
UnBoxed with Kiki Quesada,
Kikiz Cosmeticz
From TikTok to Global Shipping:
How Kikiz Cosmeticz Built a Beauty Brand with DIY Passion
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In this episode of UnBoxed, host Deb Menter chats with Kiki Quesada, founder of Kikiz Cosmeticz. What started as DIY lip gloss experiments quickly became a viral TikTok sensation, leading Kiki to build a beauty brand that now ships across the U.S. and internationally. She shares how she moved from Etsy to Shopify, streamlined fulfillment with shipping software, and built a customer experience that reflects her brand.
Kiki explains how packaging, promotions, and automation play a huge role in scaling a small business. With a focus on e-commerce, she continues to grow both her product line and her influence as a content creator. This episode is packed with insights for entrepreneurs looking to combine creativity with smart shipping strategies.
Key Takeaways:
- Smarter Shipping, Less Stress: Integrated shipping software saves hours by batch-printing labels, syncing orders, and streamlining fulfillment.
- Scaling Without Sacrifices: Successful e-commerce growth comes from standardizing operations while maintaining the personal touch customers love.
- The Power of Packaging: Branded mailers, thank-you notes, and small surprises build a memorable unboxing experience.
- Flat-Rate Wins: Setting flat shipping rates helps keep costs predictable while maintaining customer satisfaction.
- Promotions That Work: Free shipping thresholds, buy-one-get-one deals, and “oopsie gloss” giveaways boost sales and loyalty.
Guest speaker: Kiki Quesada, Owner & Founder, Kikiz Cosmeticz
Makena “Kiki” Quesada is the founder of Kikiz Cosmeticz, a beauty brand she launched at just 21 years old. Passionate about creativity and content, she has built a platform that celebrates empowerment, inclusivity, and self-expression. Through her handmade products and social media presence, Kiki inspires others to embrace their individuality with confidence.
Host: Deb Menter, Pitney Bowes
Deb is on the Client Lifecycle Team at Pitney Bowes, where she helps clients navigate complex rate changes, mailing system migrations, and greater shipping savings and value. You’ll also find her moderating Pitney Bowes webinars, where she addresses common client concerns and provides actionable solutions.
The material, opinions, and information presented in the podcast are for general information purposes only and is not professional advice. Listeners should consult appropriate professionals for specific advice tailored to your situation. The podcast and its content is provided as-is and any use is at the listener’s own risk. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed by guests or hosts are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of any company.
The material, opinions, and information presented in the podcast are for general information purposes only and is not professional advice. Listeners should consult appropriate professionals for specific advice tailored to your situation. The podcast and its content is provided as-is and any use is at the listener’s own risk. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed by guests or hosts are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of any company.
Deb Menter
Hi everyone, and welcome to UnBoxed presented by Pitney Bowes, your source for all things shipping. I'm your host, Deb Menter, and I'm excited to be joined today by Kiki Quesada, founder of Kikiz Cosmeticz.
Kiki started her journey but with her brand back in 2022 and has become a well-known influencer for her unique lip glosses and body care. She ships her products around the United States and even internationally, and she's here to share some of her experiences. So Kiki, welcome to UnBoxed.
Kiki Quesada
Thank you. I'm so excited to be here with you, Debra.
Deb Menter
I'm excited to have you. So, first question, we'll keep it simple. Can you just share a bit more about your background and how you started your business and how you got to where you are today?
Kiki Quesada
Yeah. So I've grown up as a competitive dancer, so my life has always revolved around makeup.
And I've always had a strong love for makeup as well as DIYs. I grew up making soaps and candles and all things I could basically. And I started making DIY lip balm. I didn't love it. But then I discovered lip gloss. I started formulating some lip glosses.
At first, I did not intend on selling them until I posted some TikToks and it kind of blew up from there.
Deb Menter
That's amazing. As someone who has also been some kind of dancer from a young age, I understand the obsession with makeup.
I'm also pretty crafty and DIY is super fun. I did start some, a lot of new things during COVID as well. So can you tell us a little bit about how you got started? You know, you saw there was interest on TikTok and i think you I think Instagram as well. And then you started selling. So where did you start selling?
