More than just taste: Mouthfeel and emotion in the vape market

Contents

1. The discovery of the carbonic acid effect: effervescence in steam
2. Global Inspiration: What we can learn from Indonesian „cream bombs“
3. Making the impossible possible: The physical limits of salty vapor
4. TPD3 and regulation: Why experience and gut feeling are the real drivers of innovation
5. Conclusion: Conveying haptic experiences and emotions through steam

The global vaping industry is at a critical turning point. While the market is becoming increasingly standardized due to progressive raw material regulations and the anticipated bans on sucralose and menthol, product development is separating the wheat from the chaff. Standard flavor profiles are no longer sufficient to retain B2B customers and end consumers in the long term. True differentiation today arises where science meets sensory artistry: in the haptic mouthfeel and the transmission of genuine emotions through vapor. Interview explained by Oliver Schwarzer, Vaping application expert at Hertz & Selck, how technological innovations make the impossible possible – from the real lemonade tingle to tailor-made profiles for international markets.

The discovery of the carbonic acid effect: effervescence in steam

For years, classic vaping refreshment was achieved in a one-dimensional way using cooling agents like WS-23 or menthol. While these cool the throat, they don't replicate the tactile experience of a fizzy soft drink. Hertz & Selck is addressing this with a technological breakthrough: the simulation of effervescence. By using highly specialized plant extracts, they succeed in creating a perceptible carbonation tingle on the tongue. This somatosensory illusion perfectly reproduces the tactile mouthfeel of a freshly opened soda in its gaseous state. For R&D departments, this opens up entirely new possibilities for authentic beverage profiles without the chemical stability problems of real acids.

Global Inspiration: What we can learn from Indonesian „cream bombs“

Anyone who wants to export successfully in the global vape market must understand that taste is deeply rooted in regional norms. While single fruity notes like strawberry or blueberry dominate in Europe and China, and traditional shisha profiles like double apple are in demand in the Middle East, Southeast Asia follows its own set of rules. The Indonesian market, for example, almost completely avoids classic fruit-freshness combinations. Here, extremely rich, highly complex "cream bombs" and cookie-like candy blends are the absolute standard. For global brand owners, this means that a successful product cannot simply be transferred without careful consideration. Only those who precisely analyze the sensory preferences and hardware requirements of the target region can guarantee export success.

Making the impossible possible: The physical limits of salty vapor

In product development, the question of savory or salty vape flavors regularly arises – a gigantic, as yet unfilled market gap. However, physical reality currently imposes clear limitations on flavoring in this area. While sweetness is excellently transported in vapor via sweeteners like sucralose, bringing flavors to life, salt (sodium chloride) cannot be readily converted into a stable, inhalable, and authentically flavored vapor form due to physical limitations. Since there is currently no functioning alternative product for the mineral salt taste on the e-liquid, the vaping world remains primarily sweet. Hertz & Selck is continuously researching these physical limitations to find application solutions for the future.

TPD3 and regulation: Why experience and gut feeling are the real drivers of innovation

Regulatory hurdles in Germany and Europe are growing rapidly. The impending restrictions on menthol, refrigerants, and sucralose are forcing manufacturers to massively rethink their strategies. At Hertz & Selck alone, our regulatory team had to completely reformulate over 250 established products. In such an environment, the purely scientific toolkit of raw materials shrinks. This is where the value of decades of application experience becomes apparent: Innovation at Hertz & Selck is based 80% on sound intuition and artistic freedom, supported by precise physicochemical laboratory science. This results in legally compliant formulations that are nonetheless completely convincing in terms of sensory experience.

Conclusion: Conveying haptic experiences and emotions through steam

At Hertz & Selck, true innovation means going beyond simply imitating a flavor note. When individual notes perform completely differently due to altered hardware, such as small pod systems or extreme wattage mods, standard chemistry simply isn't enough. Our goal is to implement haptic experiences—from the controlled throat hit of nicotine salts to the tingling gazanza effect—in a reproducible and legally compliant manner. We translate complex customer briefs and sensory challenges into lasting market success.