Last Updated on September 15, 2021
Fancy bagging loads of free makeup and beauty products? I love trying free makeup and beauty samples before investing in full-size purchases! There are loads of ways to get makeup and beauty freebies from all your big brand favourites, like MAC, Chanel, Estee Lauder, just to name a few…
Keep reading to:
- Find out how to get free makeup and beauty stuff
- Top tips to bag EVEN more beauty freebies
- Scams to avoid when applying for free stuff
Here we go…
Table of Contents
Free makeup & beauty brand giveaways
One of the easiest ways to get free makeup and beauty products is through online giveaways. To help get feedback and spread the word of a new product, lots of companies will now giveaway free makeup and beauty samples. You’ll have to be quick though, these are often given out on a first-come, first-served basis!
Your best bet is to sign up for freebie site newsletters, as they find all the best ones and share them online daily. Here is a list of the best freebie sites (in my opinion!)
Lots of these companies even post free beauty stuff directly to your front door! Check out my guide on how to get freebies in the mail for more info.
Email newsletters & social media
Another way to score free makeup samples and beauty trial products is to go straight to the source! Brands usually announce freebie giveaways to loyal fans first, so follow all your favourite beauty brands on social media and make sure you sign up for their email newsletter for exclusive offers.
Sponsored posts & so post beauty & makeup freebies
Keep an eye out for sponsored posts, which pop up in your social media feed. These are run by a company called So Post – who help companies run giveaways and trials. They run out SO quick so when you see a sponsored post, apply there and then by filling in a quick form.
Product testing free beauty products
Beauty brands love feedback and rely on honest opinions from people like you and me to help them launch a successful new product. Brands like Boots and Glamour Beauty Club host regular review panels, where you can apply to get free makeup and beauty items in the post in exchange for your opinion.
There are also loads of third-party testing websites offering full-sized freebies! Check out this list of 30+ genuine product testing opportunities to find out more and apply today.
Pamper yourself with Birthday freebies
Bag yourself free beauty products from companies like The Body Shop on your special day. There are LOADS of brands that give away free birthday treats, just check out this huge list of birthday freebies and enjoy!
Get free beauty products with Loyalty schemes
Did you know you can get exclusive beauty and makeup freebies with loyalty schemes? Space NK Apothecary and many other beauty stores also have loyalty schemes, which offer exclusive freebies.
Brands like Boots also offer extra point days for Boots Advantage Card holders. You can use these to get free products or put them towards a bigger purchase.
It’s always worth checking your favourite beauty websites for reward loyalty schemes and signing up asap to reap the benefits!
Mobile phone loyalty schemes like O2 Priority and Vodafone VeryMe even give away freebies to their customers via their apps. I’ve had loads of stuff from O2, including free Soap & Glory goodies, Boots Micellar water, and Simple wipes!
Beauty counter freebies
Pop into your nearest department store or beauty shop and head to the counter to ask for free samples. It all depends on who is serving, but if you show interest in certain products and ask for a free sample, you’re likely to get some!
Brands like Clinique, Bobbi Brown, and Estee Lauder often share free 10-day foundation freebies and perfume samples (which you can redeem in-store) on their social media pages, so keep a lookout for these.
Win free makeup & beauty products
Competitions are another fab way to bag free makeup and beauty products. Brands host hundreds if not thousands of competitions each week. Look for makeup and beauty competitions online on sites like The Prize Finder and Competition Database or in newspapers and magazines. Sure, it’s not a guaranteed way to get free stuff, but you’ve got to be in it to win it!
Psst… If you haven’t already purchased this, I highly recommend Super Lucky Secrets written by fellow blogger Di Coke! It’s packed full of super helpful tips and tricks for winning competitions – perfect for beginners!
Take surveys to get free makeup products
Websites like First Beauty and apps like AGORA let you take surveys and leave video reviews in exchange for free makeup and beauty products. The more products you try and leave feedback for, the more points you earn, meaning the more products you get to trial! How amazing is that??
Get free makeup & beauty samples for recycling
Lots of beauty brands now offer freebies in exchange for recycled packaging to help be more sustainable. Trade-in your MAC packaging for a new lipstick or hand in used LUSH tubs for a free face mask, plus loads more. Find out more about recycling beauty freebies
Free beauty products from magazines
Swing by the magazine aisle in the supermarket and peruse magazines with beauty freebies included. Plus, have a quick read of the cover, as sometimes magazines share coupons and freebies inside for free haircuts, beauty treatments, and more. Some fashion and lifestyle magazines are pricey, so it’s worth thinking about if the freebie is worth the cost!
Get free makeup samples with online orders
Feel Unique offers a Pick & Mix free samples on its website, where you you select up to five samples from over a whopping 500 different products! All you have to pay is £3.95 shipping fee, which you can redeem against a future purchase. What an amazing deal!
Other brands that chuck in free samples with orders include Look Fantastic, Cult Beauty, Sephora, L’Occitane, Clarins, Mac, and loads more. It’s always worth checking to see if free samples are included before you confirm your order.
Mystery shop for free makeup & beauty products
Become a mystery shopper and get paid to shop and keep the products too! Lots of brands use third party mystery shopper companies to get feedback on things like customer service, shop displays, cleanliness, and more. My favourite companies for assignments include Marketforce, tern, and Retail Maxim.
Get beauty freebies on awareness days
This one isn’t a guarantee, but sometimes brands offer freebies on certain awareness days. In the past I’ve received a free lipstick from Clinique at Boots for National Lipstick Day (yes, that’s a real thing!) and free dry skin moisturiser from Aveeno on Eczema awareness week. Get your calendar and start marking all beauty/health-related days and weeks in your diary!
How to avoid free makeup scams
Unfortunately, there are lots of fake sites out there, where scammers just want your details and try to rip you off and take your money. Luckily, there are certain ways to avoid these, including:
- Only applying for products that come from genuine brands
- Looking for the green padlock in the URL, meaning the site is secure and safe
- Checking if it has a clean looking link e.g. clinique.co.uk/giveaway
- Finding copyright signs and terms and conditions (often a link at the bottom of the page)
- Join freebie communities on Facebook and ask for a second opinion
My favourite freebie Facebook groups include FREE STUFF, Comps & Bargains by Magic Freebies and Latest Free Stuff & Competitions UK. Remember to share freebies and become an active member!
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This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission if you purchase some of the products or services recommended, at no extra cost to you. Deals and offers were accurate at the time of posting, always check T&Cs.
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