Hey!
I normally just go in and say " Hey good morning! my friends birthday is coming up and i would like to get her a sweet floral perfume. But before i purchase it i would like to give her some samples to try out as she is very fussy" And if the lady at the counter isn't evil then they usually get thier hands deep in the samples drawer(where there a millions of samples)and happily give them to you!
So if you ask and they say they have ran out, etc etc , then they are lying!! They have plenty!
hope this helps Faz xx

My bestfriend would nip into the beauty stores on her break and do this, she would literally get bags full of samples and then put them in party bags at her kiddie birthday parties etc.  She too would go in and say that it was someones birthday and was wanting to try it before she bought it, she would also head over to the mens counter and say that she was wanting to buy her boyfriend a present but couldnt decide on what.

She found the most successful counters were the mens aftershave, they were always willing to pass over a handful and on the womens perfume.  So many times they say they have ran out when they just cant be bothered or are having a bad day, I remember seeing them open the drawer to the free samples and there were hundreds!