Testing a New Cream-to-Powder Dry Shampoo: A Study of Consumer Experience and Everyday Use

Client

A Global Beauty & Personal Care Company

Service

Consumer Product Research / iHUT & Qualitative Research

Sector

Beauty & Personal Care

Coverage

China – Shanghai

A global beauty and personal care company partnered with us for dry shampoo product testing in China, evaluating a new cream-to-powder format among women in Shanghai. The study focused on how consumers experienced the finger-applied prototype during at-home use, its performance, and how naturally it could fit into their existing hair-care routines.

The prototype was also tested alongside SPES, an established dry shampoo available in China, allowing the client to compare product experiences and assess the potential of the new format in the market.

The Challenge

The challenge was to understand whether a new cream-to-powder format could deliver a satisfying dry shampoo experience for consumers accustomed to conventional application methods. Beyond product performance, the client needed to assess how easily women could adapt to the finger-applied format and incorporate it into their existing hair-care routines.

Key areas of focus included:

• Consumer experience of the cream-to-powder transformation during actual use.

• Ease and intuitiveness of applying the product directly with the fingers.

• Product performance throughout extended at-home usage.

• Differences in experience between the prototype and SPES, an established dry shampoo in China.

• Responses across current, lapsed, and non-users of dry shampoo.

• Influence of existing hair-care habits on acceptance of the new format.

• Opportunities for the product to add value within everyday hair-care routines.

• Areas where hair care research could inform further prototype development.

The study needed to move beyond first impressions and understand how the new format performed through repeated use, identifying the factors that could influence its place in consumers’ everyday routines and guide further dry shampoo testing.

What We Did

We designed a two-stage in-home product testing program in Shanghai, combining a three-week usage trial with qualitative follow-up interviews. Participants tested the client's cream-to-powder prototype alongside an established dry shampoo, allowing the study to capture their experiences during everyday use and explore the reasons behind their responses.

• 36 women recruited across three age groups: 18–25, 26–35, and 36–45.

• A target of 30 completed participants for the three-week iHUT.

• Current, lapsed, and non-users of dry shampoo represented in the sample.

• Participants using at least three hair-care products as part of their regular routines.

• Two dry shampoo products tested at home: the client's cream-to-powder prototype and SPES.

• Product order rotated evenly, with 18 participants starting with each product.

• Two short surveys, each around 10 minutes, to capture structured product feedback.

• 12 participants selected for 60-minute virtual follow-up IDIs.

• Simultaneous translation provided across all 12 qualitative interviews.

• English transcripts produced for the qualitative phase.

The extended usage period captured product performance beyond first impressions, while the follow-up interviews examined application experience, routine fit, and comparative product response to inform further product innovation research.

The Impact of Research

The study gave the client valuable dry shampoo consumer insights into how women in Shanghai experienced the new cream-to-powder format during repeated at-home use. It captured how consumers adapted to finger application, how the prototype compared with an established dry shampoo, and where it could fit within their existing hair-care routines.

Key outcomes included:

• Consumer response to the finger-applied cream-to-powder format during everyday use.

• Feedback on the prototype’s performance after repeated at-home application.

• Comparative evaluation of the prototype against SPES, an established dry shampoo in China.

• Differences in product experience across current, lapsed, and non-users of dry shampoo.

• How the new format could fit into existing hair-care routines.

• Product strengths and friction points that emerged during extended usage.

• Consumer feedback to guide further prototype refinement and development.

By connecting initial product reactions with experiences from repeated use, the study provided a stronger basis for refining the prototype and evaluating its potential in the Chinese market.

Whether you’re developing a new product or exploring changing consumer needs, contact us to uncover what matters to your audience and make more informed decisions about your next business opportunity.