Susan,
I just had very basic questions....and I was just testing soap scents/colors/names.

Do you like the scent name? (only reason I asked was several had "working" names--like one was called dixie because it was "southerny" but they didn't like they name--either did I.)

What would you change the name to?

Rank the scents in order of preference. (I sent about 8-10 different soap samples to each one to try)

which bars did you think lathered best? (I had some that were made with WSS base & some with SCFI base. I kept track of who got which bases. I did some of each scent in each base--if I poured 10 strawberry I did 5 of each base, then made note of family xx got WSS, family yy got SCFI, but THEY didn't know who got what)

Which bars lasted the longest? (again comparing the bases)

Was there any scents you would NOT ever consider buying?

Overall appeal? (scent, packaging etc)

You could also do questions like:

Does it feel greasy?
How quickly does it soak into the skin?
How does your skin feel after using it for 3 (or 5, 7) days?
Would you recomend it to family & friends?
Would you buy as a gift? alone or as part of a gift set?
for the shea butter.

I don't know exactly WHICH products you want to test....if you want to post products here or email me I can probably come up with more.

(now that I'm past my craft shows I'm planning to try your soap recipies, hopefully this week.)

Don't know if any of these help....hope so...

Hazel

Hazel,
Your answers were helpful. I am not testing soap bases or fragrances; I am interested in the skin care products I do, like the whipped shea, sun shea, sugar and shea scrub, the specialty soaps such as the poison ivy soap, etc. I was interested in how people with different types of skin and people of different ages feel about these products. For example, I love the sugar and shea scrub because it is very moisturizing. My daughter, on the other hand (the only other person to try it so far) says it is way too greasy for her skin (she is 23 and I am 46). It is things like that I am interested in developing set of questions for so that I can choose people who have skin and/or skin problems that I would like to try a product on. Or, do you think it would be easier for me to give them a sample of the product, then have them fill out a questionere (sp?) afterwards?
Susan

I think I would do a sample & a questionere. If they are just trying it at your business then they can fil it out there. If you are giving them some to take home, I'd give them a form to fill out at home....like maybe on days 2, 5 & 7.

Simple things like:
Overall opinion of product-scent packaging etc

how did your skin feel after 1st use?

if you noticed a difference in the feel/look of your skin WHEN did you notice...after 1st, 3rd etc day of use.

What was the 1 thing you liked most about the product?

What was the 1 thing you liked least about the product?

would you recomend this to a friend with your skin type/problem?

I gave them 2 weeks to use my soap & email the form back to me. (I had people I knew from online do it...so I got opinions from both coasts & the midwest--because of the different water types etc).

Good luck with the product testing. i thought it was interesting to get all the input back from everyone.

Hazel

Thanks, Hazel. You've been a great help. Now I just have to get the questioneres done!
Susan