10 Ways to Get Free Makeup

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We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.

I get it, makeup and skincare can be freakin’ expensive!

Have you seen how much those Pat McGrath makeup palettes cost?! Or how much a small bottle of SK-II essence is?! Yeesh…

But I have good news: there are legitimate ways to get free makeup!

I’m going to share 10 ways you can get free makeup and free makeup samples, and also share some tips so you can save tons of money on your next makeup haul.

I’ll start with the easiest ways and then work up to the ways that may require a little bit more work.

 If you’re planning on buying any of these products (or any other ones) online, then you NEED to use Rakuten. They will give you cash back when you shop online at places like Amazon, Ulta, Sephora, and more!

Sign-Up And Get a $10 Bonus after you make your first online purchase!
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Check Out Sephora

This is one of the easiest ways to get free makeup! Just go to your local Sephora!

They’re more than happy to give you free samples (and even more if you make a purchase). And not only can you get free makeup, but you can also get free skincare samples and free fragrance samples!

Pro tip: If you signup for their loyalty program you can also get a free gift on your birthday month and they’ll send makeup, fragrance, and skincare samples right to your mailbox every season!

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Request Samples From a Brand’s Website

There are quite a few brands that will just send you samples if you ask for them (through their website).

Asian brands are a great source for these samples!

Brands like Laneige, Etude House, and stores like RoseRoseShop and Jolse, all have places where you can request specific free makeup samples.

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Do It the Old-School Way: Visit a Department Store

Yes department stores still give free samples!

Check out your local Macy’s or Saks Fifth to get free makeup, free skincare, and free fragrance samples!

You could even get some samples from high-end brands like Lancome, Chanel, Burberry, and Clinique!

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Get Free Makeup With Your Order

This one is obvious, but it has to be included!

Many online makeup companies will include free makeup samples with your order.

The main stores that do this are Ulta and Sephora. They will usually let you choose 1-2 samples to go with your order.

Other stores that give free makeup with a purchase are:

  • Etude House
  • L’Occitane
  • Laneige
  • Macy’s
  • RoseRoseShop
  • Smashbox

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Follow Brands on Social Media and Join Giveaways

I see a lot of brands doing giveaways on social media these days. Make sure you follow your favorite brands on social media so you can be a part of it!

Follow brands on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and on their YouTube channel (if they have one!). And not just brands, also follow your favorite social media influencers, they sometimes do giveaways, too!

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Try a Makeup Subscription Box

Here’s another easy way to get free makeup!

There are a few subscription boxes that actually have free trials, will give you a free box if you get a friend to signup, or are boxes where you just need to pay for shipping. Pretty cool, right?

Here are some of your options:


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Test Products For Free Makeup

There are huge companies like L’Oreal, Vogue, InStyle that will actually give people free makeup to try. All you need to do is give your honest opinion on the makeup so the companies can improve their products.

Sound interesting? Check out some of these companies to get started with product testing:

Free Cosmetic Testing

Through Free Cosmetic Testing you can test makeup and skincare product!

You can also complete surveys for points and you can use those points to get cosmetics.

InStyle Trendsetters

Through the InStyle Trendsetters program, you can share your opinions on things like fashion, beauty, and even home decor!

You will also get try products and give your opinions.

L’Oreal USA Consumer Participation Program

This program holds in-person focus groups where you can test products and give your opinion. If you aren’t able to be there in-person, you also have the option of trying the products from the comfort of your home!

PinchMe

PinchMe is another website where you can get free makeup samples in exchange for giving your opinion.

And PinchMe isn’t just beauty products, they also send samples of household products, too.

The Pink Panel

The Pink Panel is another great panel to join if you’re interested in free makeup to test!

They have online and in person focus groups where you can receive free makeup and personal care products to try.

You will get to keep the products you try and you will also receive $25-$100 in gift cards or additional products just for participating!

Vogue Insiders

If you join the Vogue Insiders program you will be sent makeup, skincare, haircare, and fragrance products to try. You will also get extra perks like early-bird access to beauty sales and events.

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Get Free Makeup For Being an Influencer!

Do you have a following on social media?

You could use your status as an influencer to snag some free makeup!

There are companies that will partner specifically with influencers to create sponsored content or just give you products to try.

Some of the companies looking to partner with influencers are:

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Stack Coupons and Deals for Free Makeup

This one requires a bit of effort but it can be worth it!

Imagine getting money back for the makeup you already buy!? What if you could use enough coupons and rebates that would make your makeup totally free? Sounds like heaven right?

It’s totally doable!

Rakuten

The first thing you need to know about is Rakuten (also known as eBates!). They give you cashback for shopping at certain stores (think 6% for shopping at Sephora! NICE!).

Save On Makeup Gift Cards

This one might get a little complicated so hang in there.

Let’s say you want to buy some makeup from Sephora or Ulta. You already know that you can save a good amount by using Rakuten on your purchase.

But did you know that you could save money on gift cards to those same stores to save even more? And that you can use Rakuten to purchase them?

Basically you’re getting some extra savings!

Example:

Let’s say you want to purchase $25 worth of makeup. You can buy a gift card to Sephora on a site like Raise for $23! Which saves $2! And you can also use Rakuten when buying the gift card, saving you an additional 1%!

When you go to checkout at Sephora you can use the $25 gift card you purchased for $23 AND you can use Rakuten AGAIN at Sephora saving you 6% on that purchase!

By doing that you’ve basically saved almost 15% overall!

Pretty crazy if you ask me!

Rewards Credit or Debit Card

If you want even more savings, you can use a rewards credit or debit card to get cashback or points that you can use on other things (like more makeup!)

Couponing

I’m not an expert at this, but The Krazy Coupon Lazy is! You can find makeup coupon’s on her website and guides for stacking the coupons with other deals.

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Other Ways to Save on Makeup

 If you’re planning on buying any of these products (or any other ones) online, then you NEED to use Rakuten. They will give you cash back when you shop online at places like Amazon, Ulta, Sephora, and more!

Sign-Up And Get a $10 Bonus after you make your first online purchase!

  • Make sure that your makeup doesn’t expire before you get a chance to use it! Make a note of when you bought the makeup and then also note when it could expire. Keep this list someplace where you can easily find it (like your phone) to help you remember.
  • Keep an inventory of your makeup! Make a list of all the products you have and when you bought them. This will help you make sure you don’t end up buying any duplicates!

Conclusion

Free makeup is everywhere!

You just might have to do a little bit of work to get to it.

Don’t forget to ask for free samples at your local makeup store, and keep track of the products you already own so you don’t have to spend any unnecessary money buying more.

FAQ About Free Makeup

How can I get free makeup?

You can get free makeup buy asking for samples at your local makeup store, joining product testing panels, and earning free giftcards for makeup by taking surveys.

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