Questions for a soap test group

[suzhartman]

I have a group of folks ready to test the various soaps I made, 15 folks as a matter of fact. I know what I like in a soap and am wanting input from others.

I would like to put together a short questionnaire for each tester to complete after they've used the various soaps. Has anyone used such a questionnaire or knows of one that has been used in the past?

Thanks a bunch!

 

[kisha]

I think I'd want to know the overall feel of the soap (insert detailed questions here... Is it creamy, bubbly, drying, etc.), the feel of the skin during use, after drying, etc., did they need lotion, how long the soap lasted, and if you're so inclined, ask about the scent(s) used and if they were to improve the soap, what would they change/add. At least that's what I ask my family and friends. I always feel I'm forgetting something though so I'm gonna keep an eye on this thread!

 

[KristaY]

I've done this a few times. I have friends that work in offices that have about a dozen employees that were happy to be my testers. I made my own questionnaire that was very simple for them to use. I gave each person 6 bars of soap that were about 3 oz each. At the top I had each soap name then went down the side with questions. Next to each question and under each soap name I had "yes" "no" and "N/A". That way they could just circle the response. I also had a line after that so they could write in any comments. My questions were things like "Did you like the scent?" "Did it make large bubbles?" "Creamy bubbles?" "Did your skin feel dry after using?" "Did the bar feel sticky?" Things like that.

I also made sure I gave them very different types of soap - basic recipe, shaving soap, salt soap, one with a higher conditioning number, one with a higher bubbly number, one with an additive (like clay or milk), etc. That way I got feedback on various types of soap and how other people felt about them. It worked well for me and gave me the exact info I was looking for so I could make changes based on what others felt about certain types of soap.

Good luck with your field testers!

 

[Dorymae]

I go about this a bit differently. First I give all testers a survey not about one of my soaps but about what they like in soap. The questions go something like this:

My perfect soap would: (Pick all that apply or add your own description)

Have a ___________ lather. (bubbly, creamy, thick, thin, stable, easy to rinse, foamy)

Smell like ____________ (floral, spicy, woodsy, citrus, fruity, earthy, herbal)

Be the color _____________ ( blue, green, white, pink, purple, etc)

Be styled (Plain, swirled, striped, artistic)

Feel_____________ (soft, scrubby, tight, creamy)

Last __________ (1 week, 2weeks, 3 weeks, 1 month)

ETC.

Once I have this I know what certain people are looking for, this way if I know a soap is very creamy I would not expect someone who likes low thin lather to enjoy it. They also keep a copy so that they can better compare the soap once they do try it. I always ask for at least one thing they would change about the soap, and I ask them to be brutal - I want to know what they don't like, not so much what they do like. The final question is : Would you use this soap everyday?

 

[navigator9]

When I did a survey, in addition to the questions above, I asked "Tell me what you liked about the soap, and Tell me what you didn't like." Also "Would you buy this soap?" Sometimes people like a soap well enough when someone gives it to them for free, but if it's something they would actually go out and spend their money on, you know you have a winner. I did a blind test, with I think it was 6 different recipes. I scraped a number into each soap, so the testers would know which soap they were using, but had no idea what the ingredients were. It was an eye opener for me, because their favorite was not what I expected it to be. I think that as soapmakers, we can be prejudiced, because we like certain ingredients or recipes, but a blind test can give you a whole new perspective on your soap!

 

[jnl]

It might be handy to have a scale (0-5) with most questions rather than a yes/no.

and i would not give them the name of the soap or tell them anything about it (unless it was a shaving soap or a shampoo bar i would tell them what the use is for).

and ask them about allergies in advance, so you dont have to tell them the ingredients. if people know anything about the ingredients or the name, it could make their answers biased.

i would not add any colors to the soap either. and if trying new bases, i would not add any scent.

maybe ask them to describe the soap to you (or come up with a name) so you can get their overall impression along with the specific qualities.

i also think it would be good to have them try each soap for a certain amount of time, stop, and then try it again later. and keep the soap to compare to future "tweaked" recipes.

 

[suzhartman]

All wonderful guidance. Hanks so much! I appreciate it.

 

[jnl]

i was actually thinking of doing the same, so its good info for me too

 

[claireobell]

If you have a Gmail account you can create a survey on there and send it to your friends, when you get the results back it will sum up the info for you