Kiki Quesada
Yeah. So I had no idea that people could just create websites. So, I really didn't know where to start, but I knew Etsy existed. So I just looked up how to start selling on Etsy.
I got on there for probably a month and then I switched over to Shopify for just effectiveness and money choices. So yeah, switched to Shopify pretty quickly. And that's where I started selling on a website.
Deb Menter
Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. And were you choosing between, because I know there are some options with Shopify as well, like, right? Like there are other vendors, I imagine.
So what made you choose, was there a reason you chose Shopify?
Kiki Quesada
In all honesty, I just looked up like website platform and that was one of the first ones that came up and that's what I went with.
Deb Menter
Totally fair. That's how we all do it, right? We just learn by trying new things. So when you made the change from Etsy to your Shopify site, how did how or did that affect your shipping process? Were you writing out your shipping labels prior to this? Did you, were you using whatever Etsy provides as a shipping platform? Can you talk a bit about that?
Kiki Quesada
I actually didn't ship inside of Etsy because I'm going to be honest, I didn't know how to. I used outside shipping platforms and then the switch to Shopify was fairly easy because they just have a built in shipping software and that was way easier to use than Etsy. So it was pretty straightforward for the first three orders that I ever got. I did write on the packages.
Deb Menter
So I know you started using shipping software pretty early in your journey, which not everyone's doing. They're you know writing out labels for a while before they figure it out, which is pretty awesome.
But what other types of benefits are you seeing in addition to the time saving of not writing out the labels when you use shipping software? Well, first of all, the integration with my Shopify store was very, very easy. With the new shipping software that I'm using, I've noticed just being able to print shipping labels in bigger batches.
Kiki Quesada
So now I'm able to print batches of 100 instead of having to do one at a time.
Deb Menter
That's amazing. And that I assume speeds up your process on a daily or weekly basis.
Yeah, that's great. When it comes to shipping all of these pieces out, who's making the decision on the shipping rate? Are you making that decision or is your customer?
Kiki Quesada
That's a great question. I have a flat rate. I think it's $4.90.
I could be wrong, but I have a flat rate for all of my shipping fees. And it's been like that since the day I started. But how it works on the backside is that the shipping could be 10 cents more expensive, 10 cents cheaper. And I just view that as the ones that are more expensive. I make the money back on the ones that are a little bit cheaper.
Deb Menter
Got it. So it all just evens out in the end.
Kiki Quesada
Yes, essentially.
Deb Menter
That makes a lot of sense. And you said you do also ship internationally. So ah do you have the same shipping rates for international or do you offer an international rate?
Kiki Quesada
I do have an international rate. So those are the rates that are based off of the weight and where it's going and the price of the products that are being shipped. So I don't have a flat rate for that because it could be anywhere from $25 to $45. It's crazy.
Deb Menter
Yeah, that makes sense. Shipping internationally gets really pricey.
Kiki Quesada
It does.
Deb Menter
And you know since you already talked about how all of this is DIY and you're really learning as you go with this process, how did you decide how to source your packaging? Is it different for different products? Do you use different types of packaging?
Kiki Quesada
That's a good question. So I actually have one right here.
These are my bubble mailers that I ship almost all of my products in because I sell lip glosses, so they're quite small. So they fit in a 6x10 bubble mailer. And then when it comes to these products right here, which is our body care, those will go in a box.
And then I don't have those customized. But yeah, I just base it off of where it fits and how cute it looks and stuff.
Deb Menter
I get that. It's your brand. That's what your brand is. even the name you know Kikiz Cosmeticz with Z's. I love that. And I think it really it suits you and it suits who your, you know, what your brand is representing with those. You've got a very clear aesthetic with your bubble mailers and all of your branding, as we just said. So how do you ensure that your shipping experience aligns with your brand even after the order leaves your hands?
Kiki Quesada
I like that. So as a small business, I feel like it's very important to personalize the package. So what I do, I have really cute business cards. It's also it's a thank you card and a business card in one.
So it says I have... I could show you. I love that everything's right there. Yes. I have a little catchphrase on the business cards. Each of them says something different. This one says, be the reason someone smiles today.
