Lemonade Stand Cosmetics
Lemon Box Beauty wasn't always Lemon Box Beauty. Formally called Lemonade Stand Cosmetics, our beauty company was on the rise when we launched in June of 2020. With only one source of income and $110 to our name, I was forced to quit my job due to physical restrictions from an ectopic pregnancy and a difficult recovery. By June of 2021, we were able to open a storefront near Six Points in Corpus Christi, TX, and had begun discussing a partnership with HEB. In just a few short years, we rang in well over $100,000.00 in sales, but somewhere along the way, we went astray.
Keep reading for the full story on how we turn lemons into lemonade.
Lemonade Stand Cosmetics
Pink Lemonade Lip Gloss
The fall of 2020 marked a huge milestone for us: the introduction of our iconic Pink Lemonade Lip Gloss! This product took our customers by storm, perfectly capturing the spirit of Lemonade Stand Cosmetics—fun, pink, natural, and purpose-driven. Its first debut feature in The Bend Magazine, the Coastal Bend community's premier publication in Corpus Christi, Texas, was a game-changer. The buzz generated by this specific product, along with our sharp eye for branding, is what drew the attention of many powerful industry figures.
Lemonade Stand Cosmetics
Non-Toxic
We enhance your natural beauty with our natural products.
That statement is backed by a simple principle: to be a brand that is pink, fun, and natural. From the start, and still true today, our primary focus is using simple, natural ingredients with a genuine purpose.
Lemonade Stand Cosmetics
Brick-N- Mortar
Remarkably, after being in business for less than a year, the chance arose to open our first brick-and-mortar store. We seized the moment in the spring of 2021 and signed a lease for The First Lemonade Stand Cosmetics Beauty Lounge, home to Corpus Christi's first gloss bar. Our Grand Opening on July 17, 2021, was met with tremendous anticipation. Though our butterflies were on another level, seeing the line stretched out the door made every bit of preparation worth it.
Lemonade Stand Cosmetics
The Shelves were Stocked
After our amazing store opening mid-summer, we immediately hit the ground running, fully immersed in the excitement of a new retail space, fresh products, and the anticipation of the busy shopping season ahead.
Lemonade Stand Cosmetics
Corpus Christi's First Lip Gloss Bar
At the time, there weren't many options for a fun "girls' day out" that didn't revolve around dining. I wanted to create a safe, creative space where customers could truly experience Lemonade Stand Cosmetics at its finest. This vision led to the opening of Corpus Christi's first lip gloss bar. Here, customers can walk in and fully customize their own lip gloss, selecting the perfect colors and scents to match their ideal shade.
To bring the fun directly to you, we now also offer mobile lip gloss parties.
Lemonade Stand Cosmetics
LSC X Made in Corpus Christi
One of our all-time favorite projects was our collaboration with Made in Corpus Christi. Together, we created a unique eyeshadow palette inspired by the city itself. The best part? Each shade was named after a major Corpus Christi landmarks, making it a true celebration of our city.
LEMONADE STAND COSMETICS
Roller Babe Collection
The Roller Babe Collection, our very first curated collection at Lemonade Stand Cosmetics, took its inspiration from the groovy 70s roller skating era.
Released on September 1, 2021, this collection introduced a full lineup of products, including a 12-pan eyeshadow palette, a hydrating lip oil, eyeliner, our Skateland glitter jelly, and a themed bath bomb.
It also marked a significant milestone for us: it was the first time we organized a professional photoshoot with models to showcase our handcrafted beauty products.
LEMONADE STAND COSMETICS
H-E-B X LSC
We reached a huge company milestone in December 2021 when we secured the opportunity to have our product line carried by H-E-B, the biggest grocery retailer in Texas.
Bringing our products to H-E-B was a major learning experience and a testament to the hard work my husband and I put in together. The process itself took eight months of dedicated communication via Zoom and email. We had to quickly learn how to effectively collaborate with a massive retailer, adapting to the specific requirements of a "big box" company. This included mastering the intricate "ins and outs" of their receiving and inventory management system—a vital skill for correctly bringing product in and out of their system. We gained an incredible amount of knowledge during this time.
