How to Get Free Shampoo Samples (13+ Legit Ways That Actually Work in 2025)

In this guide, I’ll show you proven methods to get legitimate free shampoo samples by mail and in-store.

While you’ll mostly get single-use packets, some of these methods will even land you a free travel-sized or full-sized bottle.

Where to Find Free Shampoo Samples (and Conditioners Too!)

If you’re looking for free shampoo samples without having to fill out endless surveys, you’re in luck.

Big brands and stores like Walmart, Target, and even Amazon often offer free samples straight from their websites or through special promotions.

Some of these also include free conditioner samples, which is great if you’re trying to test both before committing to a full-size bottle.

You’ll sometimes find sample sets made specifically for curly hair, color-treated hair, or damaged hair, so it’s worth checking those details before signing up.

But while big retailers sometimes offer freebies, there are plenty of other reliable places where you can actually snag free shampoo and conditioner samples.

Sign Up Directly on Brand Websites

• Best for: free shampoo samples by mail

The easiest and most direct way to get free shampoo samples by mail is to go straight to the source.

Major hair care brands often run sample campaigns on their websites to promote new lines, and getting on their email list is the best way to be notified.

Pantene

Pantene is famous for its regular sample giveaways. To get on the list, you just need to create a free account on the Pantene website and make sure you’ve opted-in to receive promotional offers. They’ll email you a notification when a new sample campaign goes live, and you can often get a packet that’s good for a one or two-week supply.

• How to get it: Create a free account at Pantene.com and opt into their promotional emails and sample offers.
• What you get: Usually a packet or small bottle good for a one or two-week supply.

Garnier

Garnier frequently offers samples, especially for their popular Fructis line. You can sign up for their newsletter on the Garnier website to be notified of new offers. They often have samples for different hair types, like “sleek & shine” for straight hair or “curl enhancing” for curly hair.

• How to get it: Visit Garnier.com, look for the “Offers” section, and sign up for their newsletter.
• What you get: Sample packets for different formulas, like “sleek & shine” or “curl enhancing.”

Dove

While Dove runs its own sample campaigns, they also frequently partner with drugstores like CVS and Rite Aid. It’s a good idea to check the “Offers” section on the Dove website, but also keep an eye out for in-store promotions. Dove samples often come with a matching free conditioner sample, too.

• How to get it: Keep an eye on the Dove Offers page for direct links and announcements about drugstore partnerships.
• What you get: Sample packets that often come with a matching free conditioner sample.

Nexxus

If you’re looking to try a more premium salon brand, Nexxus is a great one to watch. They often release samples to promote their newest product lines.

• How to get it: Create a free account on the Nexxus website to get on their email list for new product launch announcements.
• What you get: Small sample sachets of their new shampoos and hair treatments.

L’Oréal Paris

L’Oréal has one of the best sample programs because of their huge variety of products. Registering on their site gives you a chance to try items from their entire hair care collection.

• How to get it: Register for an account on the L’Oréal Paris website to get access to all of their latest sample offers.
• What you get: Samples from their full hair care line, which can include shampoos, conditioners, and serums.

Aveda (Online)

Aveda is known for its high-quality, natural formulas, making it a great brand to sample before you commit to the higher price tag.

• How to get it: Check the “Offers” page on the Aveda website for standalone free sample promotions. You can also always add free samples to any online purchase you make.
• What you get: Free sample packets of their premium, plant-based formulas.

Pro-Tips for Brand Websites:

• Create a dedicated “freebie” email address. This keeps your main inbox clean and organizes all of your sample offers in one place.
• Fill out your profile completely. The more information you provide about your hair type, the better the brands can target you with samples that are actually a good fit for you.
• Check back monthly. These sample offers rotate all the time, so what’s unavailable today might be back in stock next month.

Join Product Testing Panels

• Best for: full-size products & paid testing

This is the insider method that most people don’t know about, and it’s how you can get not just tiny samples, but full-sized bottles of shampoo for free.

Brands are desperate for real world feedback before their products hit the shelves, and they rely on product testing panels to get it.

You get to try new products for free (in this case full size shampoo bottles), and in exchange, you just have to provide your honest opinion.

This is a great way to not only get free products but also practice the skill of writing product reviews, which is another fantastic side hustle.

BzzAgent

BzzAgent is a popular program where you receive a “BzzKit” filled with free products to test. In exchange, you are asked to share your honest reviews on social media or the retailer’s website.

• How to get it: Sign up for free and fill out your profile; BzzAgent will match you with campaigns.
• What you get: Full-sized products. Hair care campaigns are very common.

Influenster

Similar to BzzAgent, Influenster sends out its famous “VoxBox” of free products for you to review. An active Instagram or TikTok account can help you qualify for more campaigns.

