How I used a freight forwarder to grab the new Rhode lip tints from the US

Why I’m obsessed with the Rhode Skin 2026 Spring shades

We’ve all seen the latest us trends taking over social media lately. Ever since Hailey Bieber launched Rhode Skin, getting my hands on those Peptide Lip Tints has been a struggle here in London. The new 2026 Spring shades are no exception. They are creamy, sheer, and have that perfect glow, but they sell out in the US before they ever even think about hitting international shelves.

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More about shipping to United Kingdom

I noticed that while the UK site often has the core collection, the seasonal drops—like the new pastel-inspired tints—stay exclusive to the US storefront for weeks. I didn’t want to wait and risk them going out of stock, so I decided to take matters into my own hands and shop us store directly.

My secret to shopping US stores from the UK

The biggest hurdle for me was always the shipping. Most US-based beauty brands either don't ship to the UK or charge an absolute fortune for the privilege. I found that the most efficient way to bypass this is by using a freight forwarder. It sounds technical, but it’s actually very straightforward.

I signed up with comGateway, which gave me my own US shipping address. This allowed me to browse the US Rhode site as if I were living in the States. Instead of seeing "Product unavailable in your region," I could add everything to my cart without a second thought.

Using a freight forwarder for a tax-free US address

One of the best parts about this method is the tax-free us address. Because my comGateway address is located in a tax-free state (Oregon), I don't have to pay the US sales tax that usually gets added at checkout. This saved me a good few pounds on my total order, which basically offset some of the shipping costs later on. For anyone looking to shop us ship international, this is a total lifesaver for the wallet.

What to do when your UK credit card gets rejected

Even with a US address, I ran into a massive problem. Some US stores, including big names like Nike, Sephora, and sometimes even the smaller viral brands, have a habit of blocking international credit cards. I tried to pay with my UK-issued Visa, and the order was instantly declined. This happens because these stores often require a US domestic billing address or they simply flag orders sent to known shipping hubs.

It’s incredibly frustrating when you have the item in your cart, only for the store to cancel your order ten minutes later. I’ve had this happen with Apple and Sephora too. If you’re trying to secure a limited-edition drop like the Rhode Spring tints, you don't have time to keep retrying with different cards.

Why I swear by the BuyForMe service

This is where I discovered the BuyForMe service. Instead of fighting with the checkout page myself, I used their proxy shopping feature. Basically, I told comGateway what I wanted, and they bought the item on my behalf using a US domestic card.

I found this to be the safest way to guarantee my order didn’t get cancelled. They handle the entire purchase process, and because it’s a US card, the store processes it without any red flags. If you are struggling with a difficult store, I highly recommend checking out this assisted purchase option. It takes the stress out of the equation entirely.

Managing import tax and delivery times

Once my lip tints arrived at my US address, I had to think about getting them to the UK. This is where international shipping logistics come into play. When bringing goods into the UK, you have to be mindful of import tax and VAT. Usually, for beauty products, if your order is over a certain value, you’ll need to pay these fees before the courier releases your package.

I prefer using premium carriers because I want my packages to arrive quickly and in one piece. I usually opt for DHL international shipping or FedEx international shipping because their tracking systems are top-tier. I could see exactly when my Rhode package left the US and when it cleared customs in the UK.

Estimating your shipping costs

Before I committed to the purchase, I used a shipping calculator to see what the damage would be. It’s a great way to estimate shipping cost based on the weight of the items. Since lip tints are light, I actually ended up buying a few other items from different US stores and used the consolidation service to ship them all together. This made the per-item shipping cost much lower than sending them individually.

If you’re looking for more inspiration on what to buy from the States, you might also like to check out the latest us trends report to see what else is worth the shipping fee this season. For me, getting these Rhode tints was a huge win, and I’m already eyeing the next drop!