How to Get Freebies at Sephora, According to Makeup Artists

Name someone who doesn't love a freebie — we'll wait. Now, name someone who doesn't want all the free samples at Sephora. If you're curious about how to get freebies at the beauty behemoth, this guide is for you. Ahead, find everything you need to know about getting freebies at the beloved beauty retailer, along with tips for using its membership programs to your maximum advantage. Plus, we tapped two professional makeup artists to share their best Sephora-shopping hacks.

Refill Your Perfume

Makeup artists arguably know Sephora better than anyone. Celebrity makeup artist T. Cooper tells Byrdie: "The complete game-changer for me was when I found out that Sephora refills perfume and cologne. If you bring back the perfume or cologne bottle that you purchased there, just ask them to refill it. They will do it at a fraction of the price of you purchasing a new one!"

Request a Product Demo

Additionally, Cooper encourages shoppers to ask for product demos. "This is especially helpful when wanting to test out an expensive hair tool before purchasing it," she says. "And even if you decide not to get it, you’ll still leave the store with your hair looking fabulous."

The "Beauty Insider" Program

If free samples are a top priority for you, we have a tip for you: Become a Sephora "Beauty Insider". This rewards program is free to join, and when you sign up, you'll have access to the following perks:

• The ability to rack up points with each purchase, which can be applied for discounts on products, classes, and services (The more points you earn, the better the perks you'll have access to.)
• 10% off purchases during Sephora Seasonal Savings Events (two events per year)
• A free birthday gift (more on that later)
• Free standard shipping

There are a few other levels to the Beauty Insider program that will get you more points, discounts, free products, and more. You'll have to spend $350 each year to become a VIB member, or $1,000 to rank as a Rogue member.

Sephora "Birthday Gifts"

One of the most exciting benefits of the Beauty Insider program comes in the form of an annual Birthday Gift. Every year during your birthday month, you can visit your local Sephora to get a free birthday gift, with no purchase required.

These birthday gifts are different each year. In 2024, options include:

• The Kosas Lip & Brow Birthday Set, which is stocked with a plumping lip oil and a clear brow gel that lifts and sets.
• The Youth to the People Cleanse & Hydrate Skincare Birthday Set, which comes with a gentle cleanser, an air-light moisturizer, and a strawberry-infused night cream that doubles as a mask.
• The MoroccanOil Hydration Birthday Set, which contains deliciously fragrant goodies from the beloved brand.
• If you'd rather add to your Beauty Insider points you can receive 250 bonus points instead of a birthday gift set.
• If you're a VIB+Rouge member you can get a special birthday gift just for you! It's a Charlotte Tilbury birthday gift set that includes the Matte Revolution Lipstick in Pillow Talk, Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray, and a Magic Cream Moisturizer With Hyaluronic Acid.

To redeem your Birthday Gift, you'll simply need to provide your Beauty Insider card, phone number, or address to the cashier when checking out. You can pick up your birthday gift two weeks before or after your birthday or any time during your birthday month— at least, on paper. In real life, you may be able to blur the timeline. "What’s cool is that you don’t even have to wait until your birthday," Cooper has found. "Their policy is pretty relaxed, so you can get your gift any time of the year."

Sephora's Free Samples

Believe it or not, you can walk out of Sephora with a bag full of free samples without making any kind of purchase. As with many things in life, all you have to do is ask!

"Sampling and testing are an important part of the purchasing process, especially as a makeup artist," says pro makeup artist Lindsey Trop, who's a former Sephora employee (AKA "cast member.")

"I really want to try products before I commit to purchasing a full-size product," Trop says. "When I’m browsing in-store, if there are products I want to try and I need to test the staying power and how it wears over time, a simple in-store try-on isn’t necessarily sufficient to fully vet the product. If the product can be easily scooped or squirted into a sample jar, I always ask a cast member to make me a sample. I usually keep it to a max of three sample jars (for three different products) per visit, unless the cast member doesn’t mind. They usually don’t mind if there aren’t many clients in the store, and sometimes, they’re equally as invested as I am in the search for the perfect products and are happy to help! I worked at a Sephora during college and I was always happy to make samples."

"Also, whenever I’m in-store at Sephora and I’m checking out, I always ask for any and all pre-packaged samples they have behind the cash wrap," says Trop. "They usually have a ton." Cooper adds: "Don’t be shy to ask for a sample—or a few! They’re completely free, and no purchase is necessary."

Each time you order online at Sephora, you'll also get free beauty samples. You can pick two free samples each time you order, which may include fragrance, skincare, and/or makeup items. Sometimes, during certain promotional events, you can get even more free samples.

Free "Shade Finder" Foundation Matching

If you find yourself overwhelmed by the sheer number of foundation shades available and don't know how to find your perfect hue, we have good news for you: You can use Sephora's digital Shade Finder program to determine which formula and tint suits your needs.

According to the Sephora rep, "Clients can use our Shade Finder to look up many foundation brands and find the closest match with any of our formulas, and our YouTube library has recommendations for clients of all ages and skin tones.”

You can also take advantage of an in-store service called "Find Your Foundation." Just ask a sales associate — ahem, a "cast member"— to help you find your match, and they'll be happy to help you out.