An investigation of the sound of foam and its potential influence on the shampoo experience

OBJECTIVE: Compared to at-home hair washing, the salon shampooing experience offers a different sensory landscape for the client. Visual and tactile interaction with the shampoo foam itself is minimized, thereby emphasizing the olfactory, tactile (scalp) and auditory dimensions of the experience. This sensory shift presents a novel opportunity to investigate the impact of the often-overlooked aspects of the hair washing experience, especially shampoo foaming auditory perception. METHODS: The present study uses binaural recording techniques to explore the sound of shampoo foam from the perspective of a person whose hair is being washed (salon context). It is designed to answer the question of whether participants can differentiate different shampoo foam sounds and to quantify acoustic differences among the foam sounds. It then examines the emotional and functional implications this has for the shampooing experience. In addition, a combined approach including psychoacoustic analysis of the foaming sound, free listing and Check-all-that-apply tests has been employed to ascertain the functional and emotional connotations perceived by participants. RESULTS: The results show that participants can differentiate different sounds, and that these different sounds form clusters based on their acoustic, emotional and functional profiles. The initial phase of lathering tends to be a separate cluster, more linked to high arousal and negative emotions, whereas later phases tend to be more positive. Different shampoos also show different functional and emotional evocations. CONCLUSION: In sum, the results suggest that the sound of shampoo foam has the potential to (1) affect a salon customer's hair washing experience, (2) serve as an effective tool for marketing and even (3) influence the design of the shampoo or salon service itself.