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Are you on the hunt for free makeup samples?
Return it for free. Exclusive samples. Sample mac must-haves with every order. Take your pick at checkout. See all offer details. Offers free shipping with $50+ orders! Receive free standard shipping with any $50+ purchase (after discount). No offer code necessary. Return it for free. Get free makeup samples by mail (without surveys) There are two ways to get free makeup. There is an abundance of free Mac Cosmetic samples without surveys available for the taking. You can get many items to try before you buy. This is a great way to go about finding new products to use. When the manufacturers are looking to promote a new product, they will offer it up as a. How I Get Mac, Chanel and Other Expensive Makeup FREE! August 3, 2016 At no additional cost to you, as an affiliate of Amazon and other organizations, I may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.
To get my makeup done at a MAC Cosmetics store or counter, I had to book an appointment, which I did online. The artist's work comes free of charge with a minimum $30 purchase.
Wondering if there’s really such thing as “free makeup”?
Yeah, you bet there is!
Okay, it’s confession time.
Sometimes I’ve been given too many free decent-size makeup samples that ended up going to waste. It’s not that I wanted to throw them out, but they were hanging out in my bathroom vanity for YEARS, and it’s sad I didn’t get the chance to use them before going bad.
I know, it’s a ridiculous first world problem, isn’t it?
How to get free makeup samples
I’m not going to guarantee a lifetime supply of free makeup, but there are many sneaky ways to get makeup and beauty samples for free, sometimes even the full-size products, when you use the recommendations I talk about in this post.
How To Get A Free Makeover At Mac And Cheese
I created this post about free makeup samples so I can help you find the best resources to save money on beauty, makeup, and cosmetic products.
We know that beauty and makeup products have become a necessity for most women.
According to People.com sources, women will spend an average of $43 on a shopping trip for makeup.
Whether you’re a broke girl struggling to pay her bills, or you just want to find the best shopping hacks to save money, there are many free makeup samples out there for you to snatch!
I know that every time before I shop, I like to spend some time looking for free beauty and makeup samples.
Not only does this help me save money on cosmetics, but it also allows me to try new products before dumping my hard-earned money into something I’m not familiar with.
Anyways, let’s go through a list of ways to score free beauty products!
1. Get free makeup samples by mail (without surveys)
There are two ways to get free makeup samples in the mail.
One way is to become a product tester by trying out products and giving companies your honest review in return. This is the best way to get free makeup samples without doing surveys.
Of course, you can always join these legitimate and free online survey sites so you can redeem free makeup products, but becoming a product tester is the “no survey” option.
I personally enjoy using Swagbucks to earn free $50 to $100 Sephora gift cards! Aside from answering surveys, you get rewarded by shopping online for things you normally buy, playing games on your smartphone, or watching short video clips online during your spare time.
By using Swagbucks on a regular basis, I’m able to save money and redeem any free full-size beauty products from Sephora like this Ole Henriksen Vitamin C serum – check out the $50 Sephora gift card below I got just from using Swagbucks. This was the gift card I used to snatch my free Vitamin C serum and eye cream products for my skincare routine!
$5 BONUS TODAY: You’ll even get a FREE $5 bonus just for signing up for a Swagbucks account here. It’s free to join and doesn’t cost you anything. Just remember to verify the e-mail from Swagbucks immediately so you can snatch your $5 welcome bonus today!
You could even check out how I use Swagbucks as ahack to get high-quality and skincare products for FREE from Sephora here! I’ll show you how I use it to redeem products worth over $100!
Secondly, another “no survey” option is to redeem free samples of makeup when you make a purchase in-store or online. This is a company’s way to give you products to try before actually buying them.
Become a makeup and beauty product tester
Your voice and opinion about their products matter to companies.
Some companies will send you free makeup samples, or even the full-size version, for you to test and try them out.
They are willing to provide you with free makeup in exchange for your feedback about that product.
All you have to do is write your experience about the product, what you like or don’t like about it, and what you think the company can do to make it better.
Membership to join and test products should always be free. Here are a few legitimate sites I recommend trying:
2. Online surveys
Similar to testing out products in return for free makeup samples, you can also become an online survey taker.
Membership to these best survey sites that pay you PayPal money, gift cards, or free products (e.g. skincare and makeup) is always free and open to newcomers like you!
It’s easy to complete the surveys since they are in multiple-choice format.
By taking surveys online and giving your opinion about products, you get to redeem free gift cards that can be used towards the beauty or cosmetic product you like. So, instead of getting free samples, you get the full-size product at no charge!
Your choices of beauty and cosmetic gift cards include Sephora, MAC, Macy’s, JCPenney, Drugstores, and more.
