Warning I found that New Zealand markups on Kosas BB Burst Tinted Gel Cream are reaching record highs in 2026

The alarming reality of local price inflation

I spent the last week monitoring the availability of the Kosas BB Burst Tinted Gel Cream across major New Zealand retailers. What I discovered is a serious concern for any budget-conscious shopper. Local stock is not only inconsistent but the prices I am seeing are significantly higher than the direct conversion from USD. In 2026, we are still seeing a 'New Zealand tax' that adds nearly 40% to the total cost when buying locally.

Get a Instant Shipping Quote

Your Location Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Curaçao Cyprus Czechia Côte d'Ivoire Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island North Korea North Macedonia Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestine, State of Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Réunion Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin (French part) Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten (Dutch part) Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Sweden Switzerland Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Türkiye Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States United States Minor Outlying Islands Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Åland Islands

Cost of Goods(US $)

Weight(KG)

Get a Quote

See more about shipping to New Zealand

I realized that waiting for a local restock was a losing strategy. Not only is the price inflated, but the specific shades I need are rarely the ones that make it to our shores. I decided to take a more direct approach by looking at the source. Read more: I nearly lost my money trying to buy the Kosas BB Burst from New Zealand before I figured out the correct procurement method.

Why I prefer the US shade range

I noticed that the clean-girl aesthetic has pushed the demand for this product to new heights. However, the inventory allocated to the New Zealand market is a fraction of what is available in the United States. I found that US stores carry the full spectrum of the 24 shades, whereas my local options were limited to just a handful of medium-tones. For anyone with a very fair or very deep complexion, the US market is currently the only reliable way to get an accurate match.

The math behind my shipping strategy

I knew that to make this financially viable, I needed a reliable freight forwarder. I turned to comGateway to provide me with a tax-free us address. This allowed me to avoid US sales tax at the point of purchase, which instantly reduced my upfront costs. I used their shipping calculator to estimate shipping cost before I committed to the purchase.

I found that even with the cost of international shipping, my total spend was roughly 25% lower than if I had purchased from a boutique in Auckland. This is the serious math that many shoppers overlook when they assume domestic is always cheaper.

Detailed shipping estimates for Kosas BB Burst

I have compiled the exact specifications for this item to help you plan your shipment for 2026. Because this is a makeup item, it is relatively light, which works in our favor.

How I handled New Zealand customs and GST

I am always careful about import duties. In New Zealand, the GST/VAT threshold is a critical factor for any international shipping service. I made sure to account for the 15% GST that is applied to imported goods. Even after adding this import tax, my calculations showed a clear saving. I also checked the prohibited items list to ensure that the gel cream formula didn't fall under any restricted goods categories or shipping rules for pressurized containers. Since this is a squeeze tube and not an aerosol, I faced no issues.

Securing my delivery from the USA

I recommend that you shop us store locations like Sephora or the official Kosas site to ensure you are getting the genuine 2026 formulation. I managed to bundle my BB Burst with a few other small items to maximize my shipping value. This is a strategy I use often to spread the base cost of the package across multiple products.

I found the support FAQ very helpful when I had questions about how long my package would stay in the warehouse. I wanted to wait until a second order arrived so I could use their consolidation service. If you are serious about saving money on your beauty routine, I suggest you stop waiting for local stock and take control of your own international shipping logistics. I have consistently found that this method is the only way to guarantee I get the products I want without the exorbitant local markup.