Mac Cosmetics has steadily become one of the most popular brands on the market through providing a superior product and some serious guerrilla marketing techniques. With that comes a fairly steep price however, but not to worry, there are ways to get free Mac makeup samples, and sometimes even better than just samples if you know where to look and who to ask. To get certain things it may require some legwork at times but it can be worth it.
The easiest place to start very few people think of is at the cosmetics counter. Large companies like Mac get where they are because they know how to hook people on their products. The next time you are at the mall or any major department store that has an actual staffed cosmetics counter with a cosmetician you hit the jackpot. Samples are there by the truckload and all you have to do is ask. Some samples my be really small so don't be bashful about asking for a few so you have a chance to see how you like them after trying them for a few days.
The second place to look is in fashion magazines. All too often people miss the really good ads offering coupons between the photo spreads and articles. Mac is known for using magazines to promote their products in two different ways that you should be on the lookout for. The first are the inserts that often offer a coupon that can be redeemed for a free sample by either presenting it in person at a retailer or mailing it in. The second is that they often have promotions in which they send samples or sometimes even a kit of makeup out to the first "x amount of people" that respond. The odds may be long against winning a promotional contest but it doesn't hurt to try.
The third place to check out is the internet. There are literally hundreds of places online to get sample coupons for Mac cosmetics, or the cosmetics themselves. The most common way to get samples online is scour the fashion and coupon sites. Admittedly most of the time the freebie comes in conjunction with a full-price purchase. There are times however you will find a coupon that allows you a free sample, usually for a new release, for doing nothing more than printing it out.
The other way to get free Mac samples is by taking surveys online. The key to this is to be cautious. Some survey sites are reputable and will actually mail you out Mac cosmetics for completing their surveys, others will take you all the way to the end and then inform you that you need to buy something from their list of clients to qualify, or they may request you provide a credit card or your home phone number for verification. While it is up to you it would be advisable to not go that route.
A third place online to try is the Mac Cosmetics site itself. While it is admittedly rare you will find an offer for free samples, it is not unheard either. If you have no luck there don't give up! The following sites will regularly have some promotional coupons, some for discounts, some for free cosmetics with a full price purchase, and sometimes just straight up free samples for the asking.
With this site you will want to pay particular attention to what coupons are rated as active and those rated as unreliable. As you can guess, those rated unreliable may be expired or they may be linked to some sort of scam.
This site is a little less than reliable so far as updating and is a bit of a chore to navigate, but they do a super job of getting you linked to legitimate Mac sample giveaways. To really make the most of this site you have to check it regularly because sometimes they post their information on free mac samples very near the expiration date for the promotion.
The Free Cosmetics website won't always have free Mac samples, but they do have them often enough to be a site you want to keep on your radar. This site is often dealing with some sort of market research they can link you to, so at times you can do better than just get samples and get the actual retail sized product. You may not always qualify for everything, but it's definitely worth a shot.
In short, getting free mac cosmetics samples isn't really that hard. All it generally requires is keeping your eyes open and being willing to ask for samples in stores that sell Mac cosmetics. Just keep in mind that samples are made for a reason and you are expected to ask for them, and definitely do not be shy about asking for several samples!