What companies have you gotten samples from?

[Jamie P]

Rain wants me to buy samples. :-(

Me too. Lol

 

[korsis]

Me too. Lol

Lol! I could cry like RAIN! Lol

 

[jayeme]

Originally Posted by korsis /img/forum/go_quote.gif

Rain wants me to buy samples. :-(

Same here. Not bad prices if you want to buy samples, but I'm weird--if I'm paying for samples, I want surprises! (Meaning, sub boxes, lol.) 

 

[Jamie P]

If I'm paying I want to know exactly what I am paying for. Size, packaging, etc.

 

[jayeme]

Originally Posted by Jamie P /img/forum/go_quote.gif
If I'm paying I want to know exactly what I am paying for. Size, packaging, etc.

Which makes sense, as I am frequently disappointed haha. I just like the excitement I guess.

 

[tacehtpuekam]

Originally Posted by Jamie P /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I finally heard back from VMV Hypoallergenics (again). They are SO informative. They emailed me tons of information about possible reasons for my dry/red skin including issues that may be from my medications. I appreciate the samples, but I also appreciate them taking the time and effort to educate me about my skin from a perspective I may not have heard before. They want me to do a 7 day cleanse on my skin... but that is no makeup for 7 days! Yikes! I am not looking forward to that one, but I would love to see how my skin reacts to their products after a true skin fast. They said my samples will be shipping soon. I can't wait!!

I heard back from them today too! Same thing about the 7 day cleanse... kind of nervous, but I think I can do it!

I am so impressed with their response. SO detailed and talked about all my specific concerns. As long as the samples work out, I'm definitely purchasing from them!

 

[Jamie P]

Quote:Originally Posted by jayeme /img/forum/go_quote.gif

Which makes sense, as I am frequently disappointed haha. I just like the excitement I guess.


Well, I'll pay for something like birchbox! Just not from one company and being unsure of what they will send. We should keep a running list of those companies that sell samples vs free samples.

 

[Jamie P]

Quote:Originally Posted by allistra44 /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I heard back from them today too! Same thing about the 7 day cleanse... kind of nervous, but I think I can do it!

 

I am so impressed with their response. SO detailed and talked about all my specific concerns. As long as the samples work out, I'm definitely purchasing from them!


Honestly it's going to take a LOT to make it to my #1 spot (which is obviously Paula's Choice), but they are right on par so far with the customer service.

 

[Jamie P]

I emailed Hermes and Marc Jacobs for perfume samples... not sure what to expect with those. I love little perfume samples and I'm always afraid to ask for samples on the rare occasion I am in a store. 

 

[jayeme]

Originally Posted by Jamie P /img/forum/go_quote.gif


Well, I'll pay for something like birchbox! Just not from one company and being unsure of what they will send. We should keep a running list of those companies that sell samples vs free samples.

Good idea! Of course some of them are inconsistent--I can think of at least two companies off the top of my head (skin by monica, suki) where some people were sent free samples and others were asked to purchase samples.

 

[tacehtpuekam]

Originally Posted by Jamie P /img/forum/go_quote.gif


what did rain send??

Oops, should have clarified that I did pay for these. I was just really curious about some of the lipstick shades, since I read that they look a lot different in real life than on the site! It's $2 for 3 samples & you get to pick which ones you want. I ordered 2 of those, so 6 samples all together, with free shipping. 

 These are the only ones I've actually given in & paid for so far, just because I got to pick what I wanted & I know I'll get use out of everything. Plus, they came in cute little jars that I'll reuse!

I ordered Glam Lipstick samples in Stretch Limo, Cocktail Hour, & Champagne Brunch. And then I also ordered samples of  the Translucent Setting Loose Powder, Sugar Daddy Glitterati, & the Conceal...Reveal Foundation in Baby Doll Bisque. 

 

[korsis]

I emailed Hermes and Marc Jacobs for perfume samples... not sure what to expect with those. I love little perfume samples and I'm always afraid to ask for samples on the rare occasion I am in a store. 

You have to Email COTE for these perfume samples. They have them all, also Calvin Klein. Super friendly customer service and also the sample is not just a postcard.

 

[korsis]

Oops, should have clarified that I did pay for these. I was just really curious about some of the lipstick shades, since I read that they look a lot different in real life than on the site! It's $2 for 3 samples & you get to pick which ones you want. I ordered 2 of those, so 6 samples all together, with free shipping.  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />  These are the only ones I've actually given in & paid for so far, just because I got to pick what I wanted & I know I'll get use out of everything. Plus, they came in cute little jars that I'll reuse! I ordered Glam Lipstick samples in Stretch Limo, Cocktail Hour, & Champagne Brunch. And then I also ordered samples of  the Translucent Setting Loose Powder, Sugar Daddy Glitterati, & the Conceal...Reveal Foundation in Baby Doll Bisque. 

