Free Stuff: How to get beauty freebies and free samples? ^Featured

By Anushka F – Content Editor at MagicFreebiesUK

Are you a beauty fan wanting to know how to get free stuff? Well look no further! Discover our expert tips and tricks to getting free samples and loads of beauty products with the MagicFreebiesUK secret guide to freebie hunting.

First things first, let me explain to you why free stuff exists. Beauty companies offer free samples and products because they want you to try the product in the hope you will buy it. They also need your valuable feedback on how they can improve products. 

Recently we’ve seen a big change in how they have been given out. Instead of giving them out to a small selection of testers – brands actively look for large volumes of people to enter their giveaways and encourage more people try their products for free.

Here are the ways in which you can take advantage of this and get free stuff…

Explore freebie sites!

In response to the growth of giveaways, there are now websites dedicated to keeping you updated with all the latest freebies and free beauty samples. These companies hunt out all the free offers so you don't have to -  browse the latest beauty freebies and click on the link to be taken straight to the giveaway.

Just type in ‘freebies’ into your search engine and you will find a world of free stuff. MagicFreebiesUK is the UKs biggest freebie site and is the only site that is updated with eight new freebies per day. Recent beauty freebies have included a free Rimmel Scandaleyes Retro Glam Mascara and Olay Regenerist Wrinkle Relaxing Cream. Sign up to the MagicFreebiesUK daily newsletter to receive freebies straight to your inbox.

Join the Twittersphere to get red hot freebies!

Twitter is a fantastic social media channel that makes it effortlessly easy to enter competitions. Nearly every beauty brand has a Twitter account and as they actively seek to increase their follower count you’ll find there are now even more opportunities to bag free stuff than ever before.

Most competitions follow a simple ‘Follow and Retweet’ format and only require two clicks of your mouse to enter. This means you can enter the most competitions in the least amount of time – bumping up your chances of receiving some free beauty goodies.

There are also ‘creative’ competitions where you will be asked to tweet in an idea, answer or even photo. These take longer but it’s worth getting your thinking cap on and coming up with a winning tweet!

It’s also useful to monitor the free stuff experts, for example follow UKMagicFreebies on Twitter and you will be kept up to date with flash freebies - freebies that are only available for a short space of time - meaning you have a better chance of being successful. Recent tweets have included spreading the word on a full-size freebie from Toni & Guy that was available for a limited time only.

Pick up a magazine and enjoy a free beauty product!

Head to your local newsagent and scour the shelves for free stuff. The publishing industry is seeing a decline in sales at the moment which means magazines are luring in potential readers by offering impressive free gifts.

It used to be only mini beauty products that graced the front covers but as the market has gotten more competitive we are now seeing impressive full-size products, too. Often the freebies are worth more than the magazine itself, so even if it’s not your usual type of read you can still save some money on the product and enjoy a free magazine! Recent magazine freebies include hair care products, nail polish and mascara. 

It’s also worth noting that magazines often include coupons for free beauty products and treatments (including free haircuts!) inside. Don’t worry you don’t have to flick through every page of every magazine to see what hidden treats are inside.  Just bookmark this magazine freebies page – it’s updated every week.

Become a Facebook fan and bag some free stuff!

Beauty companies often send out free samples to generate a buzz around a new product, and as the world becomes increasingly social-media savvy they are using Facebook to reach out to a wider audience. You will find many giveaways, competitions and free trials available through your favourite beauty brands’ Facebook page.

As an example of a sample giveaway, check out L’Oreal UK where they are giving away 3,500 free sample packs of their new Mythic Oil Shampoo and Conditioner – with added golden sparkles!

For competitions you may need to do something simple like enter your details onto a form and answer a simple question or  ‘Like and Share’ a photo. Other competition may be more creative and ask you to create a recipe or submit a caption to a photo.

Recently I won a free full-size Palmer’s Body Lotion after submitting a photo to their Palmer’s Feeling competition. I uploaded a photo of myself on holiday with the caption ‘Palmer’s makes me feel like I’m still on holiday’ and I was one of the lucky winners.

On your Facebook travels you will also find apps and games to play where you can win prizes.  You’ll often get free spins every day so it’s well worth giving a go. At the moment you can win lots of goodies including free Bourjois Liner Effect Mascaras (provided by Beauty on Trial!) with The Magic Postbox.

Ask for free samples at your local beauty counter!

Most of the beauty counters in department stores, including House of Fraser and John Lewis, are happy to offer you a sample to try before you buy.

Many cosmetics counters, including Mac, Bobbi Brown and Benefit, offer to pour out foundations, concealers and lip-glosses into tiny pots for you to take home with enough to last you at least a week. This is fantastic if you are in the run up to pay day and you’re scraping the last few bits of foundation out!

Don’t be afraid of asking if they don’t initially offer. If you show genuine interest then they should be more than happy to help - but it’s only the brave that should repeatedly ask for free samples!

Discover free beauty treatments!

There is an array of free beauty treatments out there – you just need to know where to find them! I often write blog posts with the latest free treatments so make sure you give it a bookmark and check back regularly.

At the moment, Origins are offering a free Feel-Good Mini Facial where you can sit back and enjoy a personalised skin consultation, exfoliation and a luxury face mask. You can also take advantage of a free mini treatment from Molton Brown – I’ve had a lovely arm and hand massage there before.

You can also enjoy a free cut and style at the Toni & Guy Academy.  Just book in to your nearest academy and you will receive a free haircut by a trainee stylist – there’s also the opportunity to get a free colour!

Trial beauty products for free!

Sign up to a beauty review website, like Beauty on Trial and they will give you the chance to try the latest products for free in return for some feedback. Other popular sites that offer trials are SuperSavvyMe – you can even get free household items like Fairy Liquid and at the moment you can even apply to trial free Lenor Fabric Softener.

It’s a great way to discover new products and try brands you’d never usually be able to afford. So, if you are a big beauty fan and like to experiment with products then make sure you sign up to a free trial site!

Join a beauty rewards club! 

There are some fantastic beauty clubs that reward their customers with free gifts and beauty samples. Boots' Advantage Card lets you clock up points when you buy from their shop and online at other big retailers, including Matalan. Simply log onto Treat Street then click through to a shop. This is a great way of quickly earning points that equal to free beauty products!

Sign up to The Body Shop's Love Your Body membership club and you'll receive 10% off purchases all year round, up to £20 worth of free products, invitations to member events and exclusive offers and savings.

Another favourite of mine is the beauty reward scheme Debenhams Beauty Club where you're rewarded with points on every purchase you make. There are also exclusive free gifts, samples, makeovers and discounts to all members. I hope this freebie hunting guide has helped you in your search for free stuff. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or need advice on anything freebie-related.

Anushka x – Content Editor at MagicFreebiesUK