I found the only way to get the Fenty Gloss Bomb Stix in Australia after my card kept getting declined

The hype behind the Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Stix

I have been refreshing my social feeds all week, and it seems like everyone is talking about the new Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Stix. Launched just a few days ago in early February 2026, this hybrid product is already all over my FYP. It promises that signature Fenty high-shine finish but in a convenient stick format that feels like a balm but looks like a gloss. Since I live in Australia, I usually have to wait months for these releases to hit our local shelves, but the US Sephora site already has exclusive bundle deals that include shades we can't get here yet.

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More about shipping to Australia

I knew I couldn't wait. The "high-shine" finish looks incredible in every swatch I have seen, and the reviews from the last seven days suggest it is way more pigmented than the original liquid version. I wanted those US-exclusive bundles, so I decided to shop US store options directly to get the best value.

Why US Sephora is a headache for Australian shoppers

I thought I could just jump on the US Sephora website, add the Gloss Bomb Stix to my cart, and check out with my Australian credit card. I was wrong. I tried three different cards, and every single time, my order was cancelled within minutes. It turns out that many big US retailers, including Sephora, Nike, and Apple, often block international credit cards or flag orders that use a known freight forwarder address.

It is incredibly frustrating when you are ready to spend money but the store won't let you because of your billing address. I even tried using a VPN, but the payment gateway still recognized my card as being from outside the United States. This is the "hidden barrier" that stops most of us from getting these viral releases early. I almost gave up until I remembered a much easier way to handle proxy shopping.

My workaround: The BuyForMe service

This is where I found the solution that actually worked. I used the comGateway BuyForMe service. Essentially, instead of me trying to force my Australian card to work, I just told them what I wanted. We give them the product link and the details (like which shades of the Gloss Bomb Stix we want), and they buy it on our behalf using a US domestic credit card.

By using this assisted purchase method, the order looks like a standard US domestic transaction to Sephora. It is honestly the safest way to guarantee your order doesn't get cancelled. If you have ever felt the pain of a "Transaction Declined" email, you know why I swear by this. It takes all the stress out of the process, especially for these high-demand launches where stock runs out fast.

How I handle international shipping to Australia

Once comGateway bought the items for me, they were sent to my tax-free US address in Oregon. This is a huge plus because it means I don't have to pay US sales tax on my purchase. After the items arrived at the warehouse, I had to decide how to get them to my door in Australia. I always suggest checking the step-by-step guide if you are new to this, as it explains how it works perfectly.

I am always a bit conscious of costs, so I used the shipping calculator to estimate shipping cost for my parcel. Since makeup is light, I usually wait and consolidate a few orders together to save on international shipping rates. You can view the current international shipping fees to see which carrier fits your budget—I usually oscillate between DHL and FedEx depending on how fast I want my package to arrive.

Before you ship, just a quick heads-up: make sure to check the shipping rules for any restricted goods. While lipsticks are generally fine, some liquid perfumes or pressurized sprays can be tricky. You might also like to read our guide on shipping cosmetics safely to avoid any surprises.

What I learned about import tax and GST

One thing we always have to deal with in Australia is the import tax and GST. Even though the threshold for duty-free imports is technically $1,000 AUD, the 10% GST applies to almost all low-value imported goods now. I made sure to read the comGateway guide on GST/VAT to understand how these charges are handled.

It is much better to know the costs upfront than to have your package held at the border. Generally, for a few Fenty Gloss Bomb Stix, the import tax won't be a dealbreaker, but it is something I always keep in mind when calculating my total spend. Now that my order is on its way, I am just waiting for that international shipping notification to hit my inbox so I can finally try out the gloss that broke the internet.