Where have all the magazine freebies gone?

[SecondSeatontheleft]

In the past there’s been full size or generous Clinique products, Neals Yard Remedies and now virtually nothing!

I fancy a jelly now

Because brands are giving their products for advent calendars and beauty boxes!

Blimey, I'd completely forgotten about the freebies. The amount of totes and makeup bags I got with Red or Marie Claire etc. I still use some of them!

I don't know how the magazine business keeps going. I only read them when I'm at the dentist or hair salon. I haven't bought one in about a decade as I read what I want to online.

Does anyone buy magazines any more - theyre so expensive! Even the hairdressers that I go to no longer buys them as we chat or look at phones. I borrow them from the library maybe twice a year now.

I bought a mag at the airport once, ( probs about 2002) had a really nice metallic woven beach bag as a freebie. Used it for years!

Oh gosh I have come over in a proper wave of nostalgia! Time was you basically dress yourself too to toe in magazine freebies - from the nail varnish and flip flops on your feet to the sunglasses and hair gloss on your head via t shirts, bags and jewellery in between. Fragranced by perfume samples.

And in the 90s before the internet was everything, magazines were THE source of what was cool. I used to devour magazines cover to cover for the latest intel on what I should wear, how I should style my hair, what should read, what I should think, how I should have sex - everything! I used to idolise magazine journalists and think they must have the most amazing lives.

Aww good times.

Same here It was Glamour who had Clinique freebies. our Tesco had to put the mag behind the customer service counter cos ppl kept nicking the freebies off the front. Also got freebies from New Woman and Eve and Red.
Got free umbrellas and free full size No 7 make up from Eve

My last mag freebie was free sunglasses from Tatler four years ago which i still have and use. It was a Prince Philip tribute issue so i gave the mag to DM

I’m still using a lot of the nail polish! It’s not dried up and goes on ok so I’m using it up, I’ve got a nails inc x glamour one on my toes at the minute

There are editions from 2023 for sale on eBay with free sunglasses in either black or brown! £6.95

L’Occitane hand cream was a regular freebie with Marie Claire magazine. Used to buy multiple copies for one in every fragrance.

I once forgot to pack any swimwear for a beach holiday in a location with no shops to purchase a new one. Oh dear. Luckily one of the glossies I bought at the airport had a free black string bikini! Holiday saved! This was 2004. I seem to recall getting a decent pair of flipflops in one too.

This takes me back. I loved the freebies. I remember full sized benefit make up on one of them. This is pretty gross but I’m actually still using my free benefit concealer “it stick” to this day.

Oh I used to love a magazine freebie! The amount of makeup, nail varnish and the like you used to get was brilliant. I had sunglasses and flip flops that I used for years!

It's just not the best or most cost-effective way of advertising your new products any more.

Red were giving away Rodial mascaras quite regularly just a few years back. Best mascara ive ever used.