Get the Most Out of Department Store Beauty Counters

You don't have to sit around waiting for the UPS truck. Piles of freebies are behind every department-store beauty counter, and most are yours-if you just know how to ask.

Don't be shy. Beauty companies (and salespeople, who typically work on commission) know that samples drive sales, and they want to get them into the hands of potential customers. But don't act entitled: It's up to the saleswoman if she wants to give them to you.

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Go when it's quiet. A relaxed (or bored) salesperson is more likely to shower you with loot than someone who's working the lunchtime shift or weekend rush. Aim for early morning or evening. And look for a saleswoman who works with several brands as opposed to just one; she will have access to more samples.

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Ask again. Some stores make samples on the spot. If no prepackaged sample exists, Sephora, Nordstrom, and Saks Fifth Avenue will create one for you in a plastic sampling vial called a dram. This goes for skin creams, foundations, cream makeup, loose powders, lipsticks, and even fragrances. Macy's has a "dramming" program specifically for foundations, but it's worth asking a salesperson for other samples, too, says Nancy Schmidt, the store's group vice president of trend and prestige cosmetics. "A good sales associate will find a way to make it happen."

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Don't rule out drugstores. They don't frequently offer beauty samples, but the ones that do-Rite Aid, CVS/Pharmacy, and Walgreens-tend to give them out during in-store events. Ask at your local branch, suggests Cheryl Mahoney, vice president of beauty for CVS/Pharmacy, or you can check flyers for dates. Some drugstores train certain sales associates to be beauty specialists. Find out when they work, and be nice-they know where the samples are hidden.

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