Italian custom and cosmetic package

[litelity]

Hi fellow makeup addict in Italy!

I am a student living in Italy.
Since my city doesn't have any MAC counter I decided to purchase MAC from another makeup addict in US.

After 1 month wait I received an envelope from Italian Post which informs me that my package is now being hold in the custom in Milan Airport. Enclosed in the envelope are some forms that I have to fill in with the declaration of the package content.

I have filled this document and send it back today.
My questions now are:

- Does anyone here have any experience with cosmetics purchased from US and sent through mail to Italy?
- Does anyone know how long will it usually take until I finally get the package?
- Will I be charged with taxes etc?
- Does this always happen to any cosmetics purchased from US sent to Italy?

I am waiting for another package with NARS blush from US too, and I don't really want to go through the mess of filling these documents and waiting for months again

Thank you very much in advance for your help!

 

[User38]

oh man.. sorry you have had to go thru this.

nobody wants to ship to Italy (I am living here too) because of the postal service and customs services which are a total nightmare. I had heard of up to 3 months of waiting to clear customs

and excessive duties charged to boot.

I don't know what to tell you.. have all your receipts for the products and copy /attach to forms, if you can scan copies of the actual products with US prices and attach these too .. that will solidify your claim as to value declared. They are paranoid about customs declarations as being falsified.. lol. Guess it takes one to know one.

 

[litelity]

lol @ "guess it takes one to know one" xD

I was in rather a panic yesterday receiving the forms, so I just filled them as quickly as possible and send them back. I did scan my payment receipt and specify the item, but I didn't include the scan of actual product+ its US price. It should have been a good information I suppose. O well *sigh*
but, wow, 3 months + duty charges?

Yeah, I know how infamous Italy is for sending stuff, but I thought it's just a matter of the long wait and maybe losing the package .
I was already prepared for 1 month wait or even having the package lost somewhere. That's why I made sure I don't buy anything pricey.
But this package just contains 1 fluidline! @_@

I posted an ISO list in some cosmetics community and unfortunately from the list there were only this fluidline and that NARS blush available from different mua, both from US. As a newbie that I am, I decided to just buy both from them.
As they are both just small items I didn't think it would be something that I had to declare over the custom. silly me

So, the lesson learnt is.. don't buy anything from US? I did buy something from another mua in UK and it went just fine.
How do you usually buy / swap from other mua, HerGreyness, if I may ask?
​

and last, thank you so much for responding!
Great to know there's someone active in Specktra and in Italy too! Have a super great day, HerGreyness! ;D