LEMONADE STAND COSMETICS
3 MORE H-E-B's
We initially launched with 17 items at the Saratoga H-E-B Plus location in Corpus Christi, TX. This success laid the groundwork for further growth, and by the spring of 2022, we had successfully expanded into three additional H-E-B stores across the region. (Flour Bluff, Calallen and Corpus Roberts & Alameda)
LEMONADE STAND COSMETICS
Release and Grand closing
On May 28th 2022, we officially closed our storefront and simultaneously launched our second major release, the Jungless Collection.
It was a bittersweet day: while there was sadness in closing our store, the decision felt right. The stress of managing a physical store while also growing our partnership with H-E-B had become overwhelming. By closing, we were able to fully focus our energy on the exciting opportunities with H-E-B.
LEMONADE STAND COSMETICS
Hit the ground running
We immediately shifted our full focus to H-E-B throughout the summer, fall, and winter.
With a catalog of over 20 different products, we were stretching ourselves thin. Our schedule became a non-stop cycle of weekly deliveries to H-E-B and vending at various pop-up markets to offset the income we lost from closing the store. On top of that, I personally managed the seasonal product launches and hosted quarterly marketing pop-ups inside H-E-B locations to promote our products even further.
LEMONADE STAND COSMETICS
H-E-B was life.
By the Spring of 2023, having our products featured in four H-E-B locations was a true blessing. However, the operational workload was becoming daunting, and the on-site store support at certain locations began to fade month after month.
We remained committed to the partnership through the end of the summer, but after countless retail management meetings and interactions with leadership, it became clear that critical business issues were not being addressed. Ultimately, these challenges in retail execution began to hurt our brand identity and what we stand for.
Frankly, our core brand morals did not align with the customer service standards provided at certain locations. We quickly realized that no one would prioritize our brand’s health and longevity more than us.
We want to express our deepest gratitude for the business growth opportunity provided by the H-E-B corporate office. We truly appreciate the leaders who believed in our original mission and our vision.
We look forward to the future because:
"We All 'F'ail Up, REAL PARTNERS DESERVE A CHANCE FOR CORRECTION"
...To Be Continued
LEMONADE STAND COSMETICS
WE'RE BACK!
By the Fall of 2023, we didn't just come back from that rough patch—we turned the page completely. We reclaimed the creativity that had been drained by
the H-E-B experience. We returned with full force and a renewed vision. Our message to the community was clear: we won't let big-box crush us. We are here, we are stronger and more vibrant than ever, and we're ready to show the world that this is just the beginning.
LEMONADE STAND COSMETICS
Lemon Box Beauty
After a busy holiday season, we felt like we were on track, but something was still missing. It came down to the desire for a simpler name that still paid homage to Lemonade Stand Cosmetics.
To achieve a fresh start for 2024, we planned a full rebrand, including a new name, logo, and refined aesthetic. We pulled it all together, and on February 10th, 2024, we officially reintroduced ourselves to the world as Lemon Box Beauty.
We initially launched with an array of our new Lemon Box Beauty products alongside other small, independent beauty brands. This mix gave us a solid starting point while we worked to fully establish our new brand presence.
LEMONADE STAND COSMETICS
This is who we are.
The year 2024 started with a bang!
We launched into our first anime convention, successfully fusing the worlds of anime and beauty to tap into a whole new market of kawaii lovers. This experience allowed us to significantly level up our brand, skills, and knowledge. We immediately applied this to the business, even acquiring the expertise to handle our own professional product photography with models—the whole nine yards.
Improving our content and visual online presence was crucial to me. We got our creativity back and were leveling up so fast—it truly was a blessing!
Now, it's been almost two years since our rebrand, which is wild to think about!
It's the coolest thing when new customers, who never even knew us as Lemonade Stand Cosmetics, confidently say, "I know Lemon Box Beauty." That feeling of watching the new brand take hold and stand entirely on its own is truly great.