You could even choose to redeem free Amazon gift cards or PayPal cash. This makes a great option if you like purchasing cosmetics or beauty-related products online through Amazon.
Here are a few survey sites I personally use to earn free gift cards so I can redeem free beauty products:
3. Collect free Sephora gift cards
Get paid when you shop at Sephora or MAC!
What I like to do is collect points on Swagbucks so that I can redeem free gift cards to Sephora or MAC. This strategy is just as good as getting free makeup samples.
Mac Counter Makeover
In fact, when I collect enough to redeem a $50 Sephora gift card, I would usually go to the store or online to redeem the full-size product I want for free!
This is has been one of my secret weapons for scoring free beauty products and saving money each year on the stuff I truly love.
You can sign up for Swagbucks here for FREE and get a $5 welcome bonus today. Your choice of a Sephora or MAC gift card! 🙂
4. Get free makeup samples inside those gift sets
One of my favorite ways to score free makeup is by redeeming a free beauty gift set through an in-store or online purchase.
Most department stores like Nordstrom and Macy’s run promotions where they offer you a free gift (a pretty good one too) when you buy from them. These free cosmetic gift sets usually come with a cute makeup bag with a good amount of free makeup samples in them.
My favorite free gift sets are the ones from Clinique!
I’m always on a lookout for these promotional offers and I’ll time my purchases when they have special sales. This is one way to stretch your wallet if you want to save money on cosmetics.
If I’m already going to make a purchase on my must-have beauty products that I use daily, then I may as well score some free makeup samples that come with their free gift sets.
In the next section, I’ll go through which companies give out free makeup samples.
5. Companies that give makeup samples for free
As I mentioned above, there are research companies that provide you with both free makeup samples and full-size products in return for your honest opinion about the product.
Another way to try makeup products for free is to head to the mall or actual store. Sometimes you can even request the samples to be shipped to your home.
Here is a list of popular and well-known department stores and companies that give out free beauty products.
- Sephora
- Nordstrom
- Ulta
- Kiehl’s
- The Body Shop
- Aveda
How to get free makeup samples at Sephora
Sephora is one place I recommend dropping by to get free samples of makeup and beauty products. Because you can sample almost any product in Sephora for free!
It’s definitely a great way to try to test out products before making an actual purchase. All you have to do is ask someone who works there. Just point to the product you would like to sample and the Sephora store representative will be more than happy to help.
Get free Sephora makeup samples online
Another way I like to collect or get free Sephora makeup samples is via online when I order my favorite Sephora products.
In most cases, Sephora gives you 2 makeup samples to choose from when you make a purchase online. However, sometimes when my order gets shipped to me, I see more than 5 free samples of makeup (and really good ones too) for me to try.
Sephora weekly wow deals!
Don’t forget to check out those weekly wow deals from Sephora!
One way to get more than the standard 2 samples is to go to their “Beauty Offers” section under the “SHOP” menu on Sephora’s website.
They usually run weekly promos where you can choose and enter in the code of the special free makeup sample you want. This makes the deal even sweeter when you combine all the awesome Sephora shopping hacks to help you score free stuff and save a ton of money each year!
Related post on free makeup: How To Get Your Sephora Birthday Gift For Free!
Nordstrom free beauty samples
Another great way to get free makeup samples is to make your way to Nordstrom’s beauty counter.
The sales representative will also help you apply the product you want to learn more about onto your face or skin. The company wants you to try and experience the product before making a purchase, so they will give you free samples in a travel size container for you to take home.
You can choose from many free cosmetic or beauty samples like foundation, eye shadow, face masks, hair treatment, or face cream
If you ever happen to shop online at Nordstrom, be sure to check out their “Gifts with Purchase” section under their main “Beauty” menu. This section gives you their “Featured Gifts with Purchase” specials where you can choose from the most popular beauty and cosmetic brands like Estée Lauder, Clinique, Lancôme, and more.
The array of selection is pretty good and some of their “free cosmetic gifts” offers usually start at a minimum purchase of just $25.
These beautiful gift sets come in decent sizes and are generally better than the typical “free makeup samples with no purchase necessary” type of offers. It’s definitely worth it if you are going to spend the money regardless.
Does Ulta give free samples in store?
There has been a lot of mixed responses from customers about whether or not Ulta gives out free makeup samples. Some customers report that they do give out samples for people to try, but a lot of the time, it has been reported that they don’t.
Based on many customers’ experience at Ulta, the sales representative will probably give you a very small sample that’s enough to last for one day. In other words, they don’t usually give out free samples like how Sephora or Nordstrom does.
