Buying Skincare from US or French Sites to the UK: The Customs Fees and Post-Brexit VAT Guide
One number decides how a skincare parcel from the US or France is taxed: £135. Below it, the seller charges VAT. Above it, you pay VAT and a handling fee before delivery. Customs duty on skincare is zero either way.
Published 11 October 2026 · 7 min read
The threshold is £135 per consignment. At £135 or less, the seller charges UK VAT at checkout and there is no customs duty. Over £135, you pay import VAT to Royal Mail or the courier before delivery, plus a handling fee: £8 with Royal Mail, £12 with Parcelforce. Customs duty on skincare is 0% from both the US and the EU, so VAT is the real cost.
The Financial Threshold Matrix
| Consignment value (goods price) | VAT | Customs duty on skincare | Delivery company fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| £135 or less, bought by you | UK VAT charged by the seller at checkout | None | None expected |
| Over £135 | 20% import VAT, paid to the delivery company before delivery | 0% (US and EU) | Royal Mail £8; Parcelforce £12; other couriers set their own |
| Gift from someone else, over £39 | VAT payable on arrival | 0% for skincare | Charged by the delivery company |
Four precise rules behind the table:
- What counts towards £135: the price the goods were sold for, excluding transport and insurance unless they are built into the price and not shown separately. The limit applies to the whole consignment, not each item.
- £135 or less: for goods you bought yourself, the seller should include VAT in the price, and non-excise goods carry no customs duty.
- Over £135: VAT is charged on the total package value, including postage, packaging, insurance and any duty. Skincare preparations carry the standard 20% rate.
- Duty: the UK Trade Tariff lists 0% third-country duty on commodity 3304 99 00 00, skin-care and beauty preparations other than medicines, with 0% preferences for the EU. Our check on 11 October 2026 showed no US-specific duty for this code.
Worked example: a £150 skincare order from a US site with £10 postage shown separately is over £135, because the goods alone cost £150. Import VAT is 20% of £160 (goods plus postage, and £0 duty), which is £32. Delivered by Royal Mail, you pay £32 plus the £8 fee: £40 before the parcel is released.
How to Avoid Surprise Border Charges
- Check the checkout for UK VAT. On orders of £135 or less, a seller following UK rules shows VAT at checkout. If it does not, ask before ordering.
- Know your total before you pay. Over £135, budget for 20% VAT on goods plus postage, and the carrier's fee. There is no customs duty to add for skincare.
- Check which carrier delivers. The handling fee is Royal Mail's £8 or Parcelforce's £12; other couriers set their own.
- Read 'free UK customs' claims carefully. Some sellers pre-pay import charges on larger orders. Check the order confirmation says so before relying on it.
Does splitting orders help? Each consignment is assessed on its own value, and a seller must add together all items in one consignment unless they are sent individually. Two genuinely separate orders, each £135 or less, are taxed at checkout instead of at the border.
For skincare the saving is small. You still pay 20% VAT either way, because the seller charges it at checkout. What you avoid is the £8 or £12 handling fee and the wait for a Fee to Pay card, and you may pay two lots of postage instead.
Delays and Restricted Ingredients
Parcels with unpaid charges are held, not lost. The delivery company normally keeps the parcel for about 3 weeks, then returns it to the sender if the bill is unpaid.
Seizure is a different matter. The GOV.UK list of banned and restricted goods does not include cosmetics or skincare as a category. The items on it that can catch beauty buyers are narrower:
- Controlled drugs are banned and will be seized.
- CITES-protected species: some beauty products made from protected plants or animals need a permit or certificate.
- Counterfeits: goods suspected of infringing trademarks or other intellectual property rights may be seized.
We found no GOV.UK guidance saying Border Force seizes skincare bought for personal use because its ingredient strengths differ from UK cosmetics rules. Those rules govern products sold in the UK.
The bigger trap is products that are medicines, not cosmetics. US acne treatments with benzoyl peroxide and French ointments such as A313 are medicines, and the tariff code above excludes them. See our guides to the US and UK Effaclar Duo and buying A313 in the UK. We could not find current MHRA guidance on importing medicines licensed only abroad for personal use.
What to Do If You Get a Royal Mail 'Fee to Pay' Card
1. Check it is genuine. Royal Mail pays the import VAT and any duty first, then sends a card or letter showing how much you need to pay before you can receive your item. Do not pay through links in unexpected texts or emails; go to royalmail.com yourself.
2. Check the amount. It should be roughly 20% of the goods plus postage, and £8 (Royal Mail) or £12 (Parcelforce). If your order was £135 or less and you already paid UK VAT at checkout, you should not normally owe import VAT. Keep your receipt.
3. Pay online. Use the reference from your card, letter, text or email at royalmail.com. If the barcode is not recognised, choose Customs Charge and enter your card details.
4. Pay in time. Unpaid parcels are normally returned to the sender after about 3 weeks.
5. Claim back an overcharge. If you think you paid too much VAT or duty, claim with form BOR286 for Royal Mail or Parcelforce deliveries. For other couriers, private individuals use form C285. The general time limit for overpayments is 3 years.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Tax and customs for goods sent from abroad
- GOV.UK: VAT and overseas goods sold directly to customers in the UK
- UK Trade Tariff: commodity 3304 99 00 00 (checked 11 October 2026)
- Royal Mail: Pay a fee (customs charges)
- GOV.UK: Banned and restricted goods
- GOV.UK: How to claim a repayment of import duty and VAT if you've overpaid