Hypnotic soap-cutting videos are the latest trend in sensory clips that give watchers a relaxing 'brain orgasm' - Daily Mail

Soap-cutting has been added to the list of things that can give you a 'brain orgasm' along with sizzling bacon and soft whispers.  

The newest social media video trend involves cutting or shaving pieces of soap off a block to relax viewers or induce a tingly feeling known as ASMR.

Research has suggested that autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR), which refers to a tingling sensation on the skin that typically begins on the scalp and moves down the back of the neck and upper spine, may help temporarily alleviate symptoms of depression and chronic pain.

A small group of social media accounts have set out to bring soft, soapy relaxation to thousands of viewers.

The newest social media video trend involves cutting or shaving pieces of soap off a block to relax viewers or induce a tingly feeling referred to as ASMR

One of the most popular soap-cutting accounts on YouTube and Instagram called ASMR Soap Queen is run by a woman who identifies herself only as 'Z.E.'

'Soap-cutting' videos involve using a variety of peeling, chopping, shaving and cutting techniques on different types and colors of soap.

One of the most popular soap-cutting accounts on YouTube called ASMR Soap Queen is run by a woman who identifies herself only as 'Z.E.'.

'I decided to film soap-cutting videos because I thought people might find it relaxing,' she told Daily Mail Online.

Z.E. said that when she started the accounts on Instagram and YouTube, the initial feedback wad mostly negative.

'Because it was such a new concept, a lot of people didn’t understand what I was doing,' she said.

However, she said the general response quickly turned from negative to positive.

'You have no idea how many people thanked me for making a video that helps them study, sleep, relax and get rid of their anxiety. It was like a tiny cure of stress.' 

Z.E. has been watching ASMR videos on YouTube for several years. She found that soap-cutting was an innovative way to create the tingling sensation. 

'How the soap crumbles into pieces and the noise it makes is very appealing,' Z.E. told The Today Show. 

'The reason why people enjoy these types of videos is because of satisfaction and how it releases stress away.'

In just eight months, Z.E. has posted nearly 300 videos and racked up more than 31K subscribers on YouTube.

Her Instagram account has more than 100K followers. 

When asked about her reaction to her videos' popularity, Z.E. said: 'I was very surprised. My channel gained over 10,000 followers in the first week of creating my page. It was crazy.' 

Z.E. has a wide variety of videos using different types of soap. The screenshot above is taken from a video that has nearly 80K views on YouTube

In the video, Z.E. uses a small knife to cut through bars of soap that have been scored to create small cubes that make a soft clunking noise when they hit the table

The ASMR community has been active on YouTube for almost a decade, even before the phrase itself was coined in 2010.

ASMR is commonly referred to as 'whisper therapy' because the earlier videos on YouTube consisted mostly of people speaking softly into a microphone.

ASMR is described as a variety of soothing sensations such as tingles, relaxation, calmness, or sleepiness in response to gentle stimuli often including whispering, soft talking, light touches and methodical sounds, according to ASMR University, a website devoted to educating the public about the phenomenon.

Earlier this year, a video of bacon sizzling in a pan went viral as viewers reported that it gave them the tingling sensation and helped them sleep. 

Z.E. said that she personally experiences ASMR tingling from the soap videos, but that many of her fans simply watch them because they're relaxing. 

In two of the most popular videos on the ASMR Soap Queen YouTube account, Z.E. shaves off curls of turquoise glycerin soap. Both videos have more than 350K views as of Thursday

Another popular video shows a knife slicing through a dryer block of soap, causing green pieces to crumble off

In two of her most popular videos, which both have more than 350K views as of Thursday afternoon, feature a shiny, iPhone-sized block of turquoise glycerin soap.

She uses a small paring knife to strip curls of soap off the block. When the pieces hit the table they make a dull clunking sound. 

In another popular video with more than 160K views she uses a more dry and brittle bar of bright green soap.

As she runs her knife through the soap it crumbles off in small pieces.  

'At first, I knew this sounded quite crazy to cut a soap and film it. As soon as I posted it on my Instagram page, lots of people watched it and they wanted more. I was very surprised and happy to film more videos.' 

In just eight months, Z.E. has posted nearly 300 videos and racked up more than 31K subscribers on YouTube

Z.E. said: 'At first, I knew this sounded quite crazy to cut a soap and film it. As soon as I posted it on my Instagram page, lots of people watched it and they wanted more'

There is very little reputable research available on what causes the tingling sensations. 

In fact, most of the researchers who Daily Mail Online has approached to comment on the topic have declined based on a lack of knowledge.

Only five peer-reviewed studies have been published, including one by British researchers Nick Davis and Emma Barratt from 2015 that looked at people who already reported watching and listening to ASMR content regularly.

'The people who participated in our research reported using it mainly for relaxation, and to get a better night's sleep,' Barratt told TODAY.

'There was a fair amount of people who also said they used it to lift their mood — we found that those who experience depression can get a pretty big boost in mood from watching and listening to ASMR content.'    

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