I found a way to buy the Summer Fridays Ube shade from US Sephora while living in France

My Obsession with the Summer Fridays Ube Shade

I was scrolling through my TikTok feed last week when I saw the first swatches of the Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm in 'Ube'. As a fan of the 'clean girl' aesthetic, I knew I needed that soft purple tint and the sweet, nutty scent of purple yam. The hype is massive because it is a limited-edition flavor and, as of April 2026, it is only available as an early-access exclusive on the US Sephora site. We all know how these things go; if I waited for it to arrive at Sephora France, it would probably be sold out or never arrive at all.

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The Struggle of US-Exclusive Sephora Drops

Being a beauty enthusiast in France often means watching the best launches happen across the Atlantic. When I tried to add the Ube shade to my cart on the US site, I hit the usual wall: they do not ship directly to my address in Lyon. I refused to let that stop me. I decided to use a tax-free US address to get my hands on the balm. By using a comGateway account, I could shop like a US local and avoid the immediate shipping block.

My Step-by-Step Shopping Process

I found that the process was quite simple once I knew how it works. I signed up for a step-by-step guide on their platform, which gave me a personalized shipping address in a tax-free state. This meant I didn't have to pay US sales tax on my Sephora order, which helped offset some of the international costs. I simply entered that address at the Sephora checkout, and my Ube balm was on its way to the warehouse.

How I Used a Package Forwarder for My Order

Once my balm arrived at the warehouse, I needed a reliable parcel forwarding service to send it to France. I have learned that when you forward packages, it is much more efficient to wait until you have a few items to ship together. I added a couple of other US-only skincare treats to my shipment to make the most of the base shipping rate. I used a shipping calculator to see if the weight of my total haul was still within my budget, and it was surprisingly affordable for such a high-demand item.

Shipping Estimates for Lip Butter Balms

If you are planning to order just the Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm or a small beauty haul, here is what I observed regarding the logistics for a shipment to France.

I always make sure to check the prohibited items list before I finalize my cart. While lip balms are perfectly safe to ship, some aerosol sprays or high-alcohol perfumes can be restricted goods, so it is better to be safe than sorry when shipping to France.

Importing Cosmetics to France in 2026

My package arrived in France in about five business days. When importing from the US, we have to keep the French VAT and customs duties in mind. Since the value of a single lip balm is relatively low, the process was quick. I paid my import fees online through the courier's portal, which kept my package moving quickly through the CDG hub. My Ube balm arrived in perfect condition, and the color is even better in person than it looked on TikTok. If you are tired of missing out on these drops, I highly recommend using a freight forwarder to bridge the gap between US exclusives and your doorstep in France.