I am icing my cake and eating it too by shipping Summer Fridays from the US to France

The Birthday Cake obsession

I have spent the better part of early 2026 watching my Xiaohongshu feed fill up with the shimmering, sugary glow of the Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm in the limited-edition Birthday Cake shade. It is the anniversary release that everyone is talking about, and for good reason. The scent is like a fresh vanilla sponge, and the tint provides that perfect "your lips but better" sparkle that seems to be the gold standard this year.

Start Your Buy For Me Request for Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm (Birthday Cake Edition)

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While I love living in France, keeping up with the latest us trends can be a bit of a headache when local stockists are perpetually sold out or, worse, don't carry the limited editions at all. I realized quickly that if I wanted to join the birthday party, I’d have to look across the Atlantic.

Why I skipped local resellers

I checked a few local platforms and the price markup was staggering. Resellers in Europe are often charging double the US retail price, and that is before you even consider the shipping costs within the EU. By choosing to shop us store directly, I found the base price to be much more reasonable. Even with the journey to France, the total cost stayed well below what the "gray market" sellers were asking.

I also value authenticity. When a product is this viral, fakes start appearing overnight. By purchasing from authorized US retailers, I knew my balm was the real deal. I used my international shipping service to bridge the gap, ensuring my package was handled by professionals who know how to get American goods to my door in Paris.

My steps to shop US stores

My process was surprisingly straightforward. I headed to the Summer Fridays website, but I noticed they don't always play nice with international credit cards. To get around this, I utilized the BuyForMe service. It was a breeze; I just told them what I wanted, and they handled the purchase on my behalf using a US-based payment method.

Once the balm arrived at my tax-free us address in Oregon, I was notified immediately. Having a sales-tax-free warehouse is a massive perk because it saves me that extra 7-10% usually tacked on at the US checkout. Before I gave the green light for the final leg of the journey, I checked the shipping calculator to see exactly what the damage would be. Transparency is key when you are importing treats from abroad.

Shipping estimates and logistics

I want to share my findings so you can plan your own haul. Since this is a beauty product, the logistics are quite simple, but there are a few things I kept in mind.

I found that it is much more cost-effective to "bundle" my balm with a few other US finds. Since the weight of one lip balm is so low, adding a few more items didn't significantly increase my shipping fee. You might also like to check out our guide on how to consolidate packages to save even more.

Pro-tip for shipping

I always recommend choosing a shipping method with tracking. While the balm is small, it is precious cargo in the world of 2026 beauty trends. Seeing it move from Portland to Paris gave me the peace of mind I needed.

Import duties and French customs

When my package arrived in France, I had to account for the local regulations. Since the UK and EU changes in recent years, it is important to remember that import duties and VAT apply to goods coming from outside the Union.

For my French friends, remember that for orders under €150, you usually just pay the VAT (typically 20%). If your haul is larger, additional customs duties might kick in. I found that even after paying the French VAT, I was still saving money compared to the inflated prices of local resellers. It is all about doing the math before you click "buy." I am more than happy to pay a little extra to the government if it means I get the authentic Birthday Cake edition that I can't find anywhere else in the city.

I am now enjoying my Birthday Cake balm, and every time I apply it, I feel like I've won a little victory over the logistics of 2026. If you are tired of waiting for local restocks, I highly suggest taking the US route.