Canadian Skincare Brand to Halt U.S. Orders as $80 Minimum Import Fee Threatens 40% of Sales

bareLUXE Skincare to suspend USA shipments after elimination of “de minimis” duty exemption, warning the change could devastate small cross-border businesses.

WINNIPEG, MB, CANADA, August 11, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- bareLUXE Skincare, a Canadian clean beauty brand known for specializing in face oil serums, will suspend all shipments to U.S. customers starting August 29, 2025 due to the U.S. government’s removal of the “de minimis” import exemption for small packages.

Under the new rules, all cross-border shipments from Canada to the U.S. — regardless of value — will be subject to import duties. For the first six months, packages shipped via USPS will face a minimum duty of USD $80, even on orders valued far less. After the transition period, import tariffs of around 35% will apply.

“This is devastating,” says Dr. Heather Smith, MD, founder of bareLUXE Skincare. “The United States makes up 40% of our total sales. That $80 minimum fee is more than the price of many of our products. I can’t ask customers to pay it, and I can’t absorb it without going out of business.”

Like thousands of other small Canadian e-commerce businesses, bareLUXE has relied on the de minimis exemption — a rule that allowed packages under $800 USD to enter the U.S. duty-free — to keep prices fair and shipping accessible for American customers.

Smith says the pause will allow time for her fulfillment company to explore alternative solutions and to hope for some sort of reversal of the decision. But she warns the current change will permanently reshape the cross-border e-commerce landscape, especially for independent brands.

“This isn’t just my problem,” Smith adds. “It’s going to hit countless small businesses across Canada that sell to the U.S. — from Etsy sellers to family-run shops. Consumers are about to face higher prices, slower shipping, and fewer choices.”

bareLUXE will continue to fulfill U.S. orders at current prices, with free shipping, until August 28, 2025. Smith encourages customers to stock up before the deadline — not only from her brand, but from any Canadian small business they love — as they all face the same looming cross-border costs.

Heather Smith
media@bareluxe.ca
bareLUXE Skincare
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn
Instagram
Facebook

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.