How Huda Beauty and Saint Levant’s new gloss became a symbol of solidarity

"The meaning behind this is so beautiful." "I’ve never bought from Huda before... but I will go buy this." "This duo was so needed."

The comments under Huda Kattan’s latest Huda Beauty campaign say it all. The launch of Kalamantina — a limited-edition lip oil co-created with Palestinian singer and songwriter Saint Levant — sparked an emotional, immediate response across social media. And within hours, it had completely sold out on pre-order.

But this isn't just about a trending product or a slick collab.

What's resonated with so many people — especially younger buyers — is what the drop stands for.

Named Kalamantina — which means clementine in Arabic and ties in with Saint Levant’s single — the shade is a direct nod to the singer’s heritage.

At a time when the war on Gaza is ongoing, and silence from many brands still feels deafening, this collaboration hit differently. People are watching where brands stand — and many saw Kalamantina not just as a beauty launch, but as a rare act of cultural alignment.

"This is for the homeland. Say hello to your new summer fave: Kalamantina, a new Faux Filler Lip Oil shade with a delicious clementine scent, created in collaboration with the iconic Saint Levant," the caption on the viral promo reads. "In honour of this collaboration, Huda Beauty will make a donation to organisations supporting Palestinian agriculture and cultural preservation."

Saint Levant and Huda have openly spoken out about the situation in Gaza, using their influence to raise awareness and back humanitarian causes.

At Coachella 2024, Saint Levant spoke out about the crisis, continuing to use his platform to raise awareness. Meanwhile, Huda has donated $1 million to Human Appeal and Doctors Without Borders while sharing updates on social media.

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