How to Score High Quality (full sized) Samples

For a few years now I have been scoring completely free items in exchange for a review or endorsement.  I have gotten many of the items that I regularly use in our home through this process. Some of my favorite freebies have been, organic natural body washes(ApotheCare, Thrive, and similar brands), make up (Flower, Milk, Maybelline, Benefit and much more) , skin care products(Lancer, Perricone MD, Olay, Secret are just a few), a twin memory foam mattress for my boy, a humidifier, suitcases, clothes, and endless food and dessert products.  I am typically asked about how I find places to request these samples and what needs to be done to get them. There are a few things that have led to the quality and amount of things I get. The number one thing that I can not stress enough is a quality review which typically includes pictures or video. But I will get back to that later. There are a few steps that I have followed to get to where I am now. Please note that this takes some time to build relationships with companies so they start sending you better products. The more consistent you are in providing what the companies ask for the more they will come back to you with better products!

A Few of the beauty items I have recently received from various sites. 

Okay your wait is over, here are the steps

1: Where to look for free high quality products. 

Not everywhere you look promising free products is worth it or legit. I refuse to spend hours a week on requesting products and taking surveys in hopes of getting a free product. I want the process to be easy and seamless. 

• Places like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are great if your interested in free small products and free coupons. My Friend at Kouponing with Katie posts a lot of these on her site and in her Facebook group!
• PinchMe - This site does free samples the second Tuesday of every month which I love. But I also get exclusive samples from them often. I get high end full sized products through them every other month or so. The most recent are the two pictured. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Smiley 360 - This site has been good to me in the past with lots of products that relate to me being a parent and a homemaker. This site is in sort of a transition so my return from here has been less lately but I hope they get better soon. The more you interact though the more opportunities you get. 
• Crowdtap - I love this site! I get a lot of my samples through them. They have quick little questions that you answer then they give you sample options based off your answers. ALSO while you answer the questions you earn points. EVERY question has a point assigned. 1 point equals 1 cent. Many of the questions are worth 20 or more points. Once you get 500 points you can cash out for a $5 gift card. You can save up for bigger ones. I usually cash out for $10-$15 in Amazon cards. They have many options though like Sephora, ULTA, Walmart, Target, Playstation etc. The more you complete all the questions the more opportunities you will have to get samples. 
• Influenster - This is where a ton of my beauty and skin care products come from. This is a review site where you write reviews and can read millions of others. I love the advice I get on this site and also find their surveys to be quick and easy. You do have to connect social media to your account to share products they send to you. But don't worry if you do not have a big following. I do not have a bunch of followers and still get great products, mainly because of the quality reviews I leave. 
• BzzAgent - This site has undergone a complete transformation but its worth signing up for now. Mainly because they have partnered with my ultimate place for free products (remember the mattress I mentioned the partner sent me this).  The sign up process is quick and easy once you connect your social media just wait to get the e-mails. I have gotten a few and am excited to see this one grow. 
• ViewPoints - This company is the ultimate best! I get so many high quality products from them! I have gotten hair driers worth over $100, A mattress, a robot vacuum, a humidifier, thousands worth in food products, high end makeup and skin care, clothes, shoes, you name it I have gotten something about it. This is strictly done through e-mail. I get about 20-30 quick (5 minute max) surveys a month from them and fill them out. In a week or two I find out what products I was selected for. I usually get about 3 or 4 a month. They send you an e-mail with the link to review the product and you put your review in and you are done. This was the hardest one to get started with because it took the most work. You need an account on Viewpoints website, you need to write a few reviews and sign up for their e-mails and fill out the surveys when they send them. But after working with this company for 4 years it is by far the best bang for your time!

  

  Got this awesome humidifier through ViewPoints. 

2. Follow through with your promise

I can not say this enough. FOLLOW THROUGH!! When you accept a sample of a product you are accepting that you will in turn give an honest review. I have not written all 5 star reviews, nor would I tell you to either. Be honest in your review but write it. Be consistent in following through. The more you are reliable the more you will be picked for products. 

Completely free dinner thanks to View Points!
This was two different samples.  

3. Take the picture. 

Most companies want pictures also. Take them! I don't do anything fancy, I use my iPhone and just make sure the picture is not cluttered and that it is well lit. A picture with your review helps it stand out! It takes a few minutes to set up and do. Most of the review I post are from my phone anyway so no need to worry about transferring the picture to a new device either.

One of my recent Crowdtap products.

4. Give detail

A good review is about 300-500 words. Give details. What do you like about the product? How do you use it? Would you spend what it costs to purchase it? Be honest. Don't say what you think they want to hear. Say what is true!

5. Invest the time to set up good profiles. 

My last piece of major advice is to fully and completely set up your profile. The more complete your profile is the more that companies can send you products. It does take time at first. So I would only focus on one or two sites and make sure everything is set up. Once the initial set up is done everything should just be filling out quick interest surveys that take little time.  

"Man Kit" from View Points that featured Dollar Shave Club.