WELCOME TO MY BLOG POST 2

Introduction:

My research topic is on fragrances and how long they last. Most of us use fragrances, yet we always end up paying more than we should for fragrances simply because they "last longer". 

Recently, "dupes" have entered the market, cheaper alternatives to the expensive fragrances everyone buys. They are meant to smell identical to the designer fragrance, and supposedly last as long, yet people question the longevity and if it truly lives up to what the brands say. 

Due to this, while still fairly popular, people prefer the original designer fragrance simply for its longevity. This is exactly what my project aims to look at: are designer fragrances longer lasting than dupes, or do dupes last longer than the original fragrances? To do this, I am using volatility to measure how much mass is lost from a tester strip of each fragrance sprayed over a 5-hour period (the typical lasting length of fragrances).

My objectives are to do a comparative analysis of 6 fragrances, 3 dupe fragrances (1 men, 1 women, 1 unisex), and 3 designer fragrances (1 men, 1 women, 1 unisex). I am going to compare their quality and longevity using Garvin's dimensions of quality. I am also going to do a statistical analysis comparing how much mass was lost from each fragrance, and plot these on graphs.

Progress So Far: 

I have done 4 fragrances so far: 

Dossier Aromatic Bergamot

Azalia Blushing Sugar

YSL Myslf

Killian's Love Don't Be Shy

After these, I still have to test Lattafa Khamrah, and Killian's Angel Share

In my research progress, the testing is going well so far. I am glad to be testing these fragrances and doing a analysis on them, as even I have been curious as to how dupes compare to the actual thing in a real test scenario. 

Challenges and Problem Solving: 

Roadblocks I have encountered is the fact that some companies weren't able to provide me with dupes. Dossier, wasn't able to send me a fragrance when I contacted them, so I had to purchase that adittionally. Furthermore, the other challenge is simply just having time to be sitting around for 5 hours straight and testing these fragrances. As someone who is constantly busy, it was hard for me to find time to actually test these fragrances. 

I have found time by planning my schedule ahead of time to ensure that I have time, and I also asked Mrs. Dobos, and Mr. McBride to purchase the Dossier fragrance so that I am able to do my analysis. 

Reflection: 

So far, this process has been great, although stressful it has been great. It has also taught me a lot about the research process as well, along with cologne, getting to know my business and one of my hobbies better. I hope to carry everything I have learned from AP Research into college and my future careers.