The field of psychorheology is like that for me. Most of my life, I had never heard of it. But I’ve come to discover I reap its benefits in many everyday consumer products—everything from hot cocoa to sunscreen. Psychorheology touches upon how products feel—or more specifically, how we feel when we touch products. That makeup, that hand lotion—is it oily, dry, smooth, stiff, rough, thick, light or foamy?

Originally released by Inside Science, 2017. Streaming video file encoded with permission for digital streaming by Infobase on December 08, 2017.