The beauty market is brimming with celebrity-owned brands. From haircare and make-up to skincare and wellness, most B-town members have dipped their toes in this pond. However, Katrina Kaif’s Kay Beauty stands out from the crowd.

You see, in 2019, before the influx of celebrity-led brands, Kaif turned her passion into a business by partnering with Nykaa. Together, they launched Kay Beauty with seven lip, eye, and brow products. In just four years (you have to keep in mind that a majority of this time was spent in a pandemic), Kaif’s hardworking products have reached cult-favourite status and found themselves in the beauty bags of make-up aficionados and newbies alike. 

In conversation with Harper’s Bazaar India at Nykaaland, Kaif spoke about her definition of beauty, her favourite make-up hacks, and a beauty trend that has become her go-to. 

Harper’s Bazaar (HB): What is your definition of beauty and how has it evolved over the years?  

Katrina Kaif (KK): My definition of beauty has definitely evolved over the years. It’s gone from being highly glamorous and very outer appearance-focused to one which is a lot more about how I feel on the inside and what my state of mind is like. Do I feel confident inside myself? Do I know myself? Am I feeling centred? I think now it’s a more holistic view. 

HB: What is your earliest memory of make-up and how has it helped you build Kay Beauty? 

KK: Growing up, make-up was a fascination. I would visit make-up counters at malls to swatch all the lipsticks and face products. I fell in love with the colours, the textures, and the fact that you can enhance certain features of your face and create the most incredible looks. Then, once I started working as a model with the best make-up artists in the country, I learned all the tricks and tips from them. I honed the techniques that I had used or seen in my personal work and amalgamated it with professional tips that I learn along the way. So, when we were creating K-Beauty, I was very specific about what I wanted from every product and we’ve created some amazing ones. 

HB: You’ve been in the entertainment industry for decades. What are some tips you’ve picked up from make-up artists over the years that you use in your own go-to make-up routine? 

KK: I like to play up my eyes. I learned the importance of blending my eyeshadow and kajal together. This was a big game changer because it gave me the look that I wanted. I also learned that building up eyeshadow on the contour of your eye will create a more open-eye look and using an orange colour corrector underneath the foundation and concealer helps to cover dark circles better. 

HB: Kay Beauty offers a large shade range that caters to the brown skin tone perfectly. Can you take us through the process of getting the shades and textures of your products right?    

KK: It takes a lot of work. I have an incredible team that is representative of a lot of Indian skin tones. That gives us a better understanding of our formulations and what our shade range is supposed to be. For instance, we’ve just launched our 12-in-1 eyeshadow palettes. One of them is called Celestial and it has the most beautiful, vibrant jewel tones and they are right for Indian skin. And then, of course, we have two other palettes which are more for day looks. So, I think it’s just really about the intention. Knowing the ‘why’ behind the product has really helped us get all of our formulations and shades right.

HB: Inclusivity has been an ongoing conversation regarding beauty brands. Do you see a shift in the narrative in recent times?  

KK: I think it’s just more accepted now that there isn’t one standard of beauty. We are now seeing a change when it comes to inclusivity. The world has become more accepting of all kinds of beauty: different shapes, sizes, skin tones, and even personalities. We are seeing a lot more individuality come in now and that is something we’ve always celebrated at Kay Beauty.  

HB: What is your opinion on the trends and hacks that are circulating on social media? Are there any you particularly love and any that you would not try? 

KK: One trend I really love is latte make-up. It’s all about brown and nude tones and that is my go-to look. And there isn’t anything I wouldn’t try. I’ve always believed in never say never. Just have fun, don’t take it too seriously.

HB: If you had to choose, what three beauty products would you have on you at all times and why?   

KK: I would always have our lip oil, our smokey kajal because that one pencil can transform your look, and our new lip tint on me at all times. 

HB: Who have been your biggest beauty muses over the years?   

KK: I am constantly seeing the most incredible faces all around me. Every corner of our country has just diverse faces and I think that is what drives me and its what we need to celebrate.