Tips & Tricks: Opening sample packets

Photo credit: Smashbox website

I learned something new this weekend that I just have to share. I'm so thrilled, my excitement is bordering on unnatural. You may have read a blog post here and there where I complain about my ineptitude when it comes to opening sample packets in a way that won't waste product. I'm usually referring to the samples that come in little pouches like the one pictured above with the little tear notch at the top, think shampoo, primers, foundation, and moisturizer samples. I always tear and end up wasting so much product, either by squeezing too much out, or because it dries out due to the inordinately large tear. 

Well, I was at the Origins store this weekend, restocking my facial moisturizer (Starting Over age-erasing oil-free moisturizer with Mimosa, for those of you wondering), and the sales lady gave me some free samples of their new Planscription eye serum, which I think is new and not out yet, because I can't find it on the website. As she is handing me the samples she volunteered this tip without my even asking (how did she know?!):

Instead of tearing the packet open, use a clean safety pin, and poke a whole in it. This way you can slowly squeeze out just the amount of product you need (instead of a huge glob), and get quite a bit of mileage from your samples because it won't dry out as quickly either.

That is flippin' genius. How did I not think of this? I've been carelessly wasting product and boohooing about it this whole time. This woman has no idea just how valuable this bit of information was for me. She may as well have handed me a gold brick. Ok, maybe I'd be much happier with a gold brick, but you get my drift. I would have hugged her, but I might have scared her. I thanked her profusely, she probably thought I was a bit weird.

I'm so excited. I've been saving quite a few samples in one of my makeup drawers because I didn't want to waste them. I've got some product testing I can do now.

So there you have it. I hope you find this tip as useful as I did.

Have you been needlessly wasting sample product like I have been? Did you know about this tip already? Have any of you been using a different method that works well for you?