So just something cute. And then I also put in a pink taffy. So, when they open it it's like a whole experience because once it leaves my hands, I can't do anything. And then once they get it, then they can have that experience of opening the package.
Deb Menter
I love that. I mean, we thought we're on unboxed. So the unboxing of your product is as important as the boxing of your product. And I love that you have you think about that experience all the way through from where they're picking, where they're ordering from all the way through when it gets in their hands. So that's pretty amazing.
So you've set a flat shipping rate for your customers, even if the actual cost varies. Absolutely makes sense. How does the shipping software that you're using keep these costs predictable or manageable?
Kiki Quesada
Yeah, so being in the shipping space for the past five years, I've seen how the shipping changes, how it increases and decreases. So I just have an idea on what the shipping fee is going to be for most of my packages.
Deb Menter
So let's talk a bit about integration. So you already, you mentioned that your Shopify already integrates with your shipping platform, right?
Kiki Quesada
Yes.
Deb Menter
Okay, awesome. Can you talk about what that connected view means for your day-to-day operations?
Kiki Quesada
Yeah, it's I mean, this the integration was seamless. So that was very important to me because if I couldn't integrate my Shopify store, I would have to import every single order or download my hundreds of orders and import them. And that's just not something I could have done. So, yeah, that's really inefficient. Why would you want to do that?
And when I did integrate it, I was able to select a default package size, which I did my six by ten bubble mailer. And I was able to select a default carrier, which is USPS for me. And that was really, really helpful.
Deb Menter
That's awesome. So with the ability to sort of bulk print your shipping labels, what is that like? What is that? How does that give you freedom in your day or in your week?
Kiki Quesada
Yeah, it's very helpful because it gives me and my sister who helps me pack orders gives us more time for everything else because we don't have to sit here and click. Oh, print, print, print. It's just one button and there's 100 orders coming out of the printer.
Deb Menter
That's great. That's amazing. And then you can just, I don't know, have a little assembly line of like packing and putting things together. I mean, definitely sounds way easier than what I was imagining how you pack and ship.
I assume that also this helps you if you're in the middle of a big restock or a sale. Can you talk about how the software helps you automate and speed things up in your day?
Kiki Quesada
You're able to create rules that your packages go to. So for example, it'll say if this package is under 10 ounces, it'll go in a six by 10 bubble mailer.
And that obviously makes everything easier because if that's a three lip gloss order or a four lip gloss order, that's going to automatically go into a six by 10 bubble mailer. And that speeds up everything for us.
Deb Menter
What's interesting is you also touched on the software kind of acknowledging that it, it already knows, what type of mailer or what type of package your items need to go in. Can you talk about how the software helps you figure that out or what but types of things it allows you to do?
Kiki Quesada
So my software that came with the integrating my store to the software, all of that loaded in. And what's super cool about it is that all you have to do is press sync orders when you're first logging onto the software and it'll load everything, even brand new orders.
They'll come in in just a few minutes and everything will be loaded there for you. When i upload a product onto my store, I have to enter the weight and the dimension of it. So I can see the total weight of it. And then that'll kind of give me an idea if it's a 20 pound package, I don't ever ship that much, but if it's a really heavy package, I know it's going to go in a bigger box or if it's a five ounce package, I know it's going to be a lip gloss. So it'll go into six by 10 bubble mailer.
Deb Menter
Got it. And so you can set all of that in your yourself and yeah between the store and the shipping software. It knows and it'll help you make that determination.
Kiki Quesada
Yes. Those are the automation rules that are in there. Yeah.
Deb Menter
That's great. More automation. We love it. Before you had shipping software, were you ever switching between platforms or spreadsheets to manage your orders? And what changed when you had everything visible in one dashboard?
Kiki Quesada
I never did any spreadsheets or I did the handwriting of the label just a few times. But with my old shipping software, it was very much manual. So I was entering the name, the address, the zip code very, very long.
So once I switched to the software that I'm using today, it was very simple to just see everything, be able to click one button, and I have all of my labels in front of me.
Deb Menter
That's great. And I imagine, do you also does it also save people. So, you know, past orders, like if people are reordering, it'll save their information
Kiki Quesada
It does.
