As they saying goes, “there's no free lunch.” Generally, the same applies to free makeovers. That's because most professionals cannot afford to work for free. So if you're offered a free makeover, it's likely from a cosmetics salesperson expecting to make a sale.

If you're attending an event and want to look your best, it's highly recommended that you visit a professional makeup artist. They are professionally trained, use the best products, and can devote time to you without distractions from other clients. They can usually come to your home as well, so you don't have to walk into a crowded department store without makeup.

The problem is, some people can't afford to hire a professional makeup artist. Luckily, if you want to learn how to do your own makeup or if you'd like to have your makeup done for a special occasion, there are some great opportunities. You can get your makeup applied by a cosmetics sales person in a store or by a cosmetics representative from a company like Avon or Mary Kay. One disadvantage is that a salesperson applying makeup to you may have to attend to another customer or answer phones.

MAC
The local MAC store is also a great place to get a free makeover. The sales people working there are usually trained makeup artists. MAC products are priced higher than department store products, but less than many department store lines. They may cost too much for some.

Ulta
If you're looking for a makeup lesson, Ulta is a great option. The sales representative will apply skin care and makeup for free. The catch is, they will apply makeup to half of your face. Then you apply the cosmetics they suggest to the other half of your face. It's a great place to start if you're just learning about how to wear your makeup. Ulta also offers products to fit almost any budget.

Department Stores
Department stores offer a variety of cosmetics lines. If you want to get a free makeup consultation there, you can choose a line that appeals to you. Department store lines (like Christian Dior, Clinique, or Lancome) will cost much more than cosmetics purchased at a drug store or at Target. They may be too expensive for many budgets.

A great tip is to wait until the line you love is having a free gift with purchase or a purchase with purchase promotion. A free gift promotion gives you free makeup or skin care when you purchase a specific amount worth of products. A purchase with purchase promotion gives you the opportunity to buy additional products at a discounted price when you buy a specific amount worth of products. You get a little more for your money that way. Department stores often hire makeup artists for these special promotions. You'll see them standing in front of the cosmetics counter.

Mary Kay Cosmetics
Contact a local Mary Kay Cosmetics representative. They will likely give you a makeover for free. As with other makeup salespeople, they will most likely expect that you'll purchase at least one product. The quality of the products is very good. You may get personalized attention from your Mary Kay representative as well. Their pricing will fit many budgets, but may be too high for some.

In general, you shouldn't expect a free makeover. Makeup artists and cosmetics salespeople are professionals who depend on clients and sales to make their living. If you can't afford to hire a makeup artist, however, you can get free makeup applications in a variety of stores or from cosmetics salespeople. The catch is that they will expect you to purchase some of the products they apply. That's not too much to ask for their time and talents.