The giveaway is the culmination of a class action suit that accused Macy's, Bloomingdale's, Bergdorf, Dillard's, Filene's, Lord & Taylor, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, and Saks Fifth Avenue, among others, of fixing cosmetics prices. Though the giveaway runs from January 20-26, we'd be shocked if the products last for a full day. Consider Macy's giveaway strategy:
...free products will be set on tables in the cosmetics department, said Jim Sluzewski, a company spokesman. "When they're gone, they're gone," he said.
Consumers will be limited to one product worth up to $25, and they will be required to sign a form declaring that they purchased the covered products between May 29, 1994 and July 16, 2003, which, um, you did, right?
For more information, including participating stores and products, visit the class action's website.
Cosmetics Cases Information Website
Cosmetics giveaway starts Tuesday after price-fixing settlement [The Chicago Tribune]
PREVIOUSLY: Class Action Settlement Sets Up Massive Cosmetics Giveaway
Seems bad to contribute even more to corporations distrusting consumers and vice-versa, and to the law-suit happy nature of our country's current mind-set.
Oh, who am I kidding... morals go out the window when there's free stuff involved.... sadly.
I went to the Pentagon City mall (Nordstroms) on Weds, 1/21, 7 pm (day after the free-ness started) and there was a well-behaved line of people, a security guard watching them, and three women behind a special counter giving away the products. You got one, you signed your name on a clipboard, and that was it. Definitely no scrum, and still a nice amount of products (though it seemed like the store was only carrying 4 or 5 - all clinque and clarins).
I also stopped by Macy's, just to check out the line - longer, more organized (you could browse the products and then show the guard at the ened what you chose). Several men in each store, but all with female companions who directed them to pick something. I think it's fair - they may have purchased a product during the settlement period, even if it wasn't for them.
Totally NOT a mad rush. And the store people were directing anyone who passed by to get some free cosmetics. They didn't explain it was a lawsuit settlement.
]]>Who had time to get to Macy's or any other department store for that matter? I found the Inauguration to be far more important. This event should have held on a different date!
]]>Are you kidding? I adore Dior's J'Adore perfume, and also Lancome's skin defense products.
I'm taking a vacation day tomorrow (not for this; to watch the inauguration on television). Hmmmm, do I have time for a quick stop at Macy's before gluing myself to the TV?
]]>(Yep, I'm a pyro.)
]]>*hopes it's not needed, but throws the /sarcasm tag here so everyone knows he doesn't actually support Squeezer's absolutely inaccurate, and drama-queen-y statement*
]]>Hilariously, that is how it is listed on the cosmetics settlement website. The actual product is Clarins Beauty Flash *Balm* (here). The former would make the scrum on Tuesday more amusing, though.
]]>i'd agree with you except obama becoming president is the worst thing ever.
]]>I mean, we wear fragrances, too, and if you go to a Sephora, there's a whole wall of stuff for guys.
]]>I work at a store giving away product. We received a rather large supply of these "deluxe samples" that will definitely last longer than a few minutes (or even a few hours). We have to follow very strict guidelines regarding the distribution so be prepared to wait in lines.
]]>Agreed. If you are putting something all over your body every day (body lotion) and it's a 9, you should really find something less toxic. Your skin is an organ and does absorb things into your bloodstream.
However, I'm not going to freak out about a facial treatment I use once a week, or shampoo which gets washed away.
]]>There might be some legitimate concerns there. On the other hand, poison is a dose, not a substance. Even that rascally dihydrogen monoxide they have at the bottom there ("innocuous") can be fatal if ingested in sufficient quantities. There's no indication at what levels these ingredients are dangerous, or at what levels they're being used, or at what levels they accumulate in the body (although it does look like bioaccumulation is the new big boogeyman to watch out for). And the "data gaps" are pretty large. (What does a 100% data gap even mean?)
At best, it's a springboard for further research, and that itself is a very good thing. But I wouldn't take it as the definitive report on everything in your bathroom. IMO, "OMG! My body wash is a 9!" and chucking it would not be the proper response.
]]>Well, there are a few items I'd take for free. If they were delivered to my door.
But I have to say that department store cosmetics are NO BETTER than the drugstore stuff.
And: I've been meaning to post this link anyway. It is a database rating all personal care products for toxicity. Eye-opening, to say the least. If you're like me, you'll be OBSESSED with this site for at least a few hours. A lot of the shit women slather all over themselves is highly toxic.
* Boucheron (USA) Ltd.:
Femme Eau de Toilette (1 ounce/30 ml)
* Chanel, Inc.:
Coco Mademoiselle body lotion (3.4 fluid oz)
* Christian Dior Perfumes, Inc.:
J'Adore Eau de Parfum (15 ml)
* Clarins U.S.A., Inc.:
Clarins Energizing Morning Cream (30 ml) OR
Clarins Beauty Flash Bomb (30 ml)
* Conopco, Inc.:
Calvin Klein Euphoria Bath and Shower Crème (6.7 oz) OR
Vera Wang Princess Body Polish (5 oz) OR
Lovely Sarah Jessica Parker Shower Gel (6.7 oz)
* The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.:
Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair (15 ml/0.5 oz) OR
Clinique Moisture Surge (30 ml/1 oz)
* Guerlain, Inc.:
My Insolence Eau de Toilette (15 ml)
* L'Oréal USA, Inc.:
Lancôme UV Expert 20 OR
Lancôme Cils Design Pro Mascara OR
Lancôme Fatale Mascara OR
Lancôme Courbe Virtuose Mascara OR
Lancôme Primordial Skin Defense OR
Ralph Lauren Romance Shower Gel (6.7 oz.) OR
Giorgio Armani ACM Shower Gel (6.7 oz) OR
Lancôme Hypnôse Shower Gel
* Parfums Givenchy, Inc.:
Very Irresistible Givenchy Eau de Toilette (15 ml)
Also, how the hell am I supposed to go in, since I have to WORK??? They did it that way on purpose, so no one would show up.
]]>SCORE!
]]>Buh-zing!
Yeah, this promotion is just inches away from being a cat/bitch fight extravaganza.
"No, bitch. That's MY orange shimmer eye-liner! I have NO qualms about killing you and your face right now over FREE MAKEUP because I am an ignorant consumer whore! RAWARRRAWRWRWRARRRRRRRRR!"
]]>Other than that, there's not much to interest me. I wouldn't have minded a free perfume, but I don't like J'Adore, and the rest are shower gels, which - meh.
]]>I'll be there.. and I don't even WEAR makeup! (I'm a guy, maybe I'll start!)
]]>People are going to get hurt.
]]>