By Christina Fernández-Morrow
Miavan Feliciano isn’t afraid of change. The Florida native drove her family to Iowa in the middle of winter for a higher quality of life. When the pandemic forced her to close her Storm Lake boutique, she used that time to launch her own cosmetic line, MMKL, based on her chemistry background and love of bright colors inspired by her time in Cuba. After building a successful private label cosmetics brand, Feliciano is launching a line where nothing costs more than $20. She’s entering 2026 with her new line, Beauty 4 Five, with a promise to elevate affordable beauty without compromising quality.
Her new venture, launched in January, challenges the beauty industry’s equation that clean, vegan cosmetics demand premium prices. “We’re fighting for more affordability when it comes to personal care, hair care, and skin care,” Feliciano said. Every product rings up under $20, a dramatic pivot from her established MMKL line that has built a following across the United States and Caribbean.
Her goal: to provide long-lasting quality for all skin tones. Learning from her network of friends and employees from diverse backgrounds, Feliciano is determined to offer something for everyone, regardless of their skin color, age, gender, or lifestyle.
Sustainability drives her packaging choices. She ensures it doesn’t override the cost of creating her products, so these extra costs won’t be passed on to customers. “We stick to recycled packaging to help our budget. We source from all over, like Italy and India,” Feliciano said. While the packaging needs to withstand shipping, she knows that’s not the only goal. “My customers are going to use the product, not the box,” she often reminds vendors. Beyond sustainable packaging, Feliciano’s new strategy relies heavily on strategic partnerships.
Feliciano is currently working on 25 collections, many of which are collaborations. “I learn from these other companies, and collaborating helps me gain experience. We collaborate with two global brands right now and are going to partner with Google Beauty Care soon,” she said. These partnerships prioritize quality and affordability. “You used to be able to get a brush for a dollar, now some are as high as $8. With Beauty 4 Five, you get ten brushes for the same low price.”
Feliciano compares her strategy to that of other retailers advertising products at the $5 price point. “Everyone wants the latest cosmetics. We want to offer more products that are trending, but that actually work,” she said. She looks for cosmetics and skin care that have the same ingredients she believes in and has been pleasantly surprised to find many high-quality items. “When I want to collaborate with a brand, I always test what they have in the market. I’ve been testing these for over a year,” she said.
“I was shocked when I started to see a difference in my skin. It took about three months, so if you’re patient, you’ll see results from these products. Nothing works overnight, no matter the price.”
What matters most to consumers is whether a product works for them, Feliciano advises. “I was talking to a customer and she said she spends $50 on her foundation. I asked her if it did what she wanted it to. She said she didn’t know. I hear that all the time,” Feliciano said. Ultimately, she stressed that it’s not about the price, brand, or retail outlet. Skin, hair, and cosmetic products have a job to do and if they don’t live up to the consumer’s expectations, they aren’t worth the price – period. That philosophy extends beyond products to how she engages with customers.
One of Feliciano’s favorite marketing strategies is getting into her community to share her line and educate customers on how to use the products and what to look for. “I like to share tricks and show them how to save money but still get the look they want,” she said. “I want them to understand that we deliver quality, support men and women, and remove the idea that glam has to be expensive. Beauty 4 Five isn’t me letting go of MMKL, it’s leveling up to thrive, collaborate, and bring more to the market.”
From Florida to Iowa, from boutique closures to chemistry-lab formulations, Feliciano has never stopped pivoting. As major beauty retailers report slowing sales among price-conscious consumers, she sees opportunity. To her, Beauty 4 Five is about more than sales. “We want to help people spend smarter and get everything they need to look good and feel confident, all in one place,” Feliciano said. She isn’t interested in following trends or testing the market; she wants to reshape beauty to be accessible and inclusive, and by the looks of the reviews on her website and social media, she’s on her way to meeting that goal.
Find her new line at www.beauty4five.shop.
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