Deb Menter
That's great. I, you know, anything to make it easier. Cause I think even though you mentioned you weren't writing those labels out, even the manual process of entering the information is still taking time probably, you know, on the scale of time, a little less than writing it out, but still ah decent amount of your time that could be better spent creating new products, packaging your products, it chair making you know making content for your products, whatever it may be.
Kiki Quesada
Literally any say anything else.
Deb Menter
Yeah. So that's, I mean, I love that. I think that's great. The tool that you're using now, the shipping software you're using now, do you have the option to ship with multiple carriers?
Kiki Quesada
Yes, I have the multi-carrier option and it's really helpful because most of my packages get shipped through USPS.
And then for my packages that go to Atlas, which is the retail store I'm in, we ship only through UPS and the rates are much cheaper on there.
Deb Menter
Got it. That makes sense. I mean, if you're especially if you're shipping heavier package because shipping more product out. sure.
That makes sense. Okay. I love that. So let's talk about the future of Kikiz Cosmeticz. You know, you had, you started with lip gloss, you expanded to body care. What do you see going forward? Do you expand, are you expanding your product lines? What's the plan?
Kiki Quesada
Definitely. I definitely want to get into more cosmetics such as like blush. I do have a few blushes, but I'm currently working on a custom formula that's in the works. So I want to get more into blush, more into lip care products, as well as just lip products in general, like lipsticks and all that. I just want to expand my product line, but also expand as a content creator. So I just want everyone to know about lip glosses.
Deb Menter
What do you think makes your products special?
Kiki Quesada
I love that. I just love the fact that my products are handmade. And I think that just is the beauty of a small business. Like it's all of your creativity into one little bottle of lip gloss.
And as for like formula side, I do use like coconut oil, which is known to be the best oil for your lips and shea butter, which is known to be the best butter for your skin. Yeah. They're really just luxurious. And I like to promote self-love through my products because makeup is a journey and makeup is a form of self-love and self-care.
Deb Menter
I love that. And we're I mean, we're all could use all the self-care. You know, a little bit of extra goes a long way. And I like that your pricing is not luxurious pricing. So it feels like your affordable luxury, which is also something I know I look for.
Kiki Quesada
Yeah, me too.
Deb Menter
Which is amazing. So, do you work with any retail stores? Do you have any plans to do that?
Kiki Quesada
I work with one retail store in LA. It's called Atlas.
And I have a small little shop in there. That was my first retail opportunity. I don't, however, have big plans to work with retail stores because I do love e-commerce. And yeah, I just like selling online.
Deb Menter
Yeah, that's great. and it also gets complicated with inventory and where your pieces are. no actually Yeah, it's it's it's hard to keep track of all of that. And actually, speaking of that, how do you approach inventory now? Do you I mean, since you're doing everything, yeah probably have a good handle on what's available and what's not. How do you how do you predict for that? How do you manage for that, especially when you have some I assume you have a lot of peak seasons around the holidays like everybody.
Kiki Quesada
Yeah, I do do the inventory, well, me and my sisters. So every week we make it a point to count everything. It's very like, I mean, the best I could say is like DIY. We're just counting everything and writing it down on a piece of paper.
Yeah with that, that's pretty straightforward. And then when it comes to like bundles and big launches that we do, I start with a smaller amount. Like for example, if I'm doing a lip gloss bundle, I'll do 400…500.
And then if those sell out instantly, then I'll do maybe a thousand next time. So yeah, it's just really just seeing what the audience likes and seeing what performs well.
Deb Menter
So that makes sense. And being a small business that allows you to be really flexible with how you approach those things, which is really nice.
Being that you love to DIY, do you have plans to run classes so other people can DIY and, you know, learn more about how you do what you do?
Kiki Quesada
Yes, ah I would love to. I used to do a lot of, I used to call them like lip gloss parties and I would host those for birthday parties and stuff. And then just recently I did a DIY class at VidCon.
So that was really fun. I would love to do more. I just, and maybe that'll be for the future because I'm a loaded plate right now.
Deb Menter
I can imagine. how do you factor in different promotions? Be they buy one, get one or free shipping? How does that work with your business?
