I love trying new products via samples. The cosmetics industry has been marketing its products through sampling programs for decades. Gradually, traditional sampling has been expanded to include gift with purchase, purchase with purchase, and value-priced sets. The reason that these types of sampling programs are so common among cosmetics companies and retailers is because they sell little luxuries. The luxuries range from the affordable to the outrageous, but they are all nonessential items. And particularly in these cost-conscious times, sampling programs and their related "try before you buy" counterparts are critical to sales. The following are a few of my favorite places for scoring samples online, although I also recommend asking for samples the news time you're picking up your foundation at the local department store or browsing for a new perfume. Who knows, you may discover a new favorite.
Sephora
I love shopping at Sephora stores and online, not only for their selection, but for their excellent sampling programs and member rewards. You can always choose at least three samples with every order (usually out of a selection of a dozen or so skincare, makeup, and fragrance samples). Additionally, sephora.com always has codes for deluxe-sized freebees. Sometimes these codes are not all listed on the web page, but you can find them easily on Sephora's facebook page or on their email list. For example, right now, you can use the code BEBARETRIO to get a free set of Bare Escentuals products with the purchase of any product on Sephora's web site. This trio is a 10-day supply of the Bare Minerals foundation in your choice of color, the mineral veil sheer powder, and a cute mini Kabuki brush. There are at least ten other similar offers at any given time, some requiring the purchase of a specific brand or product, but most of them are just free with any purchase.
Sephora also offers great value-priced gift sets, some of which are seasonal and go on sale on the web page for an even better deal. Some of them are a mixture of deluxe sized items from one brand, others are "Sephora Favorites" from different brands. Right now, the web page has a mascara giftset that gives you ten deluxe mascara samples from different brands (including Korres and Smashbox) for only $39. There are similar giftsets for skincare.
Also, Sephora has a great rewards program that gives you even more deluxe freebees as you accumulate rewards points with your purchases. One final Sephora tip: if you sign up for their rewards program, you also get a little birthday gift if you request it either at the store or on the web page within two weeks of your birthday.
ULTA
ULTA's online shop also has a fantastic sampling program. There is some overlap of brands with Sephora, but ULTA also has drugstore brands and often has great sales and buy-one-get-one deals on those items. ULTA always gives you three samples of your choice with any online order. And like Spehora, often they have deluxe giveaways. Right now, ULTA is giving a deluxe Bare Escentuals mascara with any purchase from the brand. Additionally, ULTA often has online coupon codes for discounts and free shipping (although, shipping is always free with a $50 purchase). But one word of warning on the coupon codes: they usually don't apply to any of the "prestige" brands, so those codes are only going to work on your drugstore and ULTA brand items. But it's still a great way to save.
ULTA also has some great value-priced gift sets. They have a great variety of Bare Escentuals and Too Faced value sets in particular.
The Beauty Sampler
This is a web site that specializes in selling samples of popular items that the cosmetics companies don't sample. In particular, this is the place to find MAC Pigment samples. If you're not familiar with Pigments, they are loose form pure color in jars that can be used as eyeshadow, blush, eyeliner, or even mixed with lipgloss. I generally use them as eyeshadows and love that they don't crease and last all day. The Beauty Sampler sells 1/4 teaspoon samples in small jars. This doesn't sound like a lot, but with Pigment, a little goes a long way and even if you wore the same color every day, it would probably take you a good month or two to go through that much Pigment. These sell for $2 to $3 depending on the color. This retailer has rare and discontinued colors, as well as the Pro colors, which are only sold in MAC Pro shops. They don't charge for shipping, and I find it's a great way to try new colors without a big investment. The full-sized Pigments sell for $20, and I've never been able to get anywhere near making a dent in my full sized Pigments, some of which I've had for nearly ten years. Better to get 6 or 7 different shades in these great trial containers for the price of one. Get them at www.thebeautysampler.com.
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