L’Oreal Consumer Testing Panel: Try Beauty Products & Get Compensated

Some use services like PinchMe to give away small samples and freebies to people. That’s nice, but nothing beats getting the full-size real product for free.

Thankfully, there are some companies that go beyond sample sizes – they actually give you full size, off-the-shelves products.

One of those companies that does that is L’Oreal – the company behind some of the most recognized cosmetic and beauty brands in the world.

Why would companies like L’Oreal give away their products for free?

These guys, besides word of mouth advertising, have another reason…

They use it as an opportunity to get feedback from their real-world consumers, feedback that they can use to improve and develop new products.

Because the feedback you give them is invaluable in that it helps them improve their products and even come up with new and better products that they know their consumers (you and all the others that provide feedback) actually want and would spend money on.

How do you get your hands on some of these free goodies?

Usually, these opportunities come in the form of product testing.

Basically, they create a panel of consumers, send ’em their products for free to use for a certain period. They then send (usually) an online survey where you (the panelist) answer some questions about the product, how you like it, what you like to see improved, etc.

In the case of  L’Oreal, the panel is called L’Oreal Consumer Testing Program.

Who qualifies to become a product tester?

To qualify as a tester you need to be 18 or older, male or female.

You may be asked to try out cosmetics, skincare, hair color and hair care products.

If you live in the New York/New Jersey area, you can take part in studies at the testing center which is in Clark, New Jersey, but you can also get products mailed to your home for testing and evaluation.

L’Oreal also does regular online studies.

How to participate

As mentioned, there are 2 ways you can take part:

1. Participate through their New Jersey testing facility

You can participate in studies conducted in their Clark, New Jersey testing facility if you live close by.

Here is the link to the application for on-site studies: https://consumertesting.lorealusa.com/STLU/nj-registration.html

These tests take place between 7:30 am and 5:00 pm.

They conduct various kinds of studies with many types of beauty/hair products.

These studies will require you to visit the testing center in Clark, New Jersey.

They also have testing facilities in Ohio and Illinois, but I couldn’t find any information on their sites about the exact locations and how to apply. You can contact them via the Contact page on their site and ask, if you wish.

2. Participate in online studies

If you don’t live near the testing facility, you can sign up to be a panelist to take part in their online and by-mail surveys.

Here is the link to the application for online studies: https://consumertesting.lorealusa.com/STLU/outofstate-registration.html

The majority of people will not be able to attend on-site testing but will complete online surveys and test products that are mailed to them.

Once you sign up with L’Oreal online, you have to wait for an email to give you a password so that you can sign into the members’ area.

It’s called the Consumer Participation Panel. You can then look for at-home campaigns that they’re running.

You apply to qualify for a campaign by filling out a survey, which asks you various demographic information.

If you’re selected, they will send samples and give you instructions about what they want you to do.

Note that they won’t go chasing after you, and rarely send you any emails. It is up to you to check in on the website, daily if possible, to see what opportunities are currently open that you can apply to.

You can also follow L’oreal Consumer Testing on Facebook to stay in the loop about new studies and exclusive deals.

L’oreal Consumer Testing Panel Slickdeals

I have noticed the company is very active on the deals and coupon site, SlickDeals.

In fact, they actually have a specific thread on SlickDeals’ forum where they answer questions about the panel and make announcements about new happenings. So it may be worth it to check that out as well.

L’oreal Consumer Testing compensation

You don’t earn money directly with the L’Oreal program, but you get the products that you test.

When you complete your study, L’Oreal will also recompense you with full-size branded products from the L’Oreal stable of companies, which include

• Lancome
• Kiehls
• Clarisonic
• Kerastase
• Biotherm
• Vichy
• La Roche
• and many more

So you will not just receive L’Oreal products in compensation.

Here is more info on compensation depending on how you participate…

On-Site participants’ compensation

If you live in Clark, New Jersey and can participate in studies done in their testing facility, on top of getting free products for testing, you will also receive the following as compensation:

Once you complete the study, you will also receive a gift bag of beauty products worth $85.00 – $100.00 retail depending on the length of the study.

And if you also participate in their online surveys, after completing 3 online studies, you will receive a  company store pass which enables you to shop at their company store, located in Clark, New Jersey, at 50% off retail prices.

Online Participants’ Compensation

After you complete 5 online surveys, you will receive a cosmetic/skin or hair product by mail as compensation.

And after completing what’s called an At Home study (where the product is mailed to your home to use and evaluate), you will receive cosmetic/skin or hair product(s) by mail.

The bottom line

For the sake of a couple of minutes a day checking in on the website, you stand a chance of testing the very latest products in makeup, skincare, and hair care, and providing your feedback to improve them before they are released.

Occasionally, you will also be testing existing products and providing feedback on how they could be made better.

If you are interested in using and testing beauty products, you might as well sign up to be registered.

It costs nothing to sign up.

The products are not cheap to buy but will be sent to you free when you are accepted to the L’Oreal Consumer Testing panel.