The global icon turned entrepreneur, Katrina Kaif, is bringing her beauty flair to the UAE with the launch of Kay Beauty.
Having officially launched in the UAE, Kay Beauty is now available at Nysaa, co-created by Nykaa, to make its mark in the UAE and step foot into the beauty industry in this part of the world.
Speaking about the launch, Katrina Kaif, Co-Founder, Kay Beauty states, “It gives me immense joy to finally bring Kay Beauty to the UAE. It was always my vision to take Kay Beauty global and share our offering with customers across different geographies.”
With its incredible range of makeup products, the brand is equipped with essentials a makeup junkie must simply have in their makeup arsenal, after Kaif herself spending long hours shooting and on set, to come up with a long-last formula that stands the test of time.
To delve into her story and how the brand launched, Emirates Woman spoke to her on her journey as both an actor and beauty entrepreneur in the industry.
What inspired you to launch your own beauty brand?
The inspiration behind Kay Beauty stemmed from a desire to build a community where everyone could feel represented. We launched the brand with a vision of providing a platform where people could enjoy the freedom of celebrating their own unique identity through beauty. As an actor, working with some of the leading makeup artists globally, coupled with my own experiences, allowed me to identify some key gaps in the market. We had the opportunity to offer a wide range of shades for all Indian skin tones, along with the right consistency and innovative formulations. We offer a diverse shade range across all our products. Our vision was to offer premium makeup that not only nurtured the skin but also delivered exceptional performance, meeting its promise of texture, and quality, all while remaining accessible to everyone. Our brand is fueled by creativity and forward-thinking and our innovative approach to our product formulations. Staying true to our promise of #MakeupThatKares, our products deliver exceptional performance and also nourish the skin. The products are enriched with skin-loving ingredients such as Marula Oil, Chamomile, Ceramide, Mango Butter, and Avocado Butter, among other.
Kay Beauty is India’s first celebrity beauty brand – how does it feel and talk us through the journey of getting there.
It has been an incredibly fulfilling and enriching experience! To me, it represents a unique opportunity to truly create something meaningful. I feel grateful for the immense love and support we have received from our consumers, the beauty industry, and media professionals. The idea of owning a beauty brand had been a long-held ambition of mine, which took a step towards reality after meeting with Nykaa’s incredible Falguni Nayar. She resonated with my vision and we were able to build a brand that would represent my values. Our dream was to create a brand that combined high-performance makeup that cared for your skin while making it accessible to everyone.
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Talk us through your daily beauty routine.
I believe that beauty starts from within – so what you eat is as important as what you’re applying on your face! My daily routine begins with two-three glasses of warm ginger water, followed by a facial massage with a facial oil to improve blood circulation. After that I splash my face with ice-cold water—it really helps my skin feel awake and refreshed and seals your pores for smoother makeup application. A must is, applying a good moisturiser or sunscreen! Exercise, a healthy diet and meditation are all a very important part of my routine, as they help me not just stay fit but also feel calm and centered. For everyday makeup, I have been mixing a little bit of the hydrating foundation with our recently launched liquid highlighter, which gives a dewy glow! I complete the look with our liquid lipstick in the shade ‘Embrace’, which ended my search for the perfect shade of nude, and is super long-lasting and transfer-proof!
As an actress, you spend long hours shooting – how did this influence the quality of ingredients used in Kay Beauty’s products?
As an actor, I spend long hours shooting in front of the camera and lights, often under intense conditions or an environment that can be harsh on my skin. These experiences have given me firsthand insight into the importance of using makeup that not only performs well but also cares for the skin. When it comes to formulating Kay Beauty’s products, I am closely involved in every step of the process. I ensure that the formulations are infused with skin-loving ingredients that nourish and protect the skin and are long-wearing. Keeping all these factors in mind, we develop products that combine high-performance makeup with skincare benefits. Our products not only offer exceptional coverage and wearability but also nurture the skin, making them suitable for everyday use, even for someone like me who has sensitive skin and spends long hours with makeup on.
You’ve adopted an inclusivity-first approach – how important was this when launching your own beauty brand?