According to one Reddit source, a user reported that they asked for a sample at Ulta, but the sales representative responded, “We don’t do samples.”
However, like most other beauty stores, Ulta does offer you a free gift with purchase. When you shop online at the Ulta store, you can find “Gift with purchase” under the “Sales and Coupons” section.
They also offer free coupons for you to save money under the same menu.
Conclusion about free makeup samples
Whether you’re on a tight budget or looking for ways to save money on your daily beauty regime, there are many legitimate ways to score free makeup and skincare products.
From mini samples to full-size products, there are many ways around getting a ton of makeup items for free!
Here is a recap of things you can do to save money on your beauty essentials.
1. Become a beauty product tester and get free makeup samples by mail
2. Take online surveys in exchange for beauty products
3. Get paid to shop and redeem for free $100 Sephora gift cards
4. Look for free gifts with purchase (these gifts come with many valuable samples)
5. Ask and collect free samples from these companies (Sephora, Nordstrom, Kiehl’s, The Body Shop, and Aveda)
Readers, what are your thoughts about free makeup samples? Are you going to try the recommendations from this article today? Let me know what makeup samples you’ve tried in the comments below!
These days, everyone is on a tight budget. Plus, we’ve all had to get creative with our beauty routines during quarantines and lockdowns. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up on your love of makeup! We rounded up some of the best ways to get free makeup samples – you don’t even need to leave your couch to get some of these freebies.
The easiest way to enjoy freebies is to install the free scout chrome extension for the best discounts daily.
Click the links below to jump to each section, or keep reading to learn how to get free makeup samples.
1. Score Free Samples from Sephora
This major retailer has some serious hacks that even the savviest of makeup artists may not have heard of. Here’s a few of our favorite Sephora secrets:
- Ask for free samples in-store. Sephora stores are broken up by “worlds,” including makeup, skincare, and fragrances. You can ask for up to three free samples per world and the Sephora staff will happily oblige.
- Check out Sephora Beauty Offers. This online hub features exclusive deals and freebies you can only get from Sephora.com. From complimentary gifts to full-size freebies, it’s always worth checking this page for beauty samples.
- Order online to get free samples. When you order online, you can choose up to two free samples of various products. Past samples have included Urban Decay’s Stay Naked Liquid Foundation and Giorgio Armani Rouge D’Armani Matte Lipstick.
- Get a free makeover. Ask one of the Sephora staff about their free fifteen-minute makeovers. Their makeovers include things like smokey eyes, foundation applications, and even false eyelashes – all free! You may even be able to snag some free samples from your makeup artist.
- Join the Beauty Insider Rewards program. Redeem points for free products, as well as exclusive access to seasonal sales and even an end-of-year credit. Beauty Insider members also receive a free birthday gift during their birthday month.
- Buy the Sephora Perfume Sampler. It may sound counterintuitive to spend $65 on travel-size perfumes when you’re looking to spend money, but there’s a hidden freebie in Sephora Perfume Samplers. Inside the box, you’ll find a coupon for a free full-sized bottle of a classic fragrance like Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue, Versace Bright Crystal, or Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium.
2. Get Free Samples from ULTA
ULTA is another major cosmetics retailer that carries everything from budget beauty brands like e.l.f. Cosmetics to high-end lines like Burberry and Coach.
- Take advantage of online offers. ULTA’s Buy More Save More section features hundreds of current deals you can use in store and online. From BOGO sales to free gifts with purchase, this page is worth bookmarking!
- Join the Ultamate Rewards program. It’s completely free to join and allows you the opportunity to collect and redeem points on every purchase, online or in-store. If you shop in-store and want to redeem points, be sure to mention it – cashiers usually won’t ask if you’d like to use your points.
- Subscribe to their email list. ULTA sends out special coupons, discount codes, and free product sample offers frequently.
- Shop During ULTA’s 21 Days of Beauty sale. This major sale happens twice a year – during the spring and fall – and features half-off discounts on even luxury brands.
- Go through their clearance shelves in-store. Discounted products on these shelves may be up to 90 percent off and are marked with a yellow or red sticker – the yellow stickers are the best deals.
3. Check Cosmetic Brands
Sometimes, the best way to get free makeup samples is to go straight to the source. Cosmetics brands will often hand out samples and travel-sized products for free, or with a purchase. You may even be able to request them online and have them shipped free!
- MAC: MAC stores will give out free samples of any liquid foundation, as well as select moisturizers and priming products. Their samples are large enough to last up to 10 days, making them perfect to test products out for an extended period before committing to a purchase.
- Too Faced: For every online order, Too Faced will send you two freebies. These samples are usually mini products, but you may get lucky and receive a deluxe-size product on occasion.
