Department store samples

[raindance84]

My 16 year old sister has been in hospital for just over a week now after having surgery and I'm wanting to visit her again tomorrow evening . She's fine but very bored . I thought to cheer her up a bit I could maybe assemble a collection of makeup / skincare samples to take in for her . She loves experimenting with makeup and is always trying new things . My question is if I were to ask at the beauty counters in department stores would they give samples for free or would I have to pay ? I'm on a very tight budget this month ! There's a John Lewis and a Fenwicks and I think a Debenhams near me so I could go tomorrow afternoon but don't want to waste the hours drive if they don't give out samples . Thanks in advance !

IMO it will depend on the individual sales person/s that you ask.

I would have happily given out samples when i was on Dior. My colleague would not have.

You could go round the counters making a good show of pretending to be interested in x y z products and wrangle some samples that way, but that would take a while.

This is not AIBU but you are BU. Samples are for people to try before they buy. Make up is expensive so it's important not to make an important mistake. Don't try and get freebies for your sister, your lack of money is your problem.

See, in my experience i used to find that being quite generous with samples reaped big rewards. Folk who otherwise would have wandered past the counter, wrinkled their nose up at the prices and passed on by would take a few of my samples home and be back 3 days later to buy the full size of one or more.

OP is saying straight up they're not for her, but you never know who's going to try and become a convert.

So, within reason, i'd give them out.