It was not just important but crucial! It was about building a brand that not only offers exceptional quality products but also champions a more accepting view of beauty, creating a space where everyone felt represented. To me beauty is about self-acceptance and celebrating our uniqueness and I’d like that message to reach everyone, especially those of us like myself who can often struggle with self-image and confidence issues. I truly believe that the societal pressure of a certain stereotype of beauty needs to change, and beauty should be inclusive and representative of everyone, regardless of their age, gender, ethnicity, background, or size. Our goal is to shift perceptions and ensure that each person feels seen, valued, and celebrated. One still sees so many brands where size representation is just not present, and I would like to see that change.
The Kare with Kay Beauty initiative gives back to society – tell us more.
The #Kare initiatives are a special way for Kay Beauty to give back to the community by supporting causes that are close to my heart and help build for a beautiful tomorrow. The first #Kare initiative was in support of the De’Haat Foundation, specially picked by us for the work they do to provide employment to rural women. I was so inspired by the work done by Vrundan and her team at De’Haat Foundation, especially towards creating employment rather than aid for the women of her village. As the world came together to fight the unprecedented human impact of COVID-19, Kay Beauty stepped in to support the De’Haat Foundation in their work to aid daily-wage earners in rural Maharashtra. As a brand and as an entrepreneur it will always be our endeavor to do what’s best for the community and find meaningful ways to really make a difference. Very soon we will be launching our new initiative which has been a deep passion of mine.
You’re all about empowering women – how does the brand allow you to do so on a large scale.
With Kay Beauty, we are committed to celebrating diversity and championing women’s empowerment, through various mediums. Right from the start we have highlighted unique women doing extraordinary things by championing women in sports, rappers, activists, painters, homemakers and other diverse arenas through our IP, ‘Kay Konversations’. This reflects the ethos of the brand and our key pillars of authenticity, inclusivity, diversity, and empowerment. We recently partnered with UP Warriorz, which is a Women’s Premier League (Cricket) team in India. It has always been a passion of mine to highlight and celebrate women achievers in sports. We believe it is important for us to help push the conversations around women empowerment, and sport at the highest level is one of the most impactful ways of doing so. Through initiatives like these, women are encouraged to embrace their passions whether athleticism or any other career choice without the need to conforming to stereotyped beauty standards.
Is there one beauty hack that you can’t live without?
I love mixing our hydrating foundation with a little bit of our liquid luminizer – this creates a subtle all-over glow.
What’s your favourite form of self-care?
My favorite form of self-care is to focus on my overall health and well-being and that includes regular exercise, a balanced diet, staying hydrated, meditation, and relaxation techniques. These habits help me stay fit mentally, and physically.
How do you balance being an entrepreneur and actress at the same time?
Balancing my role as an entrepreneur and an actor is deeply rewarding but also demanding at the same time. The most significant lesson I have learned as an actor and entrepreneur is the importance of authenticity staying true to my passion and craft, and having a clear vision. And that is what pushes me to work harder, to innovate, and to deliver the best possible products and experiences to our customers, or present my craft to the audience. As a co-founder of the brand, I am involved with every aspect of Kay Beauty and work very closely with our team, right from product development to marketing. I am fortunate to have an incredible team behind Kay that completely understands my vision and helps me realize it brilliantly, and that makes all the difference. It allows me to manage my time efficiently, along with my long shoot schedules amongst other commitments that come with the role of being an actor.
What’s one piece of advice you would give to your younger self?
If I could share a piece of advice with my younger self, it would be: “appreciate how you are”. I was always plagued by insecurity and self-doubt, and I look back and see how unnecessary that was. I’d tell myself to embrace uniqueness and never shy away from showing your true self to the world. Remember, the most fulfilling path is the one where you are not just fitting in, but just authentically being YOU. Trust in who you are, and let that confidence guide you through life’s challenges.
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Are there any new beauty products to keep an eye on for Kay Beauty?
Yes, there are some exciting new beauty products on the horizon for Kay Beauty! We’re constantly innovating and working on new launches that cater to our audience’s evolving needs. Our customer-centric approach, which includes engaging with our audience through social media and gathering consumer feedback, helps us stay ahead of market trends and anticipate what our customers may need. By remaining adaptable and responsive, we’re able to introduce new products that keep our brand relevant and successful in a dynamic beauty industry. I am looking forward to interacting with the beauty consumers in the UAE as I have received so much love and support from the region throughout my career and I can’t wait to share Kay Beauty with everyone here.
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Images: Supplied & Feature Image: Instagram @kaybeauty
