Be Beauty Sample Savvy

I’ve enlisted the help of members of the Facebook Group, Mrs Gloss & The Goss (HERE) who have very kindly put forward suggestions for the most generous-with-samples beauty sites. There is nothing this amazing group doesn’t know about beauty but if you feel you have your own favourites, please do leave them in the comment section. Remember back in the day when you had to fight for a tester of anything? These days brands can’t give away samples quick enough – because sampling works!

It seems that with many sites, their sampling offer stated is the minimum – you may well end up with extra samples depending upon what’s available at the time. Oh, and always check the ‘Offers’ section first before starting your shopping – I’ve seen some incredibly good value offers while researching this post.

Another key point to remember is that if a site has had a drop of very popular product, sales activity will be high, which can mean a depletion in sampling choice.

Multi-brand sites are dependent upon what samples the brands they sell supply. A new drop of samples on one site may well be replicated on another multi-brand site who offer a better sampling campaign in general, so always double check!

Alway head to the ‘Offers’ section on beauty retails sites – while researching this feature, I’ve seen some incredible offers (notably, Clarins).

Don’t forget that you might get more generous sampling in-store rather than on-line – once you’re having a serious conversation with a sales assistant, they can be much more tailored in how they sample and introduce you to other lines within the brand with judicious sampling.

I’m starting with Kiehl’s because one of the MrsG readers said that she was given three samples for each product she bought in store, and that the samples were chosen to compliment the full size products she purchased. On line at www.khiels.co.uk, shipping is free and you get three samples with each order. So, you might as well order separately if you have more than one thing to buy and get three samples each time.

 

Liz Earle

Next up in nominations, is Liz Earle. Currently, the site is offering very decent sample sizes – between 15ml and 50ml – and you get three with an order over £50. If your order is £20 or above, you get a free 50ml Eye Lotion. Delivery is free over £50.

Estee Lauder

Estee Lauder. It seems this site has impressive offers all round – currently a free lipstick trio with orders over £70 (lipsticks start at £21 each), but in terms of sampling, you’ll receive two small samples (i.e. a fragrance phial) with every order, which goes up to an additional two luxury size samples if you spend over £60. I’ve spotted a new section, as yet empty, called The Mini Bar – it may be to purchase samples or select what you’d like to try. We shall see! Delivery is free.

Feelunique

FeelUnique. Several members mentioned the FeelUnique Pick & Mix where you can choose five sample sized items for £3.95 postage, but two free samples is standard with orders over £30. One member said that she has ordered three months in a row and four out of five each time have been decent sample sizes with only one being a sachet or similar nominal sample. You can also filter by product and get a better idea of which are the best to order.

Clarins

Clarins offers 3 x 5 and 10ml samples depending upon spend with a wide variety to choose from. So far, it’s the only one I’ve seen sampling  sun care alongside skin care and foundation. Free delivery over £50.  There’s a handy current offer of over £60 spend, four delux samples sizes worth approx. £86.

Charlotte Tilbury

Charlottetilbury.com: Two free samples as standard (of skin care, lipstick kiss cards or foundation in sachets) and currently three Lipstick Kiss Cards as well with any orders. Glossers report receiving more than the ‘official’ amount of samples when they’ve placed orders. Delivery is free over £49.

Urban Decay

Urban Decay offers 3 samples with every order and free gift wrap and postage. Samples seem to be mainly sachets or bubbles of foundation, concealer and primers but one Mrs Gloss contributor made a pre Christmas purchase and also received a mini Razor Sharp Eyeliner and a mini Perversion Mascara.

Cultbeauty

Cultbeauty.co.uk definitely gets the thumbs up from Glossers – two samples come with a £50 or over spend from a good selection of hair, skincare and occasionally make up. At the moment there is a small bottle of Beauty Blender Cleanser, and sachets of various skin care. Postage is free with a £50+ spend.

Benefit

Benefit offers four ‘deluxe’ sample sizes and they’re mainly make-up. Currently, their sampling offer (and my goodness those mini makeups are handy!) includes deluxe minis of Roller Lash, Benebalm, Gimme NBrow and Browvo on orders over £45. Postage is free over £30.

You can join Mrs Gloss & The Goss HERE.

 

 


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7 responses to “Be Beauty Sample Savvy”

  1. Holly

    Some Estée Lauder counters in store have a ‘mini bar’ which is where you can purchase trial size products for around £10 (at time of commenting!). For example a 15ml moisturiser for £10. The value works out great when you calculate it, so what you’ve mentioned could be a similar concept to this! Fab article thank you

  2. Liz

    Jane, that Kiehl’s link is broken. There’s a typo in the name.
    Great post though, thanks!
    (I’m a frequent reader, but an infrequent commenter.)

    1. Jane

      thank you so much for flagging!

  3. Trimperley

    Clarins were offering 8 free samples with all orders to celebrate Chinese New Year and seem to have regular offers from time to time. Well worth monitoring. However I think that brands end up competing with themselves, online v counter. The Clarins standard offer is 3 free samples with purchase. I never get that many samples if any for a purchase from a Clarins counter, gift with purchase offers excepted. So I swatch at the counter and order online.

  4. Clbnolan

    Counter-wise, I’ve always found Sisley to be very generous if they believe you’re a willing customer. I lived in Sydney years ago & they used to track word of mouth referrals by asking any new customers where they’d heard about their products, track it back to the source & reward customers accordingly. I’d love them to bring that back over here – never had so much free product in my life! Literally used to get $hundreds free product every time I restocked.

  5. Clare

    Have to say that my experience with Space NK has always been good. They offer a minimum of two samples but I often find they can put at least one more in the parcel – I got a nail polish once (maybe that was an error but hey!….) Another thumbs up for Estée Lauder UK – although the US get much better deals and have a loyalty programme – why can’t we have that here?! Some places are terrible – e.g. Debenhams Beauty Club….I have asked for samples in store and have never got one….maybe it’s me but if I’m spending then I do expect to be able to try products. This club actually made that promise on all it’s publicity but the concessions in-store always say it’s subject to availability – problem is they NEVER seem to have availability.

  6. Lucy

    I love Naturisimo.com for samples. Being Co tent and Love Lula are good too.

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