I found a way to get the Summer Fridays 2026 Anniversary Set to Switzerland without the crazy reseller fees

Why everyone is obsessed with the 2026 Anniversary Set

I have been seeing the Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm all over my social feeds lately, especially the new 2026 Anniversary Set. This brand has become a massive rising star in Korea, and that hype has definitely traveled over here to Europe. The set is particularly popular because it includes a mix of their classic shades and a limited-edition anniversary tint that you can't get anywhere else.

We all know how rare it is to find a balm that actually stays on and doesn't feel sticky. My favorite part about this year's collection is the value. When I looked at the us trends for popular products on the comGateway trends page, it was clear that buying the multi-pack set in the US is significantly cheaper than trying to source individual tubes from local resellers who are marking them up by 50% or more.

The price difference I noticed in Switzerland

I did some quick math before I pulled the trigger. In Switzerland, if you can even find a boutique that stocks Summer Fridays, you are looking at paying a premium. Resellers on platforms like Ricardo or specialized K-beauty import sites are charging astronomical prices for the 2026 set. We are talking about a markup that covers the cost of an entire extra tube of balm.

I realized that even with shipping costs, buying from a US retailer was going to save me a lot of money. I wanted the full experience of the anniversary launch, and the only way to guarantee I got the authentic 2026 edition was to go straight to the source.

My experience buying directly from US stores

I started my shopping journey by looking at Sephora US and the official Summer Fridays website. These stores usually have the best stock levels, especially for limited releases. I used my tax-free us address provided by comGateway to avoid paying US sales tax, which is a great little hack for Swiss shoppers. You can set this up easily by visiting comGateway.

However, I ran into a bit of a snag. Some US stores are notoriously difficult when it comes to international shoppers. I tried to use my Swiss credit card, and my order was immediately flagged and cancelled. This is a common issue because many US retailers only want to accept domestic payment methods or they block addresses that they recognize as package forwarders.

How I bypassed credit card blocks with BuyForMe

This brings me to the most important part of my strategy. When I realized that Sephora wouldn't accept my payment, I didn't give up. I used the "BuyForMe" service.

The problem is that many big US stores, like Sephora, Nike, or Apple, have strict filters. They often block international credit cards or simply decline orders if the billing address doesn't match the shipping address in a specific way. It can be incredibly frustrating to see your order cancelled five minutes after you place it.

The solution I used was the comGateway "BuyForMe" service. Essentially, I told them what I wanted, and they bought the item on my behalf using a US domestic credit card. This is the safest way to guarantee your order doesn't get cancelled by the store's fraud filters. The benefit is huge because it takes all the stress out of the process. I didn't have to worry about my card being rejected or my order being flagged. They handled the entire purchase, and the items arrived at my warehouse address without a hitch. If you are ever stuck with a store that won't take your card, I highly recommend this as your go-to method.

Getting my package from the US to my door

Once my Summer Fridays set arrived at my US address, I had to decide on the best way to get it to Switzerland. I always use a freight forwarder because it gives me more control over the shipping process. I went to the shipping calculator to estimate shipping cost before I finalized anything. You can find that tool here: estimate shipping cost.

I also checked the international shipping rates to make sure I was getting a fair deal on the international shipping. Since the lip balm set is quite light, the shipping fees were very reasonable. I chose a shipping method that included tracking because I wanted to see exactly where my anniversary set was as it crossed the Atlantic.

What I paid for Swiss import taxes and fees

Shipping to Switzerland is usually straightforward, but you do have to keep an eye on the import rules for 2026. Since the value of my set was over the 62 CHF threshold (which is the usual limit for the 8.1% VAT to kick in), I knew I would have to pay a little extra upon arrival.

Here is a rough breakdown of what I expected to pay:

Even with these fees, the total was still much lower than what I would have paid a reseller here. Plus, I had the peace of mind knowing the product was 100% authentic and fresh from the 2026 batch. If you have more questions about how the process works, I suggest looking at the FAQ in the support center at comGateway FAQ. They have a lot of info on how to handle documents for customs which I found really helpful for my first few orders.

My advice for anyone in Switzerland wanting this set is to act fast. These anniversary collections don't last long, and the US stores are the only ones that consistently have them in stock. By using a combination of a shop us store strategy and the BuyForMe service, I managed to get exactly what I wanted without the headache of cancelled orders or overpaying on the local market.

I am already planning my next haul for the summer season. I might even use the consolidation service next time to save even more on shipping by grouping a few more US beauty finds together. It really is the most logical way to shop if you live somewhere like Switzerland where local variety is limited but the demand for global trends is high.