You know how you get those great free samples while you’re in Costco? Well, I’m always careful about the food because coconut oil is so damn hip and it is in everything. Sadly, if I eat coconut I end up with hives that make me want to die. I could also actually die, but I tend to ignore that dark thought or I’d be paralyzed with fear and never leave my house. (I’m also allergic to pineapple but it’s so delicious that every so often I am willing to risk it all; holding my Epi-pen in one hand, while I eat a deliciously sweet slice of potential death.)

This time though, it wasn’t the Costco food samples that I had to watch out for…

A cute little old lady was handing out samples and I was trying to be nice while refusing, saying no thank you as I tried to scoot past. This sample sharer was persistent. She’s handing it towards me and I’m desperate to reject a sample of unknown ingredients.

I even went to so far as to use the apology hand.

You know the one, it says “I’d love to take it but I just can’t.” Then this grandma who looks so loving and innocent tells me “it’s free dear, what do you have to lose?” She’s got me, I take the laundry sample and continue on my way.

Now, I know what you’re thinking; why not just throw the sample out?! I wanted to, but a sweet little old lady’s face haunted my conscience when I started to toss it into the garbage. Her words rang in my ears “what do you have to lose?” So I used it….

a picture of a dead stick figure face with the text

For two weeks I walked around with a red rash all over my face and torso. I looked like a zombie. Worse, I felt like a zombie – undead and insatiably hungry. So the next time someone offers you a free sample, consider just running away while screaming.

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16 replies on “What have you got to lose…”

  1. I tried a make-up primer from my preferred make-up line (the only line that doesn’t cause my face to erupt like Vesuvius) and after a few days I looked like a tweaker – clawing at my face and twitching. It was so damn annoying. Adios, primer.

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    1. Sounds like it! I have frequently had to throw away stuff that I bought thinking it would be great. I don’t even mess around anymore. I won’t touch anything unless it’s a desperate emergency. Stupid face products.

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    1. I love it there also, it’s the closest thing to Disneyland I have in Washington state. I just have a new rule, I take the samples and I give them to my neighbor. That way I’m not wasting them but I’m also not endangering my face!

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  5. About a year ago I got a rash like that too. It was all over my face and most of my torso. My face was even swollen a bit. It lasted for about 2 weeks too. I have no idea what caused it and it hasn’t happened again. It was horrible. #BlogCrush

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    1. I have very sensitive skin so I am careful to only try one new thing at a time so I can immediately pinpoint what caused a reaction. I learned that the hard way, I can’t even share a shower loofah with the Hubster because his soap makes me itchy- even the residue in the loofah is enough to set me off.

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  6. Ohh noo!! Not the face!! Glad all is OK now but it must be so difficult trying new things when you don’t know the ingredients. The title of this post made me laugh. Thanks for joining us for #BlogCrush

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  7. Oh man, now see I would have just said I’m allergic and continued to walk away. It must be hard though. I’m imagining her standing there trying to get everyone who passes her to eat her samples ALL DAY LONG. That has to be daunting. I’m glad you didn’t get more ill than you did though. I can’t use Avon makeup. I break out in hives. And a few years ago I discovered that Proactive definitely doesn’t work for me. My face was burning for three days! Never again.

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    1. Sometimes it just doesn’t work to try new products! I’ve heard proactive can do that to people with sensitive skin – my skin is like a baby’s so I use almost nothing on it. Or the red rash of doom comes back!

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