The hidden customs hurdles I skipped to get Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm Birthday Cake Edition shipped to my door in Belgium

The viral hype behind the Birthday Cake Edition

I have spent way too much time scrolling through Xiaohongshu lately, and my feed has been completely taken over by the Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm (Birthday Cake Edition). This specific scent is legendary for its subtle shimmer and that perfect vanilla-cake aroma that isn't too overpowering. Because it is a limited-edition launch often exclusive to US Sephora or the official Summer Fridays site, it has become a status symbol in the beauty community.

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More about shipping to Belgium

In 2026, the demand has only intensified. I noticed local resellers in Europe and China marking up these tubes to three times their retail price. I couldn't justify paying €70 for a lip balm that retails for $24. I knew there had to be a better way to get it directly from the source in the United States without being blocked at the checkout page.

The invisible barriers for shoppers in Belgium

Living in Belgium, we often face a "hidden barrier" when it comes to US-exclusive drops. Many US retailers simply do not ship to Brussels or Antwerp, or if they do, the shipping costs are astronomical. Even worse, some brands have regional blocks that prevent us from even seeing the "Add to Cart" button if our IP address is detected outside the US. This is why I decided to look into a freight forwarder to act as my middleman.

How I used a US address to bypass the restrictions

I realized that if I wanted to shop US store locations like Sephora or the Summer Fridays website, I needed a local presence. I signed up for a tax-free US address through comGateway. This changed everything for me. Instead of begging a friend in New York to mail it to me, I simply used the warehouse address provided to me at checkout.

If you are new to this, it is worth looking at a how it works guide to see the process. Essentially, the store ships my package to the warehouse in Oregon (which has no sales tax!), and then they notify me when it arrives so I can forward packages to my home in Belgium.

Shipping Estimates for the Lip Butter Balm

Before I committed to the purchase, I wanted to make sure I wasn't going to spend a fortune on the delivery. I used a shipping calculator to get a rough idea of the costs. Here is the breakdown I used for my planning:

Customs rules and prohibited items in Belgium

One thing I learned the hard way is that Belgium is quite strict about what enters the country. You should always check the list of prohibited items before you buy. Luckily, lip balms are generally fine as long as they don't contain specific restricted medicinal ingredients. However, remember that in 2026, Belgium's VAT rules apply to all imports from outside the EU. You will likely have to pay a small import fee when the package arrives, but even with that, it's still cheaper than the reseller prices.

What to do if Sephora US rejects your Belgian credit card

My biggest hurdle was actually the payment. Sephora US is notorious for rejecting international credit cards. When my Belgian Mastercard was declined, I didn't panic. I used the BuyForMe service. This is essentially a proxy shopping service where the team at the warehouse buys the item on your behalf. It saved me a lot of frustration and ensured I secured the Birthday Cake edition before it went out of stock again.

Calculating the final international shipping fees

I found that the international shipping rates were quite reasonable when I consolidated my lip balm with a few other small items I wanted from the US. By combining several orders into one shipment, the international shipping cost per item dropped significantly. My experience showed that if you plan ahead, you can get these viral products for a price that makes sense, even with the journey across the Atlantic. We don't have to miss out on the best beauty drops just because we live in Europe!