It’s not always easy to figure out how to get free makeup from companies, but it’s definitely something you can do. One of the most common methods is to contact the company directly. While there are many survey companies and free sample sites out there, many of them don’t actually come with anything free.
You don’t even have to write a bland letter and pay for postage to do this. Many companies already have online forms and email contact options, so you can send a letter for free and see the responses you receive.
There seems to be one technique that works best for getting companies to send you their PR packages, testers, or samples. As long as you choose the right company to write to, you’ll be surprised how many companies respond with actual free samples. These samples are perfect when you need travel sized products. Plus, some companies will even send you full-size products. What do you have to lose?
How to get free makeup from companies
Skip all those spam-like survey companies. You don’t have to give your email address to questionable online surveys to get free stuff. Just go to the company directly. Find a list of businesses you would like to get free stuff from and find their contact information.
Start by making a list of companies. Then, visit their website to find their mailing or email address. Next, write your message and send it to them. After that, you just have to wait for the mail to arrive.
Different companies send out different samples. Even the time of year can determine the samples you get, as some companies specialize in sending samples of their latest product lines or promotions.
Companies like Bare Minerals sent samples of lipsticks, eyeshadows and lip glosses. From REN, Juara and DermOrganic, you can expect full-size or sample-size products for skin care products such as cleansers or moisturizers. DermOrganic also sends out samples of hair care products, but you can also check out samples from Living Proof.
For fragrance options, try contacting Boss and Lacoste. Fragrance companies are often very willing to provide free samples, although their samples are often intended for one purpose only. Still, enough free samples are sure to give you plenty of stock in your favorite scents!
1. Figure out who you should contact
If you want free samples, you probably don’t want to email the billing department. Your message is more likely to be lost than forwarded to someone who can actually provide you with an example. Start by making a list of the companies you actually want to get samples from. There are countless makeup companies online, but you should probably start with one you already use or one you already know will actually send you free samples.
Some companies won’t get back to you at all, so think of it as a numbers game. The more messages you send, the greater the chance of someone emailing you a great free sample. If you’re in the US, both Burts’ Bees and Carmex will send you samples.
Juara and REN are two other companies that are great for getting free samples. If you need skin care products, please contact DermOrganic. Don’t be limited to only those companies you know you’ll see free samples from, because you might end up being surprised.
2. Get the address
Your next step is to determine who at the company to send the message to and what address you need to use. The easiest way is to visit the Contact Us page on the company’s website. If you can’t find any contact information on this page, try looking at the About Us or Help pages.
You need to make sure you select the correct email address. Most larger businesses will have different departments, and you don’t want to accidentally send a message to a department that will never reply to messages or send free samples. Typically, media relations, public relations, or customer service departments are the best options.
While some companies still use postal addresses, most businesses use email addresses for customer contact. In some cases, the company may even use a simple online form to contact customer service. As long as you have a way to send a message to the company, you’ll be on the right track.
3. Decide what you want to say
There are many ways to write a letter, but you don’t have to get crazy creative. If you’re a blogger who writes about makeup, you’re already in. You want companies to either be excited about your free publicity or interested in further developing customer relationships with loyal customers.
Start your message with a formal, polite greeting. Then, tell the company that you’re writing because you want to tell them how much you love their product line. Choose your product and tell them your honest opinion. Not only is the company happy to receive feedback from customers, but it’s one of the best tips for figuring out how to get free makeup from the company.
To make your letter more personal and authentic, add personal experiences. This can be as simple as how their hand cream finally gets rid of cracks on your hands, or how you only use their brand of eyeshadow when you’re out and about. You may also want to include your skin or hair type into the personal experience, as this will make it more likely that they will send you free samples that are truly suitable for your skin type.
Now, it’s time to request your free samples. Try not to be too direct or blunt. Instead, you could mention that your hairstylist introduced their line of conditioners or that you’d like to try a product before purchasing it to see if it actually works.
Thank the company for reading your message and express gratitude for any free samples they send you. After signing the message, write down your address so they know where they can send you free samples if they want to.
Start brainstorming
If you’ve never messaged a company before, or haven’t written a letter since elementary school, here’s a sample message to get you started. While you’ll need to change your messaging to match your corresponding company, the general idea is the same.
Dear Sir/Madam,
I have been a fan of your company for many years. I love using your products because they are the only thing that hydrates my skin during dry weather. All of your products really work so I don’t have to try anything else.
Recently, a friend of mine said that your bath products are as good as your skin care products. I’d love to try these, but I’m hesitant to buy the entire product until I know which one I like and which one works best for me.
If possible, could you send me some products from your bath line? I would be very grateful if you could assist. You can send any samples to my address _____. Thank you so much!
Sincerely,
Name
Remember, focus on the positive. Don’t include questions or issues in your letter unless you have a legitimate complaint against the business and need to resolve it. Companies prefer to offer free stuff to loyal repeat customers, so focus on the positive.
Why do companies give you free stuff?
Figuring out how to get free cosmetics from companies seems like magic. After all, you wouldn’t give your stuff to a stranger, right? Free samples are free to you, but cost money to the company.
The truth is, it’s actually in a company’s best interest to send free samples. Even if you plan to stock up on the free samples and never actually purchase any of the products, the reality is that you’ll have to purchase a full-size cosmetic product at some point. Plus, if the product is really good and they want to buy it, most people will eventually fall in love with it. Companies want people to try their cosmetics, so they try to lure customers with free samples or even full-size cosmetics.
The cost of sending free samples isn’t as high as you might think, either. Usually, when you buy something online or in a store, cosmetics companies will send these samples anyway. The samples are just sitting around in the hope that they can be sent to someone willing to try them and want to buy them.
If you’re a blogger or makeup artist, you can even get a PR package instead of just free samples. Companies like to do this when a new product is launched or a new season is launched. Sometimes, they even host events for bloggers and makeup artists. They want to promote their product, so they send out a PR package in the hope that you’ll write about their company for free.
If you’ve ever written a review or blog about cosmetics, you might have been able to get a generous PR package from the company. When you write to your PR department, include the URL of your blog, company, or YouTube channel so they know you are a legitimate blogger who can help promote their company.
Then, ask if the company is launching a new product line or if there are any blogging events coming up. If you recently used the company’s makeup at an event, send the company a photo and tell them thank you for the makeup.
4. Be ready to send your message
The time has finally arrived. You’ve found a list of companies and carefully prepared a message for each company. Now you just send an email or letter and see what happens.
When sending a message, please make sure your physical or email address is correct. If your email is lost online, you will never get free cosmetics from the company. The same goes if you send it to the wrong department. The person receiving the email is unlikely to remember to forward it to the correct department, so you might be out of luck if your message isn’t automatically sent to your company’s customer service or PR department.
Now that all your messages are safely in the mail, the hardest part is waiting for a reply. Don’t panic if you don’t hear back within a few days. If you send an email, it may take at least a few days for the company to respond via email. Obviously regular mail will take longer. If a company decides to mail you a sample instead of emailing you, you may be left in the dark about where your plans are for months.
Learning how to get free cosmetics from companies is an art in itself. In some cases, it may even take up to two months for the company to receive your letter, respond, and mail you the free sample. The good news is that makeup, skincare, fragrance, and makeup companies are always offering free samples in the hope that potential or existing customers will fall in love with them. While your results will vary depending on the company you send your messages to, generally you can expect about half of your messages to net you a free sample in return. Plus, if you send a message to a fragrance company, you’ll almost always receive a free sample in the mail!
