Free makeup Tuesday as part of lawsuit settlement

By Aaron Crowe Posted 7:00AM 01/20/09 Ripoffs and Scams, Daily Deal, Retail, Fantastic Freebies, Saving Money

Major department stores throughout the country are offering free makeup Tuesday, Jan. 20, to customers who previously bought their cosmetics, as part of a $175 million class action lawsuit settlement.

The free cosmetics will be given away while supplies last, for up to seven days.

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Details can be found at cosmeticssettlement.com.

But basically anyone who bought certain products at certain retailers between May 29, 1994, and July 16, 2003, will get the free stuff. However, shoppers don't have to have receipts or prove they bought the items; they just have to sign a form stating they purchased one or more of the products between those dates.

Stores giving the freebies include Bloomingdales, Macy's, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue and Dillard's, among others.

Several major manufacturers are in the giveaway, including Estee Lauder, Chanel, Guerlain, Clarins, Christian Dior and L'Oreal. Not all products are available in all stores.

As WalletPop's Tracy Coenen reported in August, a class action suit was filed in 2003, accusing department stores and cosmetics companies of colluding to fix prices and selling them at the manufacturer's suggested retail price and never at a discount. It alleged that promotions were coordinated so that stores wouldn't compete with each other.