- Smashbox: The Offers section of Smashbox’s website features tons of great deals, including free gifts, 50 percent off discounts, and more.
4. Scour Freebie Sites
There are hundreds of freebie sites on the internet, and while not all of them are completely reliable, there are a few gems that are perfect for getting free makeup samples.
Keep in mind that some sites may require you to create an account and enter your contact information before you’re granted access to the freebies.
5. Join Product Testing Groups
Want to get paid in makeup? Join a product testing group to get makeup in exchange for your honest review. It’s free to sign up and though there may be a waitlist, it’s a great way to test new products.
Here are a few of the best product testing programs for makeup lovers:
6. Search Beauty Hashtags
Social media is a great place to find free makeup samples if you know where to look. Makeup influencers, cosmetics brands, and retailers often feature giveaways and freebies on their social channels using specific hashtags.
7. Follow and Join Social Profiles
You can also join freebie groups on Facebook. For example, Free Beauty Samples is a Facebook-specific group that frequently posts freebies and discounts.
Be sure to follow cosmetics brands on social media. Brands are getting bigger on social platforms and often share sales and exclusive deals with their social followers. You could even try DMing a brand to request a sample!
8. Shop at Department Stores
Stores like Macy’s and Nordstrom often give out free samples to shoppers who ask for them. In fact, Nordstrom automatically includes three samples with any beauty purchase.
9. Join Amazon Prime Samples
Did you know that even the retail giant has a samples program? Prime Samples allows you to try products using credits you can earn on every purchase. Read more about it here.
10. Try a Subscription Service
Beauty subscription boxes like Boxycharm and Ipsy are popular because they provide incredible value at a low cost. For example, Boxycharm costs $25 per month, but always delivers a box that is worth at least $125 in products. Plus, many subscription boxes offer free or discounted first boxes to let you try it out.
11. Use Makeup Coupons
Learning how to coupon is a great way to score freebies of all kinds, and makeup is no exception! Here are coupons that will help you get free makeup and other beauty goodies.
- Box of Style: Use code SUMMER25 to save $25 off your Summer Box.
- ColourPop: Use code 5TALYA at checkout to take up to 50 percent off your order or $5 on your order of $10 or more.
- Cover FX: Use code WELCOME to take 15 percent off orders of $65 or more.
- NYX: Use code FREESHIP to get free shipping on every order. This offer expires July 31, 2020.
- Sephora: Use code AVOKIWI at checkout to get a free trial-sized Briogeo avocado mask and kiwi superfood mask with any $25 purchase.
12. Grab Free Skincare Samples
Love trying out new skincare products? From luxury face creams to customized acne treatments, you can get fresh, glowing skin with these free skincare samples.
- Curology: Curology offers a 30-day free trial that will let you get a face cream customized to your unique needs – just pay shipping and handling.
- Kiehl’s: You can get three free packette samples with every Kiehl’s purchase. Samples are nearly unlimited, so you can choose to test anything from their brand, including skin care, hair products, and body products.
- La Mer: Though La Mer is one of the more high-end skincare brands, its sampling program is worth noting. Every purchase comes with two deluxe-size samples and free shipping.
- LUSH: Much like Sephora, LUSH will give you a free sample of anything in the store if you ask (within reason).
- Mario Badescu: The sampling program from Mario Badescu is totally personalized. Take a quick Skin Analysis Quiz online, pay a small shipping fee, and you’ll get tailored samples that are perfect for your specific skin type. Every online purchase also delivers three samples to your door.
- The Body Shop: Join their rewards program, Love Your Body Club, to get two free samples of your choice or a welcome packet with two pre-selected samples. Be sure to join in store if you’d like to choose your own samples, as online sign-ups receive the welcome packet automatically.
Keep in mind that other retailers, like Sephora and ULTA also offer skincare samples, so be sure to check these stores when hunting for free skincare samples.
Low Cost Beauty Hacks We Love
Makeup junkies know how expensive their hobby can be. According to a 2017 study which looked at spending habits of men and women, “women who invest regularly in their appearance spend an average of $3,756 a year.” Broken down, this study found that women spend the most on beauty services like facials and haircuts. This suggests that the experience and ritual involved with maintaining a beauty routine is more valuable than individual products.
As important as beauty routines clearly are, it’s been hard to maintain our usual habits lately. Salons and spas across the country are closed, making it tough to keep up with the services we value so much.
To help you stay on top of your beauty routine, we created an infographic with easy DIY hacks. Check it out below.
Whether you’re a seasoned makeup junkie or just starting out, saving money on your favorite products is a must. These free makeup samples will help you test new products, find hidden gems, and save you some serious cash.