My Story

Hey there! I’m Cheska, and I’m the owner and maker behind Hello Wink.

I’m a mom of three, a graphic designer, and a magical little lip balm maker.

I started Hello Wink during the pandemic in 2020. I had recently been laid off from my job and was sitting around trying to figure out what to do next.

Hello Wink wasn’t my first attempt at building something. I had tried and failed a zillion times trying to create something lasting. Other makeup companies, Etsy shops, blogs... nothing ever really stuck.

So during the pandemic, I thought, “Okay. One last try, right?” Then I can move on forever.

I actually started off with another makeup company through a partnership, and honestly, I was really feeling that fresh failure all over again.

But then I had an idea.

Multi use Color Sticks for your lips, eyes, and cheeks.

I had this vision of colorful balm sticks you could use anywhere on your face because, honestly, I’m too lazy to deal with a million different products.

Just swipe and go. Easy, right?

So I began.

I started messing around with the base formula. I wanted the balm to feel soft, not greasy, and have lots of color payoff, which was kind of a challenge because I have sensitive skin. So I focused on ingredients that felt gentle and nourishing, like mango butter and olive oil.

After what felt like 40 dozen tries, I finally had a formula I loved.

What’s kind of funny is that I originally started making and testing my Color Sticks in plastic tubes.

In my previous partnership, we used both plastic and paper tubes, but the paper tubes were tricky. We kept going back and forth trying to figure out formulas, packaging, and how to stay sustainable. Sometimes we’d end up back at plastic, and that just never felt right to me.

Then I started reading more and more about plastic waste and realized that every lip balm or lipstick we’ve ever used ends up somewhere. Usually in a landfill.

I couldn’t stop thinking about that.

So I made the switch.

I didn’t start with corporate funding or investors. (I’m still very indie over here.) I opened a business credit card, maxed out about 8k, and started Hello Wink. Honestly? I’m still paying that thing off. LOLOL.

What felt like a huge dream actually started more like an old truck. Lots of heart. A tiny bit of gas in the tank.

I traveled all around the St. Louis metro area and even as far as Indianapolis doing shows, vendor events, pop ups... basically anything I could do to get Hello Wink in front of people.

After about four years of meeting TONS of amazing customers, makers, and small business owners, I hit a wall. I was completely burned out trying to raise a family, work full time (yes, I had to go back to work!), run Hello Wink at the same time, and keep up with life with my husband and three kids.

So I had to pivot.

I always had Instagram and a website, but online sales were never my main focus. Last year I decided to fully lean into DTC and focus more on online content, wholesale orders, and growing Hello Wink through the website instead of constantly being on the road doing events.

My story hasn’t really been one of those overnight success stories where someone wakes up to 50 orders and a giant brand deal.

For me, it’s looked more like late nights making lip balm at the kitchen table, testing formulas, fixing website problems, learning social media, taking product photos, writing emails, experimenting with advertising, and basically figuring everything out as I go.

Today, I still do almost everything myself. Mostly because I want to.

I have a pretty seamless little system of scheduling “mom lab time,” making products in small batches, and shipping orders out each week. I answer emails, pack orders, design labels, create content, and hand make every single Color Stick myself.

As someone who’s never really connected with big corporate culture or the whole late stage capitalism thing, my dream isn’t to build a giant beauty empire.

My dream is to build a slow brand. Intentional products. Things that are good for my customers and better for the planet.

That’s why Hello Wink stays small batch, handmade, and personal.

I believe in small business. Handmade goods. End to end products made by real people. And I believe beauty products shouldn’t sit in a landfill for hundreds of years after we’re done with them.

I hope Hello Wink inspires you to shop a little smaller, live a little softer, and maybe find a little magic in the everyday too.

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