Now I get it. I thought already my approach was maybe not the right one. Do you like the samples? Can you recommend them?

 

[OpheliaDiFranco]

Wow. It's funny to me that I can literally see the companies running out of samples (I daresay because of this thread?) when I started thIs process (about 6 months ago) I would get full sized products and tons of deluxe samples. Actifirm sent me a $50 discovery kit IN addition to a bunch of deluxe samples....Koh Gen Doh and Murad sent me literally 10 deluxe samples---now they aren't responding and saying no. Oscar Blandi sent me 6 2 oz bottles of shampoos and conditioners and little hairsprays and now they are only sending a few foils. Even now I still write new companies weekly and continue to receive samples--but nothing like when I first started. When I started this process I think there were only like 4 pages to this thread too lol. We are sucking them dry girls lol. I literally have two Tupperware containers full of samples I've gotten for free just by asking. If I ever get time I'm gonna post some pictures for you guys to see. My friends can't believe it! And then i tell them how to do it and they start writing...

 

[jayeme]

Originally Posted by OpheliaDiFranco /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Wow. It's funny to me that I can literally see the companies running out of samples (I daresay because of this thread?) when I started thIs process (about 6 months ago) I would get full sized products and tons of deluxe samples. Actifirm sent me a $50 discovery kit IN addition to a bunch of deluxe samples....Koh Gen Doh and Murad sent me literally 10 deluxe samples---now they aren't responding and saying no. Oscar Blandi sent me 6 2 oz bottles of shampoos and conditioners and little hairsprays and now they are only sending a few foils. Even now I still write new companies weekly and continue to receive samples--but nothing like when I first started. When I started this process I think there were only like 4 pages to this thread too lol. We are sucking them dry girls lol. I literally have two Tupperware containers full of samples I've gotten for free just by asking. If I ever get time I'm gonna post some pictures for you guys to see. My friends can't believe it! And then i tell them how to do it and they start writing...

So true! I've started writing to some companies that aren't already on this thread, and I'm definitely getting more deluxe samples from them than I did from just writing the companies people have already listed. Of course, then I come post about them here and the cycle continues... /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> I almost feel like I should feel bad about it, but then I figure, I'm sure they're making sales from all the product junkies over here so I guess we're good /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

[Jamie P]

Originally Posted by jayeme /img/forum/go_quote.gif


So true! I've started writing to some companies that aren't already on this thread, and I'm definitely getting more deluxe samples from them than I did from just writing the companies people have already listed. Of course, then I come post about them here and the cycle continues... /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> I almost feel like I should feel bad about it, but then I figure, I'm sure they're making sales from all the product junkies over here so I guess we're good /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

This exactly! I don't feel bad because if I fall in love-I purchase. Not to mention I work for a beauty blogger getting her new products to fall in love with and she spreads the news about those products. I feel I'm a working ad for these companies. /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

[jayeme]

Mail just came! 



The Clear shampoo & conditioner are from a facebook sample giveaway, the bottles are from Mada Beauty (1oz each of spray shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and body wash), an the little foils at the top are from Anne Semonin--All the way from Paris! With a little note written in French /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> Plus today's mail had two purchases in it, a NYX eye pencil in a lilac shimmery color and a full size of the Skyn Iceland cloud cream, so it was a pretty exciting mail day. 

I also finally got my followup email from Mario Badescu! Yay! Looking forward to trying those products!

 

[Kies3285]

I also heard back from VMV Hypoallergenics but my recommendations were not a 7-day cleanse. I have a 5 step regime that I work up to over an 8 week period. Do any of you ladies feel like a huge box of products is going to arrive from them!? I feel like I will be receiving a butt load of stuff in order to do this. Im sure they won't be sending enough product for the whole thing...I mean they want me to go for 8 weeks! 

But a girl can dream for a 32 oz sample right?! 

 

[jayeme]

Originally Posted by Jamie P /img/forum/go_quote.gif

This exactly! I don't feel bad because if I fall in love-I purchase. Not to mention I work for a beauty blogger getting her new products to fall in love with and she spreads the news about those products. I feel I'm a working ad for these companies. /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

It is true! I guess I figure those of us who care enough to write for samples are going to be beneficial to the companies anyway, by talking about the products we love and purchasing them. 

 

[Jamie P]

No samples came today. Poo!! I am waiting until I receive them all to use any. I want to take a photo for this experiment.