• How to get it: Create a detailed profile and connect your social media accounts.
• What you get: Full-sized shampoos and conditioners from a mix of high-end and drugstore brands.

Home Tester Club

This is a massive global community of product testers, so it’s a great option for international readers. They send out free products in exchange for your written feedback on their website.

• How to get it: Sign up and complete the initial questionnaires; you’ll be notified when you match with a product.
• What you get: A mix of single-use samples and full-sized products.

Smiley360

Smiley360 is a “mission-based” platform where you apply for specific brand campaigns. If accepted, you receive a “Smiley Kit” with free products and instructions for sharing your experience.

• How to get it: Join for free and apply for “missions” that interest you.
• What you get: Free products for specific campaigns, with brands like Batiste Dry Shampoo often available.

Ask at Beauty Counters & Salons

• Best for: in-store shampoo samples

This is so easy and under the radar that most people don’t even think about it. But sometimes all it really takes is asking.

Just be polite and specific.

Saying, “I’m interested in trying a product for my fine, frizzy hair, could I get a sample?” works much better than just asking for “free stuff.”

The best part is that you get your samples instantly.

Sephora

You can get up to three free samples per visit with any purchase. Just ask the beauty advisor at checkout for a sample of a specific shampoo you want to try, like Olaplex or Briogeo. They’ll put it in a small container that’s good for 2-3 uses.

Ulta

Ulta has a very similar policy to Sephora. You can ask for samples of both high-end and drugstore brands. If you’re shy, an easy way to start is to ask a beauty advisor, “What shampoo would you recommend for frizzy hair?” and then follow up with, “Could I get a small sample to try?”

Aveda Stores/Counters

Aveda is famous for being generous with their samples. In most cases, you don’t even need to make a purchase. Just walk in, express interest in one of their natural hair care lines, and they are usually happy to provide you with a few different samples to try at home.

Professional Hair Salons

Your local hair salon is a hidden gem for freebies. Stylists have access to tons of samples from professional brands like Redken and Paul Mitchell. The next time you’re getting a haircut, ask your stylist for a few samples of the products they used on your hair.

Department Store Beauty Counters

Don’t forget the beauty counters at department stores like Nordstrom, Macy’s, and Dillard’s. For your best chance of success, visit during a slow time (like a weekday morning) and ask a brand representative if they have any samples of their hair care products.

Join Free Sample Box Programs

• Best for: variety of free samples by mail

Another popular way to get free shampoo samples by mail is to sign up for free sample box programs.

These companies partner with major brands to send you a box full of freebies in exchange for your honest feedback.

Everything, including shipping, is 100% free.

PinchMe

This is the most popular free sample box program. On the second Tuesday of each month (“Sample Tuesday”), you log in to your account and claim the samples that match your profile. Hair care products are very common, and all they ask for in return is a short review of the products you receive.

Daily Goodie Box

Unlike PinchMe, Daily Goodie Box sends out free boxes at random. You won’t get one every month, but it’s worth signing up for. The boxes often contain a mix of both sample-sized and full-sized products.

How to Get More Boxes

To give yourself the best chance of qualifying for more free sample boxes, make sure you complete your profile fully and honestly.

You also need to leave feedback on every single sample you receive, as this is what keeps you in good standing with the programs.

Watch for Social Media Giveaways

• Best for: full-size products

For a chance to get full-sized products, social media is the place to be.

Brands and influencers give away shampoo and entire hair care sets all the time in simple contests and flash giveaways.

Where to look

• Instagram: Follow your favorite brands like Garnier, Dove, and Kristin Ess. Look for “tag a friend” contests or limited-time sample links in their stories.
• Facebook: Check official brand pages and join dedicated “beauty freebie” groups where members share the latest offers.
• TikTok: Find giveaways by searching hashtags like #FreeShampoo or #HairCareSamples and participate in any challenges.
• Twitter/X: This is a great place for “flash” giveaways where brands post a link that’s only active for a very short time.

Pro tip: To make sure you don’t miss out, turn on post notifications for a handful of your favorite hair care brands.

Use Retailer Loyalty Programs

• Best for: stacking rewards into free shampoo)

This is a clever way to turn your regular shopping into free, full-sized bottles of shampoo. By joining the free loyalty programs at your favorite drugstores, you can stack points and rewards to get the exact products you want without paying a cent.

