How do I get the makeup counter girls hand em over?

[foolserrand]

I'm putting together a hamper for my pregnant friend's birthday. Have got her a lovely moisturiser, bath bombs, foot rub, face mask, make up..... but the budget died, as was inevitable.

I know those lovely ladies at the kiosks in John Lewis for example who scare me senseless by obviously judging my imperfectly applied makeup to hand over all those lovely tester size samples?

Thanks in advance.

Go to boots aswell and ask about their new product as your friend has been telling you how good it is.
Be prepared to stand there a few mins to listen to it's benefits but do boldly ask for a sample.

Is it that simple? Just ask? I was toying with telling the truth, or getting my chubby cheeked toddler to, and hope for the best.

I do like pretending lying through my teeth though. But the counters are all close together, can I canvas them all?

[Greedy emoticon]

I lack courage in this too. I try to time my request with actually needing something, so I buy something and then feel that I am 'allowed' to ask for a sample of something else - pretty please!

Say you want to try something but are already wearing mascara etc.

Oh and if you buy sonething from Lush they quite often have samples.

It was actually Lush who gave me the idea! Got a huge soap and a massage bar (apparently I needed it )

Right, plausible white lie (thank you, ladies), but still looking for a way to get round several stalls in close proximity, quickly! I could do some in boots, some in john Lewis. Would that be sensible?

benefit always give samples. It is easier if you actually buy something though. Often if they have a new product out they're trying to promote it so they'll be more willing to hand out samples. Face scrub/moisturisers bath stuff etc...

Yes be a counter whore! Do a few in boots lancome will give you the new genifique potion. And then say you were thinking of switching your moisturiser so what would they recommend for dry skin?
Do a all in one wash at Dior
Or be really cool and google all their latest products. These are what they will most likely have samples of.
Be bold they can only say no! Who cares.
Have you house of Fraser? They have aveda hair in there for shampoo etc.

I did it! Clarins in JL gave me a cleanser, exfoliator, toner, cleanser and toner and 5 (count them) other little bottles. Didn't need to go anywhere else after that. The basket is full.

Side note, clinique no longer offer free samples, favouring a refund policy. Darn.

Well done! Also I always appreciate a refund policy, shows a company has the conviction of it's products. I'd hate to pay a fortune for something they promised would be fab which turned out to be shite!

In case anyone wants to follow in my footsteps, the tlc birthday hamper from pregnant friend really works. Clinique lady would have given me one of their free gift bags (spent lots and we'll give you a small bag of tiny bottles and tissue paper) but she didn't have any.
I may well attempt this again in the near future! And will be hunting down house of Fraser. Love aveda! Although am currently enamoured by my alterna set.

clinique will however give you some of their tester stuff in a little bottle I know because I asked for a sample of their moisturiser (genuine reason) and she scooped some into a little tub for me to try

Don't bother with bobbi brown my friend works for them and they have to sign out samples and even then they are just a squidge of cream etc decanted into a tiny tub thingy.

Oh but clarins do lovely testers and are perfect for pregnant ladies.

Clinique lady didn't do that for me

But, I am happy with my haul. Certainly filled out the hamper. It is overflowing! But all this info will help me next time. I can see me becoming group present buyer.

Is it wrong that I want to keep it for myself?!

Kiehls are really, really good at giving out samples from their counters. I think it's how they started out and it's kind of their trademark. You can go and ask for anything and they have a whole chest of little drawers with quite generous sized samples in them. When you actually buy anything it's ridiculous how many samples you get, I counted about 40 individual samples after I bought a night serum and moisturiser once.

Wow BelleBelle, that is amazing! And where exactly do Kiehls kiosks tend to hide?

i got a clinique sample of moisturiser but last week!