High-end cosmetics for free!

Looking good has never been cheaper. Starting January 20, more than a dozen retailers across the USA will be giving away luxury cosmetics worth $175 million for free.

The stores will give away one cosmetic item per person. The bonanza will be available for a week – or until stocks last.

The offer is part of the settlement of a major class action lawsuit filed in 2003 in a California federal court, alleging that the stores tried to limit sales and scale back on the amount of cosmetics in their inventory in order to keep prices and demand high. The 14 stores involved include Macy's, Bloomingdale's, Dillard's, Nordstrom, Nieman Marcus, and Saks Fifth Avenue.

There are several items to choose from. The brand names include Chanel, Christian Dior, Estee Lauder, L'Oreal and Clinique. The products are especially made for the settlement distribution and they are larger than typical sample sizes.

To qualify for the offer, you should have purchased one of the products at one of the stores on the list between 29 May 1994 and 16 July 2004, but no proof of purchase is required. However, certain specified products, valued at approximately $18 to $25, will be available for free.

The department stores, for their part, have admitted to no wrongdoing, but have agreed to the settlement.