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Hi! Today’s post is a question, one which is obvious from the post title: what do you do with beauty samples?
Saturday was such a depressing day in the Bay Area. A lot of us couldn’t go outside because of the bad air. We ended up driving in the morning to find a cleaner patch for the kids to run around in, and then the rest of the day was spent inside. Thus a little depressed and looking for things to do, I began to shop online and clean the house in spurts, only to find myself an hour later nearly checking out on the Sephora site, before realizing that I actually thought I had samples of the exact lip gloss I was about to buy.
Which then led me to examine my “beauty samples” storage – a shoebox in one of my bathroom drawers in which I’ve dumped all my free samples over the last year, only to never think about them again – and yes, there was a nice fat sample of the gloss I was about to buy in there. Along with a bunch of other glosses! And a LOT of other stuff. Moisturizers, blushes, shampoos, conditioners. Multiple samples of items that I had purchased the full size for without even bothering to try to see if I had the sample first. Including a cream, which I didn’t even like later – a reality and thought which then drove me crazy the rest of the day. What an absolute freaking waste!
Thus, I am now resolved to slowly begin working through my samples drawer. Part of that I’ve realized is just throwing away the stuff I’ll never use, the items that are too old, not my fragrance, etc. And next I’m going to use up some of these items. I’ve got some cream samples waiting in my bathroom (next to my toothpaste, so I don’t forget and reach for my usual cream out of routine). And I’ve placed these lip samples here on my vanity desk.
Staring at these lip samples, I also realize there’s quite a bit of product – cobbled together, maybe a little less than a full size. Have I been the only one neglecting my samples and being a total waster? What do you all do with your beauty samples?
16 Comments
AR
August 30, 2021 at 9:22 amI cleaned mine out recently when we moved and was feeling similar guilt and frustration with myself. I am not aware of a central nonprofit/charity that takes the samples but I do know that some of my girlfriends have donated theirs to their local dress for success and women’s shelters. Teen shelters/group homes might also be a good spot? I would love to know if people have other suggestions!
Kat
September 1, 2021 at 9:15 pmDress for Success is a great idea, thank you!
Sharon
August 30, 2021 at 10:45 amI have been opting out of samples lately. I rarely tried them, and felt guilty throwing them away. Now I only choose those samples of products I use or may want to purchase in the future. If none of them appeal to me, I don’t get any.
Melanie
August 30, 2021 at 11:26 amI have found a couple of good places to donate my samples. One is my local women’s shelter, and the other is a local group that helps teen girls from disadvantaged backgrounds go to Prom via donated dresses, hair, makeup, perfume, etc.
I also found an organization online that lets you mail samples to them. It’s called Project Beauty Share (projectbeautyshare.org). They’re in Spokane, WA. They have a list of items they’ll accept on their website. I had strongly considered this before I realized I had amassed such a large back stock that it would cost a fortune to ship, and then I went the local women’s shelter route. But if you have a smaller amount this might be more a more doable option.
Kat
September 1, 2021 at 9:16 pmThank you for the rec! I hadn’t heard of them. I donated basically all my airline toiletry kit to a shelter awhile back but never put it together that they might take samples too.
Eileen
August 30, 2021 at 11:33 amAfter going through a similar beauty samples purge, I now decline free samples at checkout. I’ll only accept sample sizes of products I already use, which I can use for travel.
Kat
September 1, 2021 at 9:14 pmYes! I started doing this too.
Jeannine520
August 30, 2021 at 2:06 pmSaturday was horrible. The pool was 88 degrees and I wouldn’t let the kids and their friends into it because of the air quality. I heard whining all day.
Samples – I have a drawer in my bathroom I dump them into and it’s stuffed. I usually don’t even think to go looking through them when I think I need something.
Once upon a time I used to throw them into swap packages but since we’re not really doing that anymore they just build up. I think I’ll gather them up and let my teen nieces have what they want.
Kat
September 1, 2021 at 9:16 pmIt was SO bad! I hope Sunday was better for you!
MrsW
August 30, 2021 at 2:56 pmI bring it to our office lunchroom and leave it there for grabs. Same with food (candies, chocolate, cookies) I don’t want. Someone will always take it home.
Kat
September 1, 2021 at 9:16 pmThat’s a good idea 🙂
Elaine
August 31, 2021 at 9:38 amI definitely have the same experience when it comes to accumulating samples but not using them. I’ve donate to Project Beauty Share in the past and highly recommend sending them your unused samples. They also take some things that are gently used (though their requirements have changed since covid of course). I do pay for the shipping (I usually go with a USPS flat rate medium box), but I don’t mind since it’s basically a donation to a great organization. Also if I’m accumulating all these needless items, then I should pay to dispose of them responsibly.
Kat
September 1, 2021 at 9:17 pmAnother vote for Project Beauty Share…thank you!
Welcome Objects
September 5, 2021 at 9:58 amI go through them, select the ones I’m interested in (less than 20) and put them in a small clear box in my bathroom cabinet so that I see them sitting right there in my face every time I open the cabinet. That reminds me to try them. The rest of them, I give away. I’ve offered them to Poshmark buyers (I let them choose what they want so it doesn’t go to waste), and have also given them away on my local Buy Nothing group.
Lesley Kan
September 11, 2021 at 4:32 amI try to now get samples of things I can use, especially on travel, i.e. shampoo/conditioner (once I packed 14 different samples for a 3 week Asia trip!), skincare items that I already use or from pricey brands I want to really try (i.e. Barbara Sturm, Chantecaille, La Mer) and eye cream (not really picky about eye cream, so I haven’t had to buy eye cream in like 3 years!). The makeup ones always seem fun, but I tend to forget about them. Also fragrance, I pick a new one for my travel bag each trip; figured it would be a good time to try a new scent.
Yiling
November 3, 2021 at 1:25 amI have the same problem with samples! I especially loathe the little foil pack ones because I always forget they are there. I now try to take stock of them every 6 months or so, and give the rest away for free to anyone who wants them or is willing to pay for the mailing fee via a local online marketplace (similar to Facebook Marketplace).