Reader Question: Costly Mistakes

In a new feature, I am asking my readers to ask me any questions they may have about beatuy. Our first question comes from Janet in Owatonna, Minnesota. Janet is concerned about making a costly mistake when she is shopping for new make-up. For instance, she would like to try Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer, the award winning and costly make-up primer. But she certainly doesn’t want to spend the $36 on it if she ends up not liking it. I’m sure we can all relate. Who doesn’t have a whole drawer full of make-up she wishes she had never even bothered with? So how do Janet, you, and I avoid these costly errors?
The best way I have found to get a sample of a product is to go to the make-up counter and ask for one. Most make-up counters are willing to give you a sample of anything you want, assuming they have one.
But if they don’t have one, they will generally take your purchase back, even if it’s been used, as long as you return it in a reasonable amount of time. Just be sure you save the original packaging and receipt. This won’t work at Target or Wal-Mart, but if you are buying directly from, say, a Clinique counter, their first priority is your happiness. Unless you end up with a horribly stingy salesperson (which I never have), you won’t have any problem returning high-end make-up bought directly at the counter even if it is opened.
Getting on a company’s mailing list will also give you the opportunity to get free samples. Some companies, such as Aveda, will send you mailers offering you a free sample if you stop into the store.
Many companies will offer you free samples when they send you a purchase. Sephora, for instance, will give you three free samples of products of your choice when you buy a purchase online from them. And if join Sephora’s free Beauty Insider program, you will receive a free sample in store when you accumulate enough points. They often have choices for you to pick from, and the samples are quite good. I have gotten Tarte mascara, Sephora body wash, and more from the free-with-purchase samples.
There are also some online companies which will link you up with lots of great freebies. Check out the ones below, but before you do so, I want to let you know I have not tried to get samples from any of these websites, so I cannot speak for their reputability. If you try out one of these sites, please e-mail me to let me know if you have found their services work.

www.herbeautysamples.com
www.freemania.com
www.bestfreestuffonline.com
www.freakyfreddies.com

Discounts on make-up can also come in handy. Of course, some of the ideas we have already suggested will hook you up with discounts, but there are other ways to come across them as well.
For instance, Lucky Magazine has a feature at the back of each issue that lets you know about discounts and promotions you can get by using their discount codes. EBay also has lots of sellers who are selling samples of different products. You will have to pay a little bit for their samples, but it’s definitely cheaper than buying a full size product you don’t want. Just go to eBay and type in “beauty samples.”
Christmas is also a great time to get discounts on products you are interested in buying. Nearly everyone has gift sets that you can purchase, and they will nearly always give you a better deal than if you had to purchase the full product.
Make-up counters don’t just offer gift sets at Christmas, however. There are also gift sets throughout the year that you can get with a purchase. These sets will often give you a good sampling of different products that brand has to offer.
Now back to Janet’s question. There are two ways for you to get your hands on that Smashbox primer without spending $36 on it. If you go to Smashbox’ website and order a free catalog, your catalog will come with a free sample of the primer. If you are pretty certain you are going to love it, check out Sephora’s website for a great holiday deal. Currently, Sephora is offering a Smashbox Flawless Finish Perfectors Set, which includes a full size and travel size Photo Finish Foundation Primer along with a full size Photo Op Eye Brightener. This set will cost you $49, a bit more than the $36 for just the full size set, but certainly a better deal overall. And if you order it from Sephora.com, you can get your three samples of any other products you have been considering as well.
Do you have a beauty question you want answered? I would love to hear from you. Please include your first name and town along with your question. Please e-mail me at explorefashion@gmail.com. I would also love any feedback on the blog or ways to improve it.