A Day of Idealism, and Free Cosmetics

I know, I know: It’s a time of national service today, and of growing excitement about Tuesday’s historic events. But The Consumerist can’t help noting that Tuesday morning also marks a massive cosmetics giveaway by major department stores, beginning when the doors open in the morning for business.

From The Consumerist:

Americans face a tough choice Tuesday morning: watch Barack Obama’s historic inauguration, or storm department stores to take advantage of a first-come, first-serve cosmetics giveaway worth $175 million. The giveaway is the culmination of a class action suit that accused Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Bergdorf, Dillard’s, Filene’s, Lord & Taylor, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, and Saks Fifth Avenue, among others, of fixing cosmetics prices. Though the giveaway runs from January 20-26, we’d be shocked if the products last for a full day.

Commenters wrote in to say they hope there’s no repeat of the fatal  Wal-Mart Black Friday door-buster stampede to mar the day.

Others took a more positive view:

Now we can afford to put lipstick on a pig!

So here’s to the land of the free. And of free stuff, too.