Have your products tested by real consumers
The in-home use test is a cosmetic product’s moment of truth: what real consumers say after using it at home, in their own routine, over several weeks. Kayba runs your tests end to end — recruiting testers from a community of thousands of beauty ambassadors, shipping products, scheduled questionnaires, analysis — and turns your best testers into lasting voices for your brand.
You only pay for completed test journeys.
What is an in-home use test?
An in-home use test (or home usage test) consists of having a product used by a panel of consumers matching your target, in real conditions, over a defined period, then collecting their perception in a structured way: sensoriality, texture, fragrance, perceived efficacy, purchase intent.
It answers the questions no laboratory test covers: is the promise perceived? Is the routine adopted? Is the price accepted? What do consumers spontaneously say about the product — in their own words?
Not to be confused with clinical or tolerance testing, performed under medical supervision in a laboratory as part of the regulatory dossier. The Kayba use test measures consumers’ declared perception: it documents your perception claims (“87% find it hydrating”) — for clinical or tolerance claims, work with a specialized laboratory. A good program often combines both.
How Kayba use tests work
1. Brief and targeting.
Create your campaign in minutes: product, target profile (age, gender — the rest is inferred from profiles), custom screening questions. Your campaign is shown to matching ambassadors in the Kayba community, who apply with their full profile.
2. Selection and shipping.
Review applications (profile, social accounts, history) and confirm your panel: products ship automatically — fulfillment connected to your Shopify, tracking included.
3. Scheduled questionnaires.
Testers answer your questionnaires at the milestones you define (day 7, day 21…): 1-10 scales, open questions, claims to validate. Automatic reminders; each tester signs an authenticity pledge (anti-AI notice).
4. Results and what comes next.
Follow everything in real time: response rate, agreement rate per claim, verbatims, word cloud. At the end: a structured PDF report, authentic reviews, and won-over testers who can become your ambassadors — that’s the Kayba difference: a test that leaves assets behind.
What you get
- Real-time analytics: participation funnel, aggregates per question and per wave, agreement rate for every claim tested, verbatim word cloud.
- Structured PDF report: methodology, panel, results per question, claims summary — a clean, formal format aligned with industry practices (Cosmetics Europe), ready to circulate internally or with your distributors.
- Authentic reviews: a rating and comment from each tester at the end of the journey, displayable on your Shopify product pages via the “Tested & approved” widget (badge, rating, claims, reviews by profile — tester, professional, creator).
- Consented UGC: photos and content usable on your website and organic social channels.
- Ambassadors in the making: convinced testers join your program — the test becomes a recruitment channel.
How much does a use test cost?
Two line items, zero surprises: your Kayba subscription (from €90/month) and €12.50 per completed and validated tester journey — all questionnaires filled in, final review submitted, authenticity checks passed. An incomplete journey is never billed: you only pay for results.
Market benchmark: a consumer test run by an institute commonly costs €15 to €50+ per respondent, excluding setup fees, on a quote basis. Kayba is up to 4 times cheaper, with no quote needed, and with activatable deliverables (reviews, UGC, ambassadors) no institute produces.
Use test, institute consumer test, clinical test: which one do you need?
| Kayba use test | Institute consumer test | Clinical / tolerance test | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conditions | At home, real routine, several weeks | Facility or home, institute protocol | Laboratory, medical supervision |
| What it proves | Declared perception (perception claims) | Perception, standardized protocols | Safety, measured efficacy |
| Deliverables | Report + reviews + UGC + ambassadors | Report | Regulatory dossier |
| Timeline | 2 to 6 weeks | 1 to 3 months | 2 to 6 months |
| Budget | €90/month + €12.50 per tester | Several thousand €, on quote | Several thousand € |
| Best for | Validating perception, generating social proof | Standardized studies for large groups | Clinical claims, regulatory |
Frequently asked questions
How many testers do I need for reliable results?
From 20-30 testers, perception trends are clear and actionable; standardized panels target 60+ for public, quantified claims. Our advice: start at 30, then iterate.
Can I target a precise profile?
Yes: age, gender, plus your own custom screening questions (skin type, routine, purchase habits) directly in the application form.
Are testers paid?
No — they receive the product and take part out of interest in the brand. This keeps feedback authentic (and makes the economic model possible).
Are the generated reviews authentic and compliant?
Each tester signs an authenticity pledge, journeys are checked (completeness, anti-AI), and reviews come from people who actually received and used the product — full traceability from shipping to review.
What can I say about the results in my communications?
The results document perception claims (“X% find it softer”). For clinical or tolerance claims, a laboratory test remains necessary — and we will tell you so honestly.
What happens to testers after the test?
The most engaged testers can join your ambassador program on Kayba and sell your products on an ongoing basis — the test is also a recruitment channel.
Your first use test live this week.
Create your campaign in 15 minutes — the community starts applying today.