Buy these 10 beauty products for less in America
While most items bought abroad this summer will cost you more due to the weak pound, we've managed to find a dozen popular beauty products that are still cheaper in America. If you're a fan of these products and are heading to America on holiday then you may want to stock up while you're there!
These products cost up to 28% less in America, which can save you anywhere from £5 to £13 depending on the product—except for the product that is 43% more in America!
In many cases, these products cost the same number of dollars in the US as they cost in pounds in the UK. For example, fans of the highly-rated Glossier Priming Moisturizer pay £35 in the UK or $35 in the United States; given the current exchange rate (1.27 USD/GBP), buying a jar in the US would save you £7.70.
(Note: some of the links below will auto-redirect you away from the US sites while you're in the UK, or vice versa. In that case, you'll need to change the store you're shopping in by finding and clicking on the flag to change location.)
| Beauty Product | Size | Price in UK | Price in America | Savings (%) | Savings (£) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter | £39 | $49 (£38.2) | -2% | £0.78 | |
| Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream | 50ml | £31 | $29 (£22.6) | -27% | £8.38 |
| Beauty Blender | 1 blender | £17.50 | $32 (£24.96) | 43% | - £7.46 |
| Merit Signature Lip | n/a | £28 | $26 (£20.28) | -28% | £7.72 |
| Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade | n/a | £18 | $16.8 (£13.1) | -27% | £4.9 |
| Glossier Priming Moisturizer | 50ml | £35 | $35 (£27.3) | -22% | £7.7 |
| Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream | 240ml | £48 | $45 (£35.1) | -27% | £12.9 |
| Elizabeth Arden Retinol Ceramide Capsules Line Erasing Night Serum | 30 capsules | £51 | $54 (£42.1) | -17% | £8.88 |
| Dior Forever Glow Star Filter | £43 | $55 (£42.9) | 0% | £0.10 | |
| NARS Afterglow Liquid Blush | 7ml | £33 | $32 (£24.96) | -24% | £8.04 |
Data collected in May 2024.
Paying for Beauty Products Abroad
If you do decide to stock up on some of your favourite beauty products while you're abroad, try to pay in an efficient way. For example, pay with a credit card that doesn't charge FX fees for non-sterling transactions or else you'll be hit with foreign currency credit card fees of around 3%.
Hidden Costs? Taxes and Shipping
Taxes or delivery charges can reduce the savings—but you may not have to pay either. By ordering online you may avoid sales tax, but it will depend on the retailer and the state you're visiting. For example, when ordering Elizabeth Arden's ceramide capsules online from Walmart it appears there are no taxes for shipments to Florida or California, but shipments to New York City will cost an extra 8.875% due to sales tax. Keep in mind that sale tax rates vary by state.
To have the best shot of free delivery, you may need to order early. Check with the retailer ahead of time to see the estimated delivery windows. For example, free delivery with Walmart is estimated to take 5 business days—getting your shipment the next day would cost extra.