Hundreds of people lined up in department stores in Hawai'i and across the country yesterday to scoop up free mascara, shower gel and other cosmetics as the result of a settlement of a class-action lawsuit.

At Ala Moana, word spread by cell phone, through families and on the Web — that in this day of rising prices and shrinking salaries — stores were giving away about $25 worth of quality cosmetics to each customer who asked.

The giveaway amounts to $175 million worth of free cosmetics being distributed at various department stores in several states, the result of a lawsuit that alleged price-fixing on the part of retailers and manufacturers. Brands being given away included Chanel, Christian Dior, Lancome and Estee Lauder.

The stores participating in the distribution in Hawai'i are Macy's, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom.

The giveaway began Tuesday on a first-come, first-served basis and is scheduled to end when all the supplies are gone or by Monday.

Judging by the turnout yesterday at Ala Moana, the giveaway won't last much longer. One woman waiting in line yesterday said her niece told her about the giveaway but she didn't really believe it was true.

No rainchecks will be issued.

To be eligible for one free cosmetics product from the list, a customer must say he or she purchased department store cosmetics between May 29, 1994, and July 16, 2003, from one of the manufacturers. Customers must sign and print their name to collect the gift although IDs aren't required.

The free products range from mascara and shower gel to various creams and lotions and perfume.

The state's only Nordstrom store ran out Tuesday, the first day of the giveaway, said Julee Kraus, spokeswoman for Nordstrom.

"The stores were busy," Kraus said, "but the lines were orderly."

She said across the country, Nordstrom received just under 300,000 products to hand out.

Douglas Sisson, media relations coordinator for Macy's West in San Francisco, confirmed that the stores here are participating in the cosmetics giveaway and that each store received its own shipment.

He didn't have details on which stores were out. "When the product is gone, the distribution will end," Sisson said. If anything is left over, he said it will be given to charity.

One Macy's cosmetics clerk yesterday confided to another that people really don't know what to make of the giveaway. Since it started on Inauguration Day, one customer even asked if it was happening because of Barack Obama.

She had to explain that the Hawai'i-born leader of the free world had nothing to do with the cosmetics giveaway.