Reliable express shipping carrier for low value items from Thailand to US

Hello,

I have items I need to ship to three of my friends back in the U.S. and I am looking for a fast but reasonable priced carrier that won't overcharge the addresses in customs, as shipments are low value items (cosmetic products I bought for less than THB 900 each). I ran a comparison and it turns out that DHL is the cheapest with a two day delivery method (2 or 3 day max is what I am looking for). However, it seems that recipients won't pay anything in duties when I ran the estimates, but I am skeptical, as I read conflicting stories about duties in the U.S..

I was wondering if any member here could share their experiences when shipping low value items from Thailand to USA and what documents are needed to send gifts.

Thank you