My simple way to get the US Glossier You Duo delivered to the UK using a freight forwarder

Why the Glossier You Duo is my current obsession

I have been seeing my favorite Taiwanese beauty creators all over social media raving about the 'skin scent' trend recently. If you aren't familiar, it is that "your skin but better" vibe that is subtle, warm, and clean. Glossier You is pretty much the gold standard for this, but I wanted something more travel-friendly. When I saw the Glossier 'You' Rollerball & Solid Duo, I knew I had to have it for my bag.

This duo is perfect because it combines the liquid rollerball for a quick hit of scent and the solid compact for a waxy, intimate finish that lasts all day. It is the kind of product I want to keep in my pocket whether I'm heading to a meeting in London or a dinner with friends.

The struggle of US-exclusive sets in the UK

The problem I ran into immediately is that this specific value set is a US exclusive. Even though we have Glossier in the UK, they don't always offer the same bundles or limited-edition sets that the US store does. For a while, I thought I was out of luck, but I decided to take matters into my own hands and look into package forwarding.

I realized that if I wanted that specific US-only price and the exclusive packaging, I'd need to shop US store options directly. That is when I turned to my trusted freight forwarder to bridge the gap between New York and my front door here in the UK.

My personal steps for buying from the US stores

I started by signing up for a tax-free us address through comGateway. This is a huge win because it meant I didn't have to pay US sales tax on my Glossier order. If you're curious about the process, I highly recommend checking out this step-by-step guide which explains how it works in detail.

Once I had my US address, I went to the Glossier US website, added the 'You' Rollerball & Solid Duo to my cart, and checked out using my new US suite number. A few days later, I got a notification that my package had arrived at the warehouse and was ready for international shipping.

What I paid for international shipping and import tax

Before I committed to the shipment, I used a shipping calculator to estimate shipping cost. Since the duo is quite small, the shipping wasn't nearly as expensive as I feared. However, because I live in the United Kingdom, I had to be mindful of import tax.

In 2026, the rules for customs tax are pretty straightforward for beauty products, but you should always budget for the import tax and VAT that will be collected upon arrival. For United Kingdom delivery, ship to United Kingdom services usually handle the paperwork for you, which makes the process much smoother. I personally opted for DHL international shipping because I wanted my package fast, though FedEx international shipping was also an option.

Shipping estimates for your Glossier haul

If you are planning to grab this duo for yourself, here are the estimates I used to plan my budget. This should help you understand the logistics involved in international shipping for small beauty items.

Safety and shipping rules to keep in mind

One thing I learned while researching is that perfumes can sometimes be tricky. The solid perfume is totally fine, but the rollerball contains liquid. It is always a good idea to check the prohibited items list to ensure your specific carrier allows alcohol-based fragrances. Some shipping rules are stricter than others, and you don't want your haul stuck in transit because of restricted goods.

If you find that a store won't accept your UK credit card, you can also look into proxy shopping or the buy for me service offered by some providers. I didn't need it for Glossier, but it is a great backup plan for other US-exclusive brands.

Overall, my experience getting this 'skin scent' duo was much easier than I expected. Now, I have a scent that's hard to find in the UK, and I didn't have to wait for a vacation to the States to get it!