoub, writing: “We’re so proud to support the first-ever Miss Palestine @nadeen.m.ayoub to compete in Miss Universe. This moment is so much bigger than pageantry. It’s about strength, pride and representation.”
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Kattan has long been outspoken in her support for the Palestinian cause and frequently uses her social media platforms to highlight the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
In 2023, Kattan announced a US$1 million donation to two humanitarian organisations working in the region — Human Appeal and Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières).
Earlier this year, she also collaborated with US-based Palestinian singer Saint Levant to launch a new shade of Huda Beauty’s popular Faux Filler Lip Oil, named “Kalamantina.”
The product — inspired by Saint Levant’s song of the same name — carries a clementine scent, and proceeds go to organisations that support Palestinian agriculture and cultural preservation.
At the time, Kattan wrote on the brand’s Instagram: “This is for the homeland. In honour of this collaboration, Huda Beauty will make a donation to organisations supporting Palestinian agriculture and cultural preservation.”
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Nadeen Ayoub’s journey
Ayoub, who lives between Ramallah, Amman and Dubai, founded an organisation that trains content creators on sustainability and artificial intelligence.
Having grown up in the occupied West Bank, the United States, and Canada, Ayoub holds degrees in English literature and psychology.
She previously worked as a teacher and with NGOs in the occupied Palestinian territories before turning to pageantry.
After modelling in Italy, industry professionals encouraged her to compete in beauty contests. This led to the launch of the Miss Palestine franchise, which held its first online pageant in 2022 to include participants from the Palestinian diaspora, Israel, and the occupied Palestinian territories.
As the first titleholder, Ayoub represented Palestine at Miss Earth 2022, an environmentally focused global pageant. However, she suspended public appearances after the Gaza war erupted in October 2023.
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Representation beyond pageantry
Ayoub’s participation in Miss Universe 2024 marks a symbolic and cultural milestone. Speaking earlier about her mission, she said: “As Palestine endures heartbreak, I carry the voice of a people who refuse to be silenced.”
For Kattan, supporting Ayoub reflects her belief that beauty can be “fearless, compassionate, powerful and purpose-driven.”