Kiki Quesada
Yeah, I definitely love doing promotions. One of the main ones I do is a free lip gloss sale because I have so many lip glosses that don't pass the quality check because the tube is scratched or there's a scuff on the tube or anything like that. So I'll do place an order and you get a free oopsie lip gloss.
And I also love doing the buy one, get one free if we have a lot of lip glosses available. And I actually just did my first ever free shipping discount like last week.
And that went really well. I did the if you spend $50 or more, you'll get free shipping. So I think that was a real incentive to... spend a little more. That's great.
Deb Menter
Yeah. I've heard from some other e-commerce people and it makes sense even knowing my own buying behavior.
I'm much more willing to spend the $50 on items versus spend 40, pay $10 in shipping. It's the smartest. It's the smartest way to do it. So that's really fun. I'm so glad you ah are trying some new things. Do you also see, do you see peaks around holidays and do you see other peaks throughout the year?
Kiki Quesada
Yes, definitely holidays. I'd say from probably August to December and mid-January.
Deb Menter
Wow. That's a long season. Do you think also like back to school has anything to do with it? I'm not sure.
Kiki Quesada
Not much. I think no as for content, I see uprise in my views over summer. But as for buying, not so much.
Deb Menter
Got it. I wonder if that is, I mean, you know, not causing the buying behavior, but if you have a peak on your views in the summer, it would make sense that as summer comes to an end, that's when peak buying behavior starts.
That's interesting. It's such a different model, I think, than people are used to, but this is where things are going. I think it's so interesting because I am obviously not an influencer. I don't sell anything, but I've been influenced, right? Like I'm not an influencer, but I've certainly been influenced. And so I, I think it's a really cool way of looking at this new buying behavior in this world that we're in and how fast we can just like pick up our phone and, you know, buy something and, you know, being on Instagram I'm like, yeah, that looks, that looks cool. I'm going to try that.
Kiki Quesada
It makes it a little too easy to shop. They really make it so easy.
Deb Menter
But it's fun. And it's, you know, it's bringing out this. And I think there's so many young entrepreneurs that are finding their way.
You know, 20 years ago, like you would have had to open a shop or you would have been making things at home and still, whether you opened your own brick and mortar store or like went to other local businesses, you had to be in some kind of physical store. And I think it's so interesting now that that has really changed for so many people.
It's awesome. The power of social media. Do you have other do you meet with other young entrepreneurs like yourself, people who are other influencers, of people who are selling online that you can yeah share ideas?
Kiki Quesada
I've met a few I haven't. I don't see too many people my age in the business space. And that was really hard a few years ago. I have met a few of my good friends, my mutuals on social media. And it's really cool just to even text them and be like, Oh my gosh, did you see the sale that went on? And then it's like, what?
Because who else can I talk to you about that that would really understand?
Deb Menter
No, it's so true. It's really, i think that's really amazing that you've been able to craft this like family business.
What's it like, you know, had, was this your idea and then your sisters came on board? How did that work?
Kiki Quesada
Yeah, well, I definitely started this alone. And I mean, in the beginning, we definitely did not expect it to be what it is today. But I started at my parents' house and my mom quickly jumped in, started packing thousands of orders on the weekends.
It was awesome. And then I moved out of their house into my own house just to have more space. And that's when my sisters kind of picked up and they were like, what can I do? Do you need help? I want a job. And I was just like, for sure. So me and my sister, Danica and Victoria have been working together for two years now.
Deb Menter
That's amazing. I love that's such a fun story. And I and it's also really nice that you can't you have you can't work with your family. but It's not. Yeah. So that's really fun. I love that. Thank you so much, Kiki. This was so ah it's such a fun conversation and very informative as well. So we really appreciate your time and expertise.
Kiki Quesada
Thank you.
Deb Menter
Yeah. If you liked what you heard, like and subscribe to this podcast and we will see you on the next episode of UnBoxed.
The material, opinions, and information presented in the podcast are for general information purposes only and is not professional advice. Listeners should consult appropriate professionals for specific advice tailored to your situation. The podcast and its content is provided as-is and any use is at the listener’s own risk. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed by guests or hosts are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of any company.
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