• CVS Beauty Club: You get a special reward for every $50 you spend on beauty and a free gift during your birthday month that often includes hair care.
• Ulta Rewards: You can redeem the points you earn from purchases for cash off any product in the store, including shampoo.
• Sephora Beauty Insider: Their birthday gifts are famous, and you can redeem points for deluxe, travel-sized shampoo sets in their Rewards Bazaar.
• Walgreens & Target: Use their apps (myWalgreens & Target Circle) to get personalized beauty offers and stack digital coupons on top of store sales.

The Strategy: The best method is to wait for your favorite shampoo to go on sale, and then use your accumulated rewards points to get it for free.

Check Freebie Aggregator Sites

• Best for: discovering new offers daily)

If you don’t have time to check dozens of brand pages, let professional freebie hunters do the work for you. These websites track and post direct links to the latest free sample offers as soon as they become available.

• MySavings – Free Samples
• FreebieHunter.org
• MyFreeProductSamples.com
• Hey It’s Free

The best offers on these sites often run out in a few hours, so it’s a good idea to check them in the morning. Also, consider using a dedicated “freebie” email address to keep your main inbox clean.

Use the “Almost Free” Travel-Size Hack

• Not free, but smart and cheap

This final method isn’t technically free, but it’s a great alternative when you can’t find a sample of a specific brand you want to try.

Instead of waiting for a freebie in the mail, you can just buy a travel-sized version for a dollar or two.

This is the perfect strategy when you need a sample now or want to test out an expensive salon brand for cheap.

You can find these ultra-cheap travel sizes in the “minis” section at stores like Target and Walmart, or even at your local dollar store. Brands like Pantene, Dove, and TRESemmé are almost always available.

Which Method is Right for You? A Quick Comparison

Not sure which method to use?

Compare them to see which ones if the best option for you to get free shampoo samples.

Method	Speed	Effort Level	Typical Sample Size	Best For
Brand Websites	4-8 Weeks	Low	1-2 Uses (Packet)	Trying multiple brands
Product Testing Panels	2-4 Weeks	Medium	Full-Sized Product	Serious product testers
Beauty Counters & Salons	Same Day	Low	2-3 Uses (Container)	Testing high-end brands
Free Sample Boxes	2-4 Weeks	Low	Varies	Getting a variety of samples
Social Media Giveaways	Varies	Medium	Often Full-Sized	Active social media users
Retailer Loyalty Programs	Immediate	Medium	Travel-Sized or Full	Regular shoppers
Freebie Websites	Varies	Low	1-2 Uses (Packet)	Dedicated deal hunters

FAQ

How to Spot and Avoid Fake Free Sample Scams

As you start searching for freebies, you’ll unfortunately come across fake offers designed to steal your personal information.

A real, legitimate sample offer will never make you jump through hoops.

Here are the red flags to watch out for to keep your data safe:

• They ask for your credit card number. A real free sample is 100% free. If a site asks for your credit card for “shipping and handling,” it is a scam. Close the tab immediately.
• The URL looks strange. A real offer from Pantene will be on Pantene.com. Scammers use slightly-off URLs like “Free-Pantene-Samples.net” to trick you. Always check that you are on the official brand’s website.
• They force you to complete endless surveys. If you have to fill out five pages of unrelated surveys to “unlock” your sample, it’s not a real offer. Legitimate brands just need your name, address, and maybe your hair type.
• It sounds too good to be true. No one is giving away a “year’s supply of free Olaplex.” If an offer seems wildly unbelievable, it’s a scam.

Stick to the trusted brands and platforms we’ve listed in this guide, and you’ll be able to get great freebies without ever having to worry about scams.

Final Pro-Tips & Your Starter Plan

Now that you know where to look, here are a few final tips to get the most out of your search.

To stay organized and increase your chances, use a dedicated “freebie” email address and always fill out your beauty profiles completely.

I know this from years of being in the industry, brands are more likely to send samples if they know your hair type.

And remember what to do with your samples:

• Create a travel or gym bag stash so you never have to buy expensive travel-sized products again.
• Compare expensive brands head-to-head to see which one is actually worth buying.
• Make a small basket for your guest bathroom your visitors will love it.
• Combine them with other freebies to make a complete set. Now that you have free shampoo, you can get free perfume samples to finish off your travel kit.

Ready to get started?

Here’s my recommended starter plan to get your first batch of freebies in the mail:

1. Sign up today on 3-4 brand websites like Pantene, Dove, and L’Oréal.
2. Join one major product testing panel, like BzzAgent or the L’Oréal Consumer Testing Panel.
3. Sign up for a sample box program like PinchMe.

If you follow this simple plan, you can realistically expect to get 5 to 10 different samples over the next few months.

It’s the perfect way to build a travel stockpile, test expensive brands, and save $50 to $100 a year.

And if you know how to get free shampoo samples using methods I haven’t mentioned in this guide, please comment below and let me know.