Exploring the Experience of Aesthetic Interaction in Perfume Spraying

Abstract

Recent perfumes have evolved beyond simple fragrance products into sensory media that express personal identity and emotion. In the past, perfumes were used primarily in religious rituals or as symbols of social status, but in modern times, they have become emotional media that represent one’s feelings and sense of self. Along with this shift, the form and composition of perfumes have continuously evolved as aesthetic elements reflecting the sensibilities and diversity of each era. However, despite these changes, there has been little research that empirically examines the interactive experience that occurs during the act of using perfume. Accordingly, this study explores the potential of aesthetic interaction in perfume use, analyzing how different modes of manipulation influence users’ emotional engagement, cognitive impressions, and scent associations. A Research-through-Design (RtD) approach was employed, and experimental prototypes were developed under controlled conditions for both form and contents. Based on the three concepts of aesthetic interaction—freedom of interaction (Type A), interaction pattern (Type B), and richness of motor actions (Type C)—three types of prototypes were designed. In addition, to isolate the emotional effect of manipulation alone, the Wizard-of-Oz method was applied to control the actual spraying function of the perfume. A total of 20 participants used the prototypes in a random order. After each use, they evaluated their emotional responses using the PrEmo tool and assessed the semantic impressions through Semantic Differential (SD) scales. Finally, they participated in an interaction–tactile matching task designed to identify suitable scent images corresponding to each interaction type. Follow-up interviews were conducted to explore the underlying reasons for their evaluations, and statistical analyses were performed to compare emotional responses, SD results, and matching outcomes among the prototype types. In addition, qualitative insights into the overall perfume-use experience were obtained through descriptive analysis of the interview data. The results revealed that the three perfume prototypes, each designed with different types of aesthetic interaction, elicited distinct types and intensities of emotional responses. Furthermore, differences in the modes of interaction during perfume use were found to influence the semantic evaluation of the action. In addition, each interaction type was associated with different tactile elements, which in turn corresponded to different scent images, and the verbs used to describe the actions also varied accordingly. These findings suggest that physical interaction in fragrance design can serve as a sensory branding language that conveys a brand’s emotional identity. Lastly, the study discusses its limitations and proposes directions for future research.