We love freebies, especially those you can get any time of year (not just your Ulta free birthday gift, though those are great, too). Ulta debuted free sample vending machines in select stores across the U.S. in Nov. 2023. They allow Ulta Beauty Rewards members (their free loyalty program) to one complimentary sample a week (with that week considered Sunday - Saturday). Between these machines and Ulta coupons, this store continues to keep us loyal.
Right now you can only find an Ulta free samples vending machine in 10 stores across five states in the U.S. (California, Florida, Massachusetts, New York, and Texas). But that number is expected to grow in 2024. It's all in an effort to expand their in-store sample program.
The vending machines also disperse free Rael period care products (super helpful when you're in a jam). However, these products are limited, so be kind and don't attempt to grab a month's supply.
We're diving into everything you should know about these brand, spankin' new machines. But for all the latest on free stuff and the best sales, text HACKS to 57299.
How do ULTA's Free Beauty Sample Kiosks work?
So, first things first, you do need to be an Ulta Beauty Rewards member in order to get the goods from one of these Ulta free samples machines. However their loyalty program is completely free to join.
As long as you know the phone number associated with your Ulta Beauty Rewards account, here's what you do next.
Head to the Ulta free samples kiosk (or vending machine — whichever you want to call it, you do you) and do the following:
Hit 'Tap to Vend.'
Choose one sample from the array on the screen, then tap 'Get Free Sample.'
Enter the phone number associated with your Ulta Beauty Rewards account, check the 'Agree to Privacy Policy' box, and hit 'Submit.'
Collect your sample from the drop box at the bottom of the machine.
The whole process took us just 30 seconds to complete.
Travel-size products can cost anywhere from $7 - $16, which means you could collect up to $64 in free product monthly.
Since the samples in the Ulta vending machines are considered travel-size, we decided to take a look at their value estimation.
When we visited a sample kiosk it vended a Too Faced Better Than Sex Foreplay Mascara Primer, which 0.13 oz. in size.
Ulta sells a travel-size version of this product for $16 a tube. It's the exact same size (0.13 oz.) we received as our free sample when we hit up the machine on our first visit.
With that in mind, if you stop in at Ulta once a week to grab a free sample, you're likely looking at up to $64 in free product each month.
Admittedly, not all travel-sizes cost as much as that mascara primer. But they do tend to run at least $7 a pop, depending on the product.
Where can you find Ulta's Sample Kiosks?
Simply put: these machines are pretty cool and as word spreads, we expect there to be high demand for Ulta to add them to more stores. For right now, however, these free sample machines are only available in 10 stores nationwide. Here's where you can find them:
9844 Chapman Ave Garden Grove, CA 92841
2250 Bridgepointe Pkwy San Mateo, CA 94404
4860 Big Island Dr Jacksonville, FL 32246
425 Washington St, Ste 5 Woburn, MA 01801
383 North Central Ave Hartsdale, NY 10530
76 Rockland Plaza, Space 26 Nanuet, NY 10954
5207 Brodie Ln, Ste 180 Austin, TX 78745
2314 West University Dr Denton, TX 76201
3000 S Hulen St, Ste 130 Fort Worth, TX 76109
16637 Coit Rd Dallas, TX 75248
Tell us what you think