Getting skincare samples out of shop assistants - how the HELL do you know if you'll like it if you can't try it?

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

This really bugs me.

I buy a lot of skincare products (hopeless addict). When I go to a cosmetic counter in a department store and ask for samples of something to try, before making any purchases (to see if it suits my skin) I get told "we don't have any".

When I shell out £60 for skincare products, I suddenly get a myriad of samples of moisturisers etc.

Tell them you have eczema and allergies to preservatives found in many products. I do have this and so when i'm shopping for skincare they see me studying the ingredients, which i then explain why and i get handed a whole load of stuff!

I tend to use clarins or clinique and usually from a dept store like Debenhams. Never bought them in boots so don't know whether they hand them out in there.

Good idea Fran! I will try that next time I trot into Debenhams!

Fran's approach recently worked for me at Crabtree and Evelyn - I know it sounds like it's stuff for your grandma, but it is good. Am about to start raving about their hand recovery and hand therapy. Anyway, after saying that I came out in a rash in response to recently purchased moisturiser from Boots, C & E recommended I go buy a stash of small and cheap sample pots from Boots, and return to get them filled. Seemed reasonable to me!

I usually take one of those little "travel pots" with me and ask them for a sample. If they say no, I say "well, could you please put some in this little pot for me then?". Have never been refused yet! I agree, really grudge paying a lot for these things when you don't know how they are going to react on your skin. HTH

Does anyone read the Daily Mail? Article today about seeing how many freebies this woman could get in a week. Food, cosmetics, samples, free gym taster days etc etc, she did really well....best samples at big stores such as Harvey Nicks & Selfridges. She went in wearing a fur coat, big diamond ring and a posh accent!

I've been using Fran's approach as well.

I SCORED at the Laura Mercier counter big style last week. And b/c of the samples, I'm going back for some of the tinted moisturiser. Brill!

Right, I'm getting out my little pot and hitting the shops tomorrow.

I was in Boots the other day and asked for a sample of some foundation, they didn't have a packet sample, so she just squeezed some into a little pot for me. I have always found Boots to be fab for stuff like that.