Can you really get free makeup samples online? Well, sort of. Truth is- nothing’s really free. I spent some time traveling about e-space looking for free makeup samples so that I could include some really great offers in my beauty reviews. This is what I discovered.

While you can get some minor freebies online, you’re going to pay a price of some sort for free makeup samples. (So are they really free?) Sites like www.freakyfreddies.com will give you links to free samples of Clinique makeup or L’Oreal skincare products. But you need to spend 5-10 minutes filling out forms and it requires you to sign up to receive information on at least one of the vendors offered. You don’t have to actually buy anything from them, but you can’t get away with just saying “no” to every offer. I tried that.

You can also get these sort-of freebies from some makeup sites, but it’s usually with the purchase of products. For instance, www.sephora.com will give you 3 free samples with any purchase. You just need to type “free” into their search box. You can get some cool samples from companies like Dermadoctor and Ole Hendrickson, but you have to buy something from the site.

So are these free makeup samples worth it? Well, if you’re already planning to buy something- absolutely. In that case it really is a freebie. Is it worth spending ten minutes and signing up for more junk mail in your inbox? That’s up to you. If you’ve been aching to try some skincare products you’ve seen in beauty reviews, this may be a good way to test them out before you spend your money. Just be sure you’re willing to make the exchange of time and information that these sites require.

Sincerely,

Caterina Christakos - founder of stillagirl.com - a positive place for women and girls

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Tags: Ask the Experts, Beauty Reviews, Make Up