Beauty products cheaper uk or USA?

[wintersdawn]

I'm planning a trip to New York soon and trying to work out if I'll save much by waiting to buy stuff over there or even on duty free? I'm looking at Elizabeth Arden, Bliss, Urban Decay and perfumes. Anyone been recently and compared?

depends on the exchange rate
when i was in the US in 2016 it was working out about the same once the sales tax was added on

At the current exchange rate you’re best bet is to buy them in the UK but in the airport where they’re cheaper (they might not have Bliss but Heathrow t5 should have the others). Otherwise something like perfume pretty much costs the same, if anything slightly more in the US once you allow for sales tax.

Thanks. It's been years since I've been and last time the exchange was so good it made it so much cheaper. I had a feeling this time might not be as good for shopping.

Will echo what everyone else said but also add that sales tax is 8.25% - in case you wanted to do any comparison shopping. Also, duty free at JFK is spartan and not nearly as competitively priced as at LGW or LHR so don't count on getting things on the way back.

That said, what NY has going for it is Sephora where everything is under one roof. But I heard maybe